smithy36 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I am keen to find out how long other people let their chucks out to free range... and if they think that this afects the egg production! Would be interesting to see the results please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Not every day for my hens but I do usually get 4 eggs a day from 4 hens so they don't seem bothered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 All day every day for the ladies. Eight eggs a day, sometimes nine and occasionally the full house of ten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Yep, all day every day for mine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Depends whether I'm at home or not. I tend to leave them out for quite a few hours on the days I'm around but when I'm at work they'll not get out till after 4pm. I let them out more now I have a WIR but they tend to choose to stay in the WIR even if the door is open . (So at least I know they like their WIR .) Egg production has been low recently but I think that might be a result of the trauma of a new WIR . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 All day every day for me too. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheik Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Ideally 12-4pm in the winter, 12-5pm in the summer. If "Ooops, word censored!"ody is home they are shut in all day, but thankfully that is quite rare. We were told to not let them free range in the morning, so they filled up on their proper feed. It's also quite nice to be able to fully relax when they are in their run - we can never be completely relaxed when they are out for fear of fox attack. We never let them free range if we are out of the house, even if it's only for ten minutes we'd lock them up. /\dam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 1-2 hours usually but at weekends may be a bit more and in winter only at weekends Nice long summer ahead though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Not every day, it depends on whether I've got time. This time of year I let them out after work for an hour or more if I can manage it, but if I'm going out (as tonight) it might be just half an hour or less. I daren't let them out unless I can be in the garden, so at weekends they get a few hours, I don't let them out before 1.00 so they eat their pellets and lay in the nestbox. In winter, it's weekends only. I'd love to give them more but they seem happy enough, eggs vary from 4 a day to 2 at the moment but free-ranging doesn't seem to have any influence on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethBubbles Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 On the weekends or whenever we are home. They're definitely happier when they're out and can follow us around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 All day even in the pouring rain. If they've got really wet I get them in early so that they can dry off and have a good preen before bedtime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omletina Kyckling Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 All day, every day for my rabble and I get lots of eggs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 If I'm at home they free range most of the day - if I'm out, they stay in the WIR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 My girls would come out for 1-2 hours every day (although if we were around at the weekend it could be for longer). They were pretty good with the eggs, Mango was a little egg-laying machine and used to do 5-6 a week and even went nearly a month laying an egg every single day at one point! Chutney was never the world's best egg layer, but hers were a bit smaller and tastier, bless her! I think having access to grass for some of the day and being able to forage naturally helped with egg production. That said, if the weather was hideous I'd put some broccoli or cabbage leaves in the run as a substitute now and again and they didn't seem to suffer too much as a result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 For my girls it all depends on what day of the week and what time of the year it is. Weekdays this time of year it is a minimum of about 4 hours and weekends it will be most of the day. However in the winter this may only be 1-2 hours a day in the week as it all depends on when my husband can pop home from work to let them out during daylight hours. I therefore picked 3-4 hours as this will be the average amount of time they will spend out a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 My girls get about 3-4 hours a day, longer at weekends. I've only got one girl laying (Ruby hasn't for 6 MONTHS!) and she's just done 3 months without a break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrie Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Mine are out all day every day, their doors are open all night, they only go in their house at night and to lay. They can usually be found under my hedges, in the veg garden or in my wood store looking for bugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Used to be loads, last summer they seemed to spend most of the time out and the children loved having them about. However this year we have a fox and her cubs living about 4 metres from the end of my garden, they come into the garden lots, infact there was one 2 days ago outside my patio door trying to get my cat. The same one was also seen by my front door the day before and so I just cannot risk the girls. They were out for a few hours while we sorted their run on Monday but I had to only give them a small netted area and I didn't leave their side. I am gutted that I cannot just let them free range as I used to, it was so lush to see them pottering about the garden. I am now glad that I got my husband to make our big walk in run because at least they do have plenty of room in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy36 Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Used to be loads, last summer they seemed to spend most of the time out and the children loved having them about. However this year we have a fox and her cubs living about 4 metres from the end of my garden, they come into the garden lots, infact there was one 2 days ago outside my patio door trying to get my cat. The same one was also seen by my front door the day before and so I just cannot risk the girls. They were out for a few hours while we sorted their run on Monday but I had to only give them a small netted area and I didn't leave their side. I am gutted that I cannot just let them free range as I used to, it was so lush to see them pottering about the garden. I am now glad that I got my husband to make our big walk in run because at least they do have plenty of room in there. Poor you! I have not since a fox in this area since I have lived here, but i dont leave the girls out when i am not here...i would hate to think that I have left them undefended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgregson Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 My girls are only let out at the weekend when we can be in the garden with them for fear of Mr Fox. So far, egg production has been either 2 or 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 My girls are only let out at the weekend when we can be in the garden with them for fear of Mr Fox. So far, egg production has been either 2 or 3 How are you getting on? Getting 2-3 eggs a day. Sounds like all is going well. With us total egg count is 10. Sarah-Jane is a trooper and is laying every day. Martha has laid 2 softies and is miserable. Rose has laid 1 brilliant white egg (a few days ago) and Donna is a freeloader! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Mine four are out all day most days as OH and I work from home so there is normally someone home at all times. I have been offered a new job which starts in a month so am in the process of getting them used to being shut in the run for periods of time...they are not impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy36 Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 i know what you mean - those longing looks and " bok bok" calls to be let out!!! I feel guilty if they are not out, but cant bear to leave them out when i am not there... worse tahn kids.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy36 Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 i know what you mean - those longing looks and " bok bok" calls to be let out!!! I feel guilty if they are not out, but cant bear to leave them out when i am not there... worse tahn kids.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPoule Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Mine get out in the evenings after work, so about 2-3 hours in summer, and not at all in winter (most of the day at weekends). The do, however, have access to fresh grass all the time, as I just move the run about every few days ( once a week...). They used to free-range all day when I didn't work, and can't say that I noticed a difference in egg production, but then I used to only have pekins, so huge numbers of eggs where never an option, and not at all in the winter . Have just got 2 hybrids, so getting eggs during the winter will be a bit of a novelty! However, today there was only 1 egg - ever since Lady Hamilton and Cloudberry started laying (the hybrids), and the Picasso and Peep got over the shock of new chickens AND a new coop ( ), I have not had less than a 3 egg day (mostly 4!). Maybe the weather yesterday put them off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
