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

[Wantchooks]

I don't have chooks yet, and am trying to sort out the pros and cons of the old question of to free range or not!

 

- I have been told by one chicken breeder and maker of housing (not eglu!) that you should either keep them in from the start - and they would be perfectly happy in a run that was large enough with either grass under or hemcore/bark......

 

.......or if you do start to let them out they MUST go out EVERY day all day otherwise they will be stressed and unhappy as they will feel that the run and housing has become a prison!

 

ie They won't miss what they never had.

 

I have read the posts on this debate - but just want to know if anyone has had stressy problems by doing this and is the chicken breeder right?

 

That will determine if I get a cube and large run or an eglu and standard run!!!!

[Guest]

Hi

 

I have a cube and did debate to get an eglu! I would go for bigger if you have the space and can stretch to this(false economy I would imagine getting an eglu..although that said I would like an eglu too..for raising or bantams). Either way FAB product faultless compared to wood.

I kept mine in since May 09 in a semi wir that I built myself(female welding sledge hammer..not carpentry perfect but practical) I have them on wood chip on a concrete floor and once a day when they go to bed I nip in sweep it to the edge and check food and water.

 

They are perfectly happy no stress(I have 5 hybrids all different..happy chicks)

I do now let them out and they sometimes put themselves back in(we have just been out the longest most of the afternoon as I have been gardening).

 

I think to free range them 100% of time you would have to be 110% no fox can reach them or accept you will have loses to Fox.

 

Free range isnt necessary mine are happy either way. I can imagine however to free range all the time to start with and then to confine them permanantely would stress them.

 

My advice if you are not sure keep them in and free range if you are around. Some days mine dont go out at all..if it suits me

Good luck indie

[Jools]

As with most things, it's really what they get used to. They'll be perfectly happy if they are confined in a large enough space, even more so if you can move them onto fresh ground every day or two. They'll be equally happy if allowed to free range all of the time and cause havoc in the garden. But I do agree that if they get used to free ranging, they'll protest at being confined again. Especially if they can actually see that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

[Space Chick]

My lot have a large Walk in Run but also get a few hours of supervised free ranging every day too. They often go back in their run for a bit during their free ranging time, so they can't feel like prisoners

[Daphne]

In my view you have to do what works for you and your life. I do think the breeder was a bit extreme in saying its an either/or situation. There is no question the birds need as much room as you can give them but I don't think you have to stick to one method exclusively. My LF orps have a house with a run, inside an omlet netting pen inside an electric fence. I'm at home most of the time so they get to free range outside the pen in my large garden, but as the days draw in I pen them (for their own safety early morning and late afternoon) and if I'm out for long periods then they stay in the run. They don't fence walk and seem perfectly happy - orps are known for docility though. However, my neighbour has 3 hybrids and uses the same set up and I know hers are also perfectly happy, healthy and laying!

 

I think your choice of eglu/cube and run/WIR should depend on how many birds you're after, your garden size and your time.

[beulah59]

My girls have a WIR 4m x 4m and I free range them during the day when we're at home (after they've laid ... I'm not sure they'd find their way back to the nest box if they got caught short at the wrong end of the garden!) ... they seem happy to be in the run, but as soon as they see me coming they try and persuade me it's horrid in there!

 

When they're out and about, they often spend time in the run with their feeders anyway ...

[jomaxsmith]

My girls used to have free range of the garden until we decided that chicken poo outside the back door/where the boys wanted to play, the gravel kicked onto the lawn and needing to barricade any veggies to a point where it looked like a junk yard outweighed the joy of hens. So we fenced off an area for them to range while we were at home (not fox/escape proof).

 

They have been perfectly happy.

 

Today I let them in the garden for the first time since the spring and they had a lovely time, a super dust bath in the vacant veg patch but then took themselves back into the run within a couple of hours.

 

I think you need to do what is best for you and the hens will adapt

 

Jo

[Wantchooks]

Thanks everyone! Indie - do you have a photo of your set up?

[Olly]

It's not an 'either/or' situation, I disagree strongly with the breeder. To be honest, I am not convinced a chicken's memory is good enough for that!

 

Mine free-range occasionally - most evenings in the summer, but in the winter it's weekends only, because I don't dare let them out without supervision due to the risk of foxes. Every time I go near the run they squawk and cluck and generally behave like prisoners begging for freedom - and they do this whether they have been out the previous day, not been out for a week, or even been out for several hours on the same day. They don't seem stressed by my ad-hoc arrangements, they are just glad to get out whenever they can.

 

You'll work out something that suits your situation, and you will find yourself out in the garden a lot more than you expect, even in the winter, just because you want to see them outside.

[Redwing]

I'm wth Olly on this

 

My hens aget sporadic free ranging and are fine. The hens in the field get regular free ranging, two or three hours a day but on the odd day they can't go out they are fine

[chick wiggle]

Ditto everything above, You have to do what fits in with your life and the chickens will adapt to that! Dont let anyone tell its an either/or situation because it isnt, if you do your best for your hens, they will be happy. just enjoy them when you get them!

[Chicken Shirl]

Ditto everything above, You have to do what fits in with your life and the chickens will adapt to that! Dont let anyone tell its an either/or situation because it isnt, if you do your best for your hens, they will be happy. just enjoy them when you get them!

 

I second that. Just love em.

[jlo]

It's not an 'either/or' situation, I disagree strongly with the breeder. To be honest, I am not convinced a chicken's memory is good enough for that!

 

 

I completely agree with this. For goodness sake - they can't even remember where the door to the run is after a couple of minutes!

 

We had two eglus with extended runs but have now put a fence around this to allow some extra space. They get some freeranging when we are in the garden but not a huge amount.

 

Whenever I have seen them (and they haven't seen me) they have seemed to be perfectly content in either the Eglu run or the new area. It is only when they see me (aka food) arriving that they act as though they have been imprisoned for months.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone! Indie - do you have a photo of your set up?

 

 

Hi not too good on photos(changed computer etc) but if you go to the Eglu Cube and Run section..do a search for "indie" at bottom of page on April 14th 2009 there are a couple of photos of my attempt at a semi WIR! It works really well, but lots of folks have posted all different manner of runs etc.

 

They are so easy to keep chickens and very rewarding with their eggs. I probably spend 5 -10mins a day sweeping/feeding and a quick visual check they are healthy etc.

 

So much good advice on this forum, always someone to advise. Keep asking...as long as they can roam and move about in a free space. When I work mine are shut in all day and are very happy no bother or protests! They spend a lot of time scratching and digging and dustbathing!

 

The omlet product is very easy to clean (have had wood before and it is harder to wash due to being so absorbant! Stays wet etc)

 

Good luck

indie

[whoopsie]

My two seem perfectly happy to be in or out whichever suits me at the time - I have a standard eglu/run setup. To be honest when they're out they don't go far from me anyway and half the time are sitting on my lap!