4 hens
PVC Pipe feeder full (no daily feeding)
5 GALLON waterer (no daily watering)
Auto door to Run
manual door to yard
Free range front yard during day

So with that said.
Auto door opens 2 hrs after sunrise, I go out about 7:30 to open Run door to yard.
Since I am out, I clean off the Poop board then go inside ;)

Evening about 5pm. Shoo hens into run and close run door behind them. Since this past week I have been feeding Wet feed to them so they are happy at night and easier to get in run.
They put themselves to bed and Auto door closes behind them.

OH, every few days I clean up poop off the yard/run too.
 
I let everyone out at dawn or 7am, whichever comes last. Before I do that, I fill bowls and moved anyone around I need to for the day. At some point during the day, I leave the house and feed the birds and put them in their run while I’m gone. Feeding then means most will come in on their own to eat. I let them back out again when I get back. I feed again in the evening, sometime before an hour before dark. I lock them in their run at an hour vefor sunset, more or less, and then put them in the coop if anyone hasn’t gone on their own once I’m sure they’re all bedded down, when it’s finally truly dark. Water I refill whenever each day. I collect eggs mid afternoon or later when I’m sure they’re all done. Other chores, bedding changes, organization, cleaning, happen as needed when I fill waterers. I try to keep it flexible for myself and the chickens.

Oh, I do count almost every time I put them up. We have an electric fence that is turned on once they’re in. It has killed a bird in wet conditions before, plus of course predators are a concern. I have 55 chickens, two guineas and two turkeys free ranging at the moment. Not everyone is individually recognizable but most are. I can account for at least 50 of them by name.
 
Last edited:
I am not a morning person so I do things opposite from what others do. I am retired so about 10 am I go out into the coop with my chair and watch my hens lay their eggs. I find this to be fascinating and it helps me to know who is laying and who is not. I go in and have lunch (I don't eat breakfast) at noon and perform any household chores. At 1:30 or 2pm I let the chickens out to free range. In late afternoon just before they "go to bed" I fill the food bowls, the water bowls and about twice a week I give the chickens treats from my hand. Grapes cut in half, grains, spinach too. Since I don't get up early I make sure they have food and water in the evening so the next day they are ok until afternoon. :wee
 
In the morning I feed them, fill their waterer, give everyone a welfare check, pet a few, then check for eggs. Afternoon, I go take another look, collect eggs, then feed them a snack. Before sundown, I go feed them their last feeding, do a last welfare check, pet some more, and do a last egg check. That's pretty much the everyday routine.

Definitely don't feel guilty about having to work extra hours. That's what buys all their food and other needs. There have been times when I haven't been able to give my hens much attention (I have 4 young children, too), but they are always ready to forgive me when they see that food container coming. Ha! If only everyone in my life were that easy to please, am I right?

Chickens take pretty good care of themselves most of the time. Your worry just shows how much you love and care for them, though. They do make for awesome pets, as well as utility birds.
 
Last edited:
The daily routine doesn't change much in regards to summer/winter , just the hours of begin/end .

By 8am, open the coop door and let everybody out. Take a head count and keep an eyeball out for any odd behavior.
They free range all day in a closed yard.
Dusk- feed the birds . Taking a head count and keeping an eye out again for any odd behavior .

Water levels are checked and remedied every morning/evening .
During hot weather , water levels are checked multiple times a day. They even get patches of dirt in the shade sprayed with the Hose ,on extremely hot days .

Their coop is cleaned out every Friday.
 
I free feed so feeders hold 25 pounds of feed which lasts about a week. The water is in a two gallon tub they can stand on the edge to drink.... and it has a float water supply. If I have chicks I form a piece of chicken wire so that they cant drown but every one can drink. The only thing I have to do is once a week dump their water out and swish with a toilet scrubber. And fill the feeder with Feed.

I think the daily routine really also depends on your climate environment.... My birds are not allowed to free range unless they can fly.... So the heavy layers pretty much stay in the yard.

My land is in the desert and I have a LOT of predators.. Therefore I supplement their feed with catfish pellets. because I cant let them free range.

deb
 
I let them out in the morning and fill their feeder, then make sure the waterer is full enough for the day. In the evening I do a head count and close up. Now and then I check every bird to make sure everyone is healthy, and for that reason I've cured several things like bumblefoot and scaly leg mites.
 
Alaska is full beautiful and plentiful>chix and ducks. Morning, turn on hose and open coop doors. Out come 5 chickens and one rooster! Wash out fresh water bowls and fill, , even if it rains. because 6 ducks like me fussing, open feed locker and start throwing! Catfood for ducks, corn/grain scratch and egg crumbles for chix and dried Mealy Worms for all. Finish my newspaper and coffee. They all free-range throughout the day, which is 22 hours right now! However, chix go to roost at around 7:30P and I put them to bed. Yes, I sing to them and they coo and whisper. Then feed Ducks just like morning and then crack a beer and hang out in the Midnight Sun!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom