4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[seraphine]

I'm interested in how long people allow their chickens to free-range for?

 

It seems that most people have their chooks free for a lot of the time. I anticipate letting ours free-range every day, but the actual time out there will vary. I'm a SAHM so they'll definitely get at least an hour or two every day (during fine weather this will be a lot more - had we got them already then yesterday and today it would have literally been all day, for eg.) but the rest of the time they'll be in their (extended) eglu run.

 

Wondering how this compares to others?

[jlo]

Mine aren't out as much as I would like. I work part time and am out for a lot of the time that I don't work and there is no way that I would let them stay out whilst I was out.

 

It is even more limited at the moment as we just have two new girls and I will only let them out when I am able to be down the garden with them so that there is not too much of a fight!

 

I do feel a bit guilty about it as they clearly love being out. However, as others have said, when you do manage to peek at them and they don't see you, they are usually quite happily scratching around or having a dust bath. They only start creating if they see you!!

[Egluntyne]

Mine aren't out as much as I would like. I work part time and am out for a lot of the time that I don't work and there is no way that I would let them stay out whilst I was out.

Ditto.

 

I try to let them out for a minimum of a couple of hours a day and more at weekends, but today for example, even though it was gorgeous, they didn't get out at all as I was working all day.

[seraphine]

Thanks both. Your replies are reassuring as despite having the best of intentions, sometimes I'm a bit optimistic with my time and can't quite fit everything in. So it's good to know the girls will be ok in their run should I not be able to let them free-range for as long as I'd like.

 

I wouldn't leave them loose in the garden on their own, we've been lucky the last few days with the weather and have been in the garden all day, would have been perfect if we had the hens already.

[Hen Watch]

I work part time odd hours, evenings & weekends. So my girls get quite a bit of free range time but must fit round me. 2 days a week they are shut in their run all day until school pick up at 3.30, so in summer that means they still get a good time free ranging but in Winter when it's dark at 4pm they are not out at all.

 

Some days, they free range all day once I come back from school run at 9.30am. Other days when we have loads of after school clubs, they are in and out of the run maybe three or four times in one day, sometimes only for 20 mins in between getting home from school and going out swimming 20 mins later. They don't seem to mind.

 

I'm sure you will find your own routine and the chickens will fit in around that. They will be fine in their run if need be and I always lock mine in the run when I go out, even if it's just nipping out for 5 mins.

 

Although my lot free range odd times, I do like a routine for mornings. I don't let them out of their run until 9.30am so this fits in with school runs and means they don't expect to be let out first thing so no sqwarking or pacing up and down to be let out when I open the eglu at 7.30am.

[madchickenlady]

I'm at home at the moment, so the girls are out most of the day (only shut in the run for school run etc) However, at the weekends, when we're out and about, they get less time. I don't feel guilty about it, as it's very rare that they don't get any time out to vandalise the garden They do get less time in the winter, but I have pekins and they loathe getting their feet wet/dirty anyway

[chelsea]

I am fortunate that I am also part time and when I do go to work hubby is home most of the time as he works nights so my girls are very lucky and free range all day. However I do know people whose girls are happily enclosed for the working week and are fine. The good thing is this time of the year that even after office hours your chooks can still have an hour or 2 before bed in these lighter nights.

[Steph101]

I used to free range mine all day as we have a tall fence and they can't get out, but we've just had to re-turf the garden because they ate every bit of grass in sight, so now they have own area to play in.

[katieadams]

I'm a SAHM too - mine get out for an hour or so most days, some days more, some days not at all. It all depends on what the kids are doing, they didn't get out at all yesterday even though we were in the garden all day, because the paddling pool and water slide were out and I didn't think they'd appreciate that! If they're in the garden I have to watch them all the time so they don't eat all our veg so they only get out when I can be on guard duty or at weekends when there's two of us to supervise! They have an extended run too so they're ok in there although they do behave like drama queens if they see me through the window, trying to get me to let them out

[tania]

Ours free range within a large, 12 mtr sq, electrified run in the orchard all day. They are let out to roam the rest of the paddock for about 2 -3 hours in the evening and at weekends, when dogs are free ranging!. They seem very happy with this.

[sgregson]

This is probably going to seem like a really dumb question, but I'm intrigued as to how, if you let your girls out for only a short time, ie Katy mentioned 20 mins, you get them to go back in the run?!? Our hens arrive next week (v excited!!) and reading this thread made me think of how on earth I'd get them back into their run - any top tips anyone?!

 

As you can see I'm clueless and I have visions of me chasing 3 chickens around my garden for hours on end

 

Sal

[Lewis]

When they get used to you it will be a lot easier as they will be tamer.

 

You could always try a few treats.

Ours are scared of the broom, so if they're refusing to go back in, just get the broom out and they get the idea and go back in

 

 

Ours have a walk in run which they are in all the time, and they free-range after school and weekends in the summer - not so much in the winter.

 

Babs used to free-range all the time and we never had any problems, but I wouldn't let the big chickens out just because they'd wreck the garden!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Ours have a walk in run which they are in all the time, and they free-range after school and weekends in the summer - not so much in the winter.

 

Much the same here .

 

 

any top tips anyone?!

 

Bribery, bribery and more bribery .

 

I have a small plastic jar full of mealworms in the kitchen - they only have to see me open the cupboard and they all come running. I could get them to go anywhere on earth with a few mealworms .

[*mummy_hen*]

I only let my girls free rnage when i am around to keep an eye on them. In the winters months when we were both working, this may only be half hour or so in the week but then most of the day at the weekends whilst we were around.

 

Now the nicer weather has come, my girls come out about 4 and go in about 8ish. We are quite lucky thought in that my OH is his own boss so he can pop home and let them out if we think they need it during the day.

 

A couple ofhours and mine are perfectly content. Infact they spend most of their time going in and out the run which i think is nice as they are obviously happy in it.

[Hen Watch]

if you let your girls out for only a short time, ie Katy mentioned 20 mins, you get them to go back in the run?!? Our hens arrive next week (v excited!!) and reading this thread made me think of how on earth I'd get them back into their run - any top tips anyone?!

 

I have 2 methods.

 

1. Mixed dried corn......... which as far as chickens concerned is like sweets are to children. They will follow dried corn to the ends of the earth.....

 

2. Treat bowl. When my lot first arrived I always put treats in a heavy dog bowl (so they can't kick it over). Now they only have to see me pick up the dog bowl (whether it's empty or not) and they come running. So you put treat bowl in the run and they will come flapping in after it.

 

Or with my girls now, all I have to do is throw half an egg cupful of corn in their run and they fly in after it like speeding bullets. Works every time. So today I came in from work very late at 3pm. Had to leave for school run at 3.10 but felt guilty they'd been locked in run all day. So they had 10 mins outside and it took 10 seconds to get them back in the run with a bit of corn.

 

All the best Sal for your new arrivals next week.

[speckled hen]

My girls have varying time out and about, they have to share time with the dog, if they are out she is locked in her run or it would be chuck for supper!

 

As for grtting them back in the run, corn corn corn!!!! If they are out I only ever give them corn when its time to go back in. They will run from quite a distance as soon as they see me walk towards the run and if i have the container in my hand they jump up to get it! So my top tip is corn corn corn

 

Oh I meant to say that after a while they come to their names, well me shouting and I also have a silly whistle for them which works wonders.

 

Enjoy your girls, mine give me and my family such joy xx

[Barkisland]

I only started letting mine out to free range at Easter, and to be honest they seem to think it's over rated! They are always very pleased to get out initially, but after half an hour or so they start making their way back to the run! I try to keep them out for a couple of hours if possible, then with a quick shake of the corn container they become putty in my hands and I can make them go anywhere

[Redwing]

This is probably going to seem like a really dumb question, but I'm intrigued as to how, if you let your girls out for only a short time, ie Katy mentioned 20 mins, you get them to go back in the run?!? Our hens arrive next week (v excited!!) and reading this thread made me think of how on earth I'd get them back into their run - any top tips anyone?!

 

As you can see I'm clueless and I have visions of me chasing 3 chickens around my garden for hours on end

 

Sal

 

If you let them out just before it gets dark they make their way home as dusk falls - thats how I control any freeranging time without having to worry about getting them back in, otherwise a bit of bribary doesnt go amiss as others have said

[sgregson]

Thanks for all your words of wisdom - have put corn onto my shopping list

 

Only 3 days of agonising waiting to go

 

Sal