Solitary chicken - need advice

[mullethunter]

Something I saw on Instagram made me think there must be some.

 

Mine are that I don't have to watch where I'm walking in the garden, and I dont have to feel guilty about being not St home on a nice day to let them out, or round them up before I go out.

[sjp]

it's a lot more relaxing not having think about rounding them up in the afternoon before it starts to get dark in case the fox come around early

[clucker1]

I'm getting a lot more eggs than if they were free ranging for this time of year . Yes, and no waiting around for my adopted rescue chicken to make it back into the run.....eventually which can take several minutes. She unfortunately has still not learnt corn tin shaking = run into run as quick as possible.

[sjp]

I'm getting a lot more eggs than if they were free ranging for this time of year .

I think that's more to do with the weather than the confinement this time last year it hardly got light this year it's been more sunny days that grey days at least here in the west mids it has it was still light here a 4pm the last 4 or 5 afternoons.

[Groovychook]

My lot seem to be resigned to their fate and no longer try to bolt through the run door when I go in.

 

I spent the first week feeling incredibly guilty as I've always let them have a free range each day, but because we seem to have settled into a groove, I am enjoying my new found freedom.

 

I thought that there might be a bit more conflict too having introduced a couple of new girls only a few weeks earlier but all seems calm. Costing me a small fortune in peckablocks though!

 

Hoping that their free ranging areas will have had a good chance to recover by the time the curfew is lifted too.

 

Quite a few positives for me

[Hippie Chick]

It's a lot quicker in the evenings not having to clean up the garden after a few hours of chickens free ranging. Also, the dogs can go out into the garden as much as they like all day without me having to worry about them treading in nasties - or worse eating said nasties!

 

It was also a good opportunity to worm them all!

 

They're still not entirely impressed with the situation but the short days are making it a little more bearable for them - plus the treats and extra cuddles/attention for those who like being picked up and talked to

[mullethunter]

It's a lot quicker in the evenings not having to clean up the garden after a few hours of chickens free ranging

 

Oh yes - that too!

 

Also I don't have the thing where just as I'm getting into bed I think 'Did I actually shut the chicken run? I don't remember doing it...I'm sure I did...but what if I didn't?' Gets-out-of-bed-puts-on-dressing-gown-and-goes-out-to-see-that-run-is-indeed-shut.

 

[Valkyrie]

As ours have been as good as gold jailbirds we have been thinking that if we need to go out for day trips we can keep them in their run with food and drink and not have to worry about racing home to lock them in at night - or even in the summer on really hot days - or days when I really want a lay in - they can have the cube door open. Although I still worry about the early announcements. I'll have to time it for when Skye and Squirt don't lay. Squirt screams because she vants to be alone and Skye yells because she's just a noisy little demon. Pip just does, so that's OK. With Skye and Squirt being pensioners now I wonder if they'll lay at all this year.