SimoneG
Songster
@DoeAndGander What I do is make sure you feed in the early evening. that way they are all back in the coop/barn by nightfall. I did the same as you cause I was afraid they would get eaten. Kept them in forever! but it turned out to be a good thing cause when I did let them out they knew they eat in the early evening. (530/6) and I always say "here Rickys" when I go to feed. (Ricky is my pied male he knows his name) after they were out for awhile they even learned when my pickup pulls in the drive and meet me at the garage then follow to the barn. Mine do about anything for corn. Then in the winter they are locked in the barn fulltime till spring. I notice that in the summer they do wander thru out the pasture and trees and I do try & get them in if theres a bad storm coming but 90% of the time they are at the barn for food.
