Trying to figure it all out.

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chrishartgray

chrishartgray

In the Brooder
Jun 18, 2021
2
26
39
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
About 2 months ago.

(2) How many chickens do you have right now?
16 girls
3 roosters we will use for meat soon.
I don’t want roosters at all.

(3) What breeds do you have?
Not sure. Purchased from farm store. I have to look at the photos. I know I have two types of Red

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens?
We used to raise alpacas. I need a place I can go and just watch them. It brings me peace.

(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I paint furniture.
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.

(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community? :D
Just looking for advice. Found it through Facebook.
Here's a quick link to where to post your new thread with your intro info:
 
Question
Our intention is to let birds Free Range. I have plenty of space. We are considering a LGD. I fully expect we could loose some. But our yard has a lot of trees so hopefully birds of prey won’t be an issue.

I have no idea when or how to let them out of the coop. Don’t think they are old enough right now. But how do you let them know you want them back in the evening????
Really questioning safest way to do this.
 
chrishartgray said:
Question
Our intention is to let birds Free Range. I have plenty of space. We are considering a LGD. I fully expect we could loose some. But our yard has a lot of trees so hopefully birds of prey won’t be an issue.

I have no idea when or how to let them out of the coop. Don’t think they are old enough right now. But how do you let them know you want them back in the evening????
Really questioning safest way to do this.
Click to expand...
You keep them in their coop and run until they know it's home, when they get to be 5-6 months old, you can sometimes let them out on expeditions, you do this in the afternoon so when it gets towards sunset they naturally go home to roost. I also woudn't let them out until 1-2 in the after noon so all the laying gets done in the nest boxes and not hidden around your yard.
I wouldn't recommend free ranging until you're better versed about chickens, it's not as simple as you think. how big is your coop? there's going to be days (weeks, months) where they can't free range due to you being out of town or predators or weather, you must have a safe place for them.
 
chrishartgray said:
Question
Our intention is to let birds Free Range. I have plenty of space. We are considering a LGD. I fully expect we could loose some. But our yard has a lot of trees so hopefully birds of prey won’t be an issue.

I have no idea when or how to let them out of the coop. Don’t think they are old enough right now. But how do you let them know you want them back in the evening????
Really questioning safest way to do this.
Click to expand...
How old are they? I started free ranging my first flock when they were 5.5 weeks old after they'd been in the coop and run for a week to "home" to it. Then I let them out about 2 hours before natural roost time. They stayed very close to the door to the run. I'd let them out a little earlier each day and they'd venture a little farther. They come back to the coop on their own when it's time for them to roost.
Once they started to hike up and down the roads, cross the road and go through the neighbors yard and into the woods, free ranging came to a screeching halt! Now they are confined to a 1/3 acre pen behind electrified poultry netting and are quite happy there.
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
 
:welcome

Hello, thanks for joining us!

When I used to free range my flock, I got them used to hearing me shake a tin can with some meal worms in it...they learned that sound meant a treat. Most of them would come running. That doesn't mean there weren't times I didn't have to hunt down someone and trying to catch a chicken that has it's mind set on being free can be frustrating.

Now I keep a flock enclosed in a large run. But I still have a large net to make any escapees easier to catch.
 

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