shaechi Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 HI Everyone, I am a rookie when it comes to keeping the chooks! But I have 4 girls, 3 for about 4 weeks, and 1 i was given last week. There is a bit of a power struggle going on but to be honest there is no lost feathers or worse yet! My questions is I have a pen and a large coop but this weekend I want to give them some more freedom and let them run around the old veggie patch before I start to grow again this summer. The plot has a 5 foot garage once side, a 6 foot fence the other an 8 foot wall on the other and a 3 foot fence getting into the garden. None of the girls have their wings clipped but would i be silly to let them have a stroll around the plot? will they escape? They have just started to lay again after a couple of week stalling ( they had colds and had to have anti-biotics!) i dont want to disrupt them again!! Thanks for your advice!! Shaun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 I'd make sure that there are no gaps though which they can escape, and if you supervise them first time, they should be OK. They'll love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 If you do it towards the end of the day, I think you'll find they'll be easy to tempt back in with a handful of corn or another treat when it's time for bed. I found they were actually quite nervous of going far the first time and just hung round the doorway. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalon Fantasy Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 I find from my own experience that they tend to stay fairly close, I have about 2 acres and there are fields all around me with sheep and cattle from time to time, and they dont go over into the other fields. I do however always have something that is kept by as a bit of blackmail now to get them back if I cant see them.. But because they are always handled and talked to each day, I find that I only really need to stand somewhere and call them and they turn up. So in my opinion what works is a lot of contact, get them used to coming back to you and as a safe guard find something they like so much that they will come running like no tomorrow.. Mine is the sweetcorn cob.......... waggle that in the air and they fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted April 1, 2010 Share Posted April 1, 2010 my only addition to what everyone above said - the chooks will love it - is just the dreaded fox question... foxes can/could get through the various barriers you mention, so your choice is only to let them out when someone is around; or to put in some kind of electric fence; or to let them take their chance... once Mr. Fox knows they are there, he will be visiting... having said that, we reluctantly put in the electric fence a couple of years ago - chooks are well and happy, but I used to LOVE having them touring the garden and our field! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
