emmalou Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I have had my chickens for 3 weeks now. They follow me around the run and come to food. I can just about stroke 2 of them at times but only one will let me pick her up and that is only at bedtime normally. How long have you all left it before letting them out in the garden and how can I go about doing this? Our garden is secure with a 5 ft fence and there are one or two holes underneath the fence but a chicken would have to do well to get through them. Someone suggested letting them out just before bed but I think that once they find new ground I will never get them back in. Normally two of them take themselves off to bed easily and the others I have to round up a little still. One did jump up on the chicken house roof on night 2 so they can take flight a little, be it 4 feet up! We also have a cat and whilst she has shown absolutely no interest in them or indeed gone near them it is still a concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I would try around now,they will have got their bearings in your garden and know where coop is in relation to trees etc. I would try early evening so hopefully they will return to their coop. They are usually keen to follow a rattling tin of treats, mealworms etc Good luck. Ps I would keep the cat in in the first instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridieLou Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I kept mine in the run for a week, then let them free range. I don't have any trouble getting them back in, but I do tempt them with a treat! I usually just show them a handful of meal worms then throw them into the run. We've had no problems with them wandering off and only have a low fence, but they struggle to get more than a foot off the floor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 That's all encouraging many thanks. How long before I can handle them? I sit with them a lot and one or two are letting me stroke them sometimes but whilst they love us going in the run they are still very wary of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 How old were they when you got them? I've had mine 2 years and the two that were 18 months old when I got them will barely let me touch them. The two I got at 10 weeks are much tamer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I got two of mine at 10 to 12 weeks and they aren't really tame. Will potter around my feet but picking them up isn't really an option according to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 They were around 20 weeks so may be too soon by what you are saying? So they are around 24 weeks now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 I really wouldn't worry, I let mine out after a week and they potter around the garden and make their way back to the enclosure when they are ready. If I need to get them in before I just call them and they come running, they are like well trained dogs....all because of mealworms!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 Hee he, I let one out for 5 mins and just about managed to get her in with mealworms. That was enough for my heart tonight! The others didn't seem bothered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
