What time do you let your chickens out?

[PeachygirlGA]

Our door to the run is always open too, so I don't have to go let them out. It's a very safe run so I don't worry. I usually let them out to roam the yard around noon if I'm at home. We don't let them roam if we're not home usually, unless we leave for just an hour or so. My problem is, sometimes the girls will lay eggs in strange places in the yard! So sometimes I like to keep them close to the hen boxes until they have laid.

 

[mondotomhead]

On work days I open the coop door at 5:00 am.

On weekends I stagger out of bed at 5:00 am to let them out. I think I should invest in an automatic door

 

[off-grid hen]

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[Rock Home Isle]

Planning ahead, how early in the morning should the chickens go out? As soon as it starts getting light? Maybe I'll have the hens who don't mind sleeping in....

Chicks are coming 6/2!!

Here is my daily routine: I usually get up at ~5:00am. I go out to the coop and wash the waterer and give the flock fresh water, for the ducks I have a few tubs that I wash out and refill as well. Then I top off the feed hopper if it needs it and then open the coop & the run for the girls. The girls usually appear in the yard within the hour; and they will forage for the better part of 2 hours before they settle in for a mid-morning nap.

For the rest of the day its a mix of foraging and napping. Late in the afternoon (3:00pm-4:00pm) I'll go out and empty the waterer and refill it. If its been a hot day (85+), it will down too 1/2 a gallon of water (3 gallon waterer; 6 pullets & 2 Ducks)...otherwise its usually a little less than half full. At a little before sunset they put themselves to bed and I close up the coop at a little after sunset. My ducks will not go in the coop at night, so they sleep in the run under the coop. I refill the waterer for them and check the feed level in the hopper so if the ducks get hungry or thirsty the water is there for them.

At sunrise the next day...Repeat as needed.

All told its about 10 - 12 minutes a day for the requireds. But I enjoy the birds so I spend a lot more time with them than is required.

They are too young to lay eggs, so that routine has not been worked into my daily functions as yet.

 

[speckledhen]

When I decide to let them out is when they go out.

 

[Lisasfeathers]

I let mine out at 6:30ish a lot until... One day my roosters saved the day and alerted me on a fox that was stalking them. I now let them out about noon. Not taking any chances.

 

[JackE]

I let mine out at 6:30ish a lot until... One day my roosters saved the day and alerted me on a fox that was stalking them. I now let them out about noon. Not taking any chances.

Do you think letting them out after noon will help? I lost 7 to a fox around 4:00 in the afternoon, in Aug a couple of yrs ago. Fox are a 24hr a day threat.

 

[fell4chicks]

SHORTLY AFTER DAWN & NOT BEFORE. I've recently acquired 2 chickens (as rescues, over 2 yrs ago now) and I do professional animal rescue. I'm around wildlife a lot and knowing coyote activity -- and their love of chickens, dawn & dusk are their fav times to hunt. They're known to be out on moonlit nights and during the day when temps are about 60 degrees give/take 10-20 degrees. They'll wait out a bad storm when there's blowing wind too and then hunt right afterwards. I let out my chickens to roam my fenced yard only after dawn (usually right after) and only when I'm home and can monitor them. My Pit Bull rescue has also been conditioned as their protector who is also allowed the whole yard only when I'm home. --Lets hope she doesn't relapse --HA! Although NEVER an incident (yet). She actually cowers if they get upset about something. Its quite hilarious actually. AND they keep her company (through their fence) while I'm away.

My chickens don't mind the rain & a little wind. They seem to find more worms that way!

I'm currently working on an automatic chicken door that opens when they approach and closes behind them so they can come & go as they choose to lay and keeps the birds & squirrels out of the food inside. My first attempt freaked them out so I have to put a 60 sec delay in the circuit and scoot the pressure plate to the beginning of the walk before they can even see the door. That way, they'll still go in on their own just before dusk as normal --provided they can still see the light on in the coop from the base of the walk. So, I'll have to add a plexiglass window. FUN!!! Never thought I'd love having chickens so much!

 

[Casey Chicken]

Since it's now may I've been going out at 6 am turning the light on in the coop opening the door to their yard and talk to them until they're all awake and talking back then I go back to bed lol once they're all roosted I'll close them in. No point in extra dusk hours if they're all already for bed. They're kinda like well behaved kids,you keep them on a schedule, and eggs eggs eggs

 

[Casey Chicken]

SHORTLY AFTER DAWN & NOT BEFORE. I've recently acquired 2 chickens (as rescues, over 2 yrs ago now) and I do professional animal rescue. I'm around wildlife a lot and knowing coyote activity -- and their love of chickens, dawn & dusk are their fav times to hunt. They're known to be out on moonlit nights and during the day when temps are about 60 degrees give/take 10-20 degrees. They'll wait out a bad storm when there's blowing wind too and then hunt right afterwards. I let out my chickens to roam my fenced yard only after dawn (usually right after) and only when I'm home and can monitor them. My Pit Bull rescue has also been conditioned as their protector who is also allowed the whole yard only when I'm home. --Lets hope she doesn't relapse --HA! Although NEVER an incident (yet). She actually cowers if they get upset about something. Its quite hilarious actually. AND they keep her company (through their fence) while I'm away. 

My chickens don't mind the rain & a little wind. They seem to find more worms that way!

I'm currently working on an automatic chicken door that opens when they approach and closes behind them so they can come & go as they choose to lay and keeps the birds & squirrels out of the food inside. My first attempt freaked them out so I have to put a 60 sec delay in the circuit and scoot the pressure plate to the beginning of the walk before they can even see the door. That way, they'll still go in on their own just before dusk as normal --provided they can still see the light on in the coop from the base of the walk. So, I'll have to add a plexiglass window. FUN!!! Never thought I'd love having chickens so much! 

Fell4chicks Yes Yes Yes this is so true. I grew up in the country raising chickens. ALWAYS right after dawn. Like after 7 am. I live in the city now my only predators are raccoons and maybe a dog... and there's no way they're getting in even if I leave their yard door open all night. for anybody that reads this it's whatever basically... at least 14 full hours in the summer. When you want to start and end the day is on you. Keep them on a schedule!!!!