We Free Ranged for the first time!!!

[LoveMyFeatherBabies]

I have been wanting to let my chickens free range some in the afternoons when I get home from work. Yesterday it was pouring rain and there were bugs a plenty so we let the girls (and our guy) out. We had to run some errands so we left the coop door open with a light on inside. When we got home, all 21 hens and 1 rooster were on their roosting poles!!

This is so exciting for me LOL. I was worried our dogs would get one of them even though they have been beaten into submission when it comes to the chickens. When we pulled into the carpet we saw something in the dog house and panicked. It was a deer head!! LOL!! People dump their carcasses on the dirt road across from our house and the dogs love them. I don't so much.

I'm rambling! But just wanted to share this exciting turn of events. I now have partially free ranging chickens!

 

[daniel-delarosa]

Thats awesome! I did the same yesterday for the first time in my back yard. My run is around thirty feet from my back yard so I was kinda leery of getting them from point A to point B. I got the feed bowl out and shook it and they followed me strait to the yard! They free ranged for 5 hours then before dark I did the same thing and they followed me back to the run. Im not brave enough to leave them with gates open yet though. Too many stray dogs around.

 

[anderson8505]

Be warned: They will never forget it, and want to be let out every day now!!! Mine stand at the coop door, beggin'!

 

[LoveMyFeatherBabies]

Well yesterday was an experiment and it went really really well. I think my girls were getting bored in the run! Our plan for now is to do this every day when I get home from work. Thankfully, our dogs keep a lot of the predators away!

 

[aoxa]

Quote:
Yep!

I'm glad I have two fenced in portions to my yard. One in the front, one in the back. The chickens use the front part for the winter and the back part for the summer. If it is nice they get to free range while I am out with them. My chickens are kind of daring and a few have ventured on to the road. My neighbour LOVES my chickens, and watches them like a hawk if I go inside for whatever reason while they free range. She will chase them off the road if they get daring. Usually only my first three girls will be the only ones that go that far. They free ranged for a good month or two even while I was at work.

They will definitely beg to be let out now!

and if you are like me, you'll be a sucker for it!

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Same here!! You would think they wear watches & they won't shut up till you let them out.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

I love watching mine free range....wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[bobcatridge]

I have to admit that this summer I started to let the chickens out of the run and coop in the late afternoons. It was hubby who first let them out to free range. I was nervous about it at first. Everyone - chickens, dog,and cats get along and roam the yard. I think the one cat would like to attack the chickens but those chickens are bigger than the cat and the chickens have that cat dominated. The dog keeps all varmints away from the house so the chickens are safe free ranging. It is great to see them free range.

 

[maggiec1951]

Funny - yesterday must have been THE day. We let ours free range too while we cleaned the coop and run. It had rained here and they had lots of bugs to eat. They would NOT eat the worms. I thought chickens liked worms.

One of my girls got 2 big fat grubs and was not about to share. They ran the whole back yard and explored - scratching their way from one side of the yard to the other. So much fun to watch

but they were happy to be back in their run with fresh hay and corn. All five of them had to go in and check out their coop to see what we did to it. It took no prodding on my part to get them to come out this morning. I love my little girls!!!



Owned by 1 very possessive cat, 2 parakeets, 5 chickens and a DH, 2 grown children and 4 grandchildren

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Mine pace back & forth when they see me coming to the run door, and they make a bee line for the deck once they are let out. The worst is, when you are in the house & look up and see 5 - 8 chickens standing in front of the sliding glass door, waiting to be let in. Our roo had no qualms about walking into the house like he owns the place, and then calls for the girls.