Unsecure chicken perches

[The_eggwards_family]

Hello all!

Its day 3 of being chicken keepers now and I cant believe how settled the girls are! They are so clever, they have already worked out that when we approach the eglu it is usually with some tasty treats! They come rushing over and peck out of the bars! We managed to pick up Betty for a bit of fuss yesterday and she was very calm.

 

We are now thinking about free ranging them and I have some questions.

 

How long should we leave it (from their arrival here) til we let them out of the eglu run?

How easy is it to get them back into the run? (We arent that confident at handling them yet)

Are there an useful tips for getting them into the run?

Should we limit the amount of time they free range?

 

The other "problem" we have is that they keep pooing in the nesting area in the eglu - is there anyway of stopping them do this as I dont want pooey eggs when we finally get some

 

Thanks folks.

[scarlettohara]

5-7 days before you fr so that they know where home is, as they are already used to treats in the run then try shaking the treat dish until they come and then throw the treats in - they usually follow

[chicken bark]

 

How long should we leave it (from their arrival here) til we let them out of the eglu run?

I'd leave it at least a week so they are fully settled.

How easy is it to get them back into the run? (We arent that confident at handling them yet)

Are there an useful tips for getting them into the run?

If you first let them out in the evening then they should automatically go into the run and eglu themselves when it is bedtime.

Should we limit the amount of time they free range?

I'd gradually increase it until you are more confident and the girls are happy. How much free ranging time you have depends on your set up. Mine free range all the time as they are behind an electric fence.

 

The other "problem" we have is that they keep pooing in the nesting area in the eglu - is there anyway of stopping them do this as I dont want pooey eggs when we finally get some

 

Thanks folks.

 

Others put a football or plant pot in the nesting area overnight. If you take it out in the morning then it should be clean and ready for those eggs.

 

It sounds as though you are enjoying it.

[The_eggwards_family]

I did think that luring them in with treats might be the way forward. We have a plentiful supply of worms on our composters and they go mad if they see us walking towards the bins as they know whats coming

[JanTheDiver]

Mine used to sleep in the nest at night and poo in it, but they stopped doing that after a few months.

 

I just used to include the nest in my morning poo picking routine

[chickyhazel]

We leave our new chickens in the run for 2 weeks - One so that they know where home is, and one for worming so that they don't give any nasties to our other girls. But as these are your first chickens, you don't need the quarantine period, so you can get away with 1.

 

Ours automatically go to the run area at about 5 all year round, and we throw a handful of corn in to tempt any stragglers. The only problem with that is our chickens from the go into the run when we throw in the corn. Luckily they normally come out again after a few seconds.

 

Ours love to sleep in the nestbox. We sometimes go out and turf them out of it when they have gone to bed and are too sleepy to climb back in, but normally we just leave them. You can de-poo slightly mucky eggs by lightly rubbing them with a damp cloth, but by cleaning the house weekly and changing bedding in the nest box when it gets dirty your eggs should stay pretty clean.

 

Hope this helps.

[Burtie14]

We left it a fortnight before we let ours out to freerange for the first time.

 

It was a very funny experience, they didn't quite understand all the space they had, and wandered round the perimeter together as a cautious little scout group.

 

After a couple of hours of exploration, they went back into the run, and they were so exhausted from all the excitement that they all went to sleep on the floor! Bless them.

 

Anyway - I'd say leave it at least a week so they definitely know where 'home' is, do it in the evening so that they've got 'bed' at the back of their minds, and they can usually be lured back into the run with treats! Be warned though, since mine were first allowed out to free range, now whenever they see us they expect to be let out! The fuss they create is unbelivable. You need to be firm with them and not compromise - my golden rule is "never negotiate with chickens".

[chickyhazel]

Ours make a huge fuss when they see us as well, but they don't seem to mind being left in that much. After all, we keep them in until they've all laid normally, and that can take some time!

[Krysia]

You need to be firm with them and not compromise - my golden rule is "never negotiate with chickens".

 

so true!

Once the girls have been out for anything longer than 20 mins they follow us round! We often leave them for a few hours but if I go to water the greenhouse or tend some plants, clean the cube / eglu refresh the duck pond they are just UNDER our feet, I trip over them to the WIR. visitors love watching the chickens crowd round me or paul

[Burtie14]

You need to be firm with them and not compromise - my golden rule is "never negotiate with chickens".

 

so true!

Once the girls have been out for anything longer than 20 mins they follow us round! We often leave them for a few hours but if I go to water the greenhouse or tend some plants, clean the cube / eglu refresh the duck pond they are just UNDER our feet, I trip over them to the WIR. visitors love watching the chickens crowd round me or paul

 

It's the urgency of the running that makes me laugh. They'll be happily munching the lawn, then I'll just wander past, and they suddenly RUN after me like their lives depend on it.

 

I also think they RUN simply because they think one of the others has seen something.

 

Betty: "Where's Dusty? Where's she going? What's she looking at? I've no idea, but it might be interesting! I'd better spirint across the lawn to get there first!"

Ginger: "Me too!"

Jim: "I've no idea what's happening, but I don't want to miss out!"

Dusty: "Eh? Oh, wait for me!"

 

So we have a sudden stampede of chickens, who sprint across the lawn at full tilt, slam on the brakes, bump into each other, look at each other, blink a couple of times, and ask "So... why did we all come over here then?"

[Space Chick]

Should try it with 15 girls, I am often left surrounded with no visible means of escape

[Sherbet]

I got my 2 about 6 Weeks ago now, seems much longer lol! I couldn't wait to let them out of the eglu run, and after day 3 i just went for it...they loved it. I sat outside with them and they took themselves to bed about 10.00pm (that was early July) now they are taking themselves back in about 8.45. Bearing in mind they have to wait until i get home from work about 5ish to FR. They are a joy, they love me very much or rather the spagetti & broccoli i have in my hand Must be doing them some good, i had a dinasaur egg yesterday it was huge!!

I shoudn't be too worried about letting them out...if you have treats...no problem!