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dame egna

Q about the chickens free ranging.Photo of garden attached..

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We have had our lovely ladies since last Saturday now, and are thinking of letting them free range possibly next weekend sometime (possibly before). At the moment, they are in a fairly large run (fully enclosed) but I think they would definitely appreciate being able to roam around. I am really worried about them escaping though! I have clipped their wings (just one side), and we have a 6 foot fence all the way round on the back and right side, a much higher fence with a hedge in front on the left side, and a lower fence (about 4 and a half foot) at the front (we have a dog area in front of that, so it's 'dog proof' with mesh along it.) Are they likely to get out?! There are no holes in the fence or anything like that, but we do have a table next to one side of the fence, and a swing bench at the back - and I'm just worried they will get onto these things, and then over. Am I just being a worry guts?! :doh: I just hate the thought of them escaping, and it'd be a real pain to get them back in again!!!!??? Not ever having free range chickens, and only having had them for a week, I just don't know what to expect :oops:

 

Any advice for a complete chicken dunce, much appreciated! lol

 

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The only worry is though that they might get over the fence and not be able to get back again? I did wonder whether to part mesh (simple meshing) around where the swings and trampoline is, so they have that side away from the chairs and adult swing etc? The fence is obv much higher over there....

 

If only the swings and trampoline weren't there and they could have a permanent, much larger enclosure! I'll have to rehome the kids!

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My tip would be ''treats'' , I kept my girls in their run for a week like recommended, but during this time i'd give them sweet corn treats every day , not lots but after about 4 days they knew what was in the tin and now they could complete the agility course at cruffts if I were to run around with some corn

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Why would any chicken want to leave your garden? There is so much there to occupy them. :D Mine try though. They are really funny how ingenious they can be. Flimsy bushes are quite good for jumping up on but it took them 4 months to work that out. :lol:

Yours can't see what is on the other side so I'm sure they won't go. If they do just rattle their corn pot or whatever does it for them. Failing that you just pick them up when the daft things crouch and hope your neighbours don't catch you. :D

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hey

 

 

I don't think you'll have many problems you might want to just drag the table and chairs over a bit to disencourage temptation but i don't think they will try and escape mine free range all day and we have never had an escape attempt at all and you apear to have quite a lot that will keep them occupied within the garden.

 

Good luck

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Firstly do not let them out for a week, so they establish where is home. I use the omlet netting to give them a restricted 'freerange' area and it is very good. At 25m it gieves them a lot of room.

 

Also do they all have 1 wing clipped? This obviously reduces the chance of flying away.

 

Tracy

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Yes they have one wing clipped :-) Over the weekend we meshed off a smaller area where the kids swings and trampolne is, and let them in there., It was lovely to watch them scratch about - and they seemed too busy eating bugs to even think about escaping!!!! The only thing is, I won't leave them unnatended as I have seen foxes in the field out the back (you can see the field from the piccy). My next door neighbours have three chickens out there, in a taped off run, but it's not fox proof at all :o I saw two foxes less than 3 months ago, mid morning. Those chickens won't stand a chance :-(

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I agree with the others. I don't think you need worry. We don't clip their wings by the way, and we know they can fly - but they choose to stay within a confimed area ( 6 ft fences like you)

 

They are actually cautious to begin with and all you need to get them back in is a handful or two or treats. If you do that every day about the same time they will be waiting in the run for you to arrive.

 

We kept ours in for about 4 months, then fearfully let them out. They now free range all day every day from 7.30 am -7.30pm and they are so happy. We have bought Omlet netting to electrify so we can be sure they are safe ( no foxes - so far... )

 

I really recommend free ranging - that's when you see the real natural behaviour - go for it!

 

 

Tricia

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hi

i dont think you will have anything to worry about they will be too busy wrecking your garden to even think about escaping :lol:

i have never clipped my girls wings and they are out all day making a mess, i dont think they know there is any more world to explore over the fence

good luck, it is very stressful the first freerange i remember, but sweetcorn always rules the day

sarah :)

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:lol: Of course - we took some at the weekend. I also took the one at the bottom today - yesterday and today we have had 4, double yolkers! Kids enjoyed them after school today :roll:

Probably next year we'll take the swings out of the enclosure, and possibly move the trampoline too so it's just a chicken area, and not a chicken/child area :lol:

 

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