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

[lozkate]

Hi all,

 

4x hens have been here since Saturday. They're still a bit timid, if you get too close to the run they go into the coop in this order..

 

Maran ...... runs

Bluebelle .....Follows

Sussex lite (big).....Looks around first tilting head

Sussex Lite (slightly smaller).....Looks like she doesn't want to go in but follows the crowd.

 

Question 1

 

Will they get used to us (and labrador).. If so when.

 

Question 2

 

How long before I can let them free range a bit. We've had lots of 'advice' ranging from 2 hours to 2 weeks.

 

Question 3

 

Once they're free ranging how long will it take to get them back in (oh and how) if I want to go out?

 

Sorry for all the questions but I have lots of weeds I need them to munch through.

 

On that note. What plants (if any) should they not be allowed to eat?

 

Once again thanks to everyone who convinced us to get them. If anyone reading this is thinking about it - DO IT NOW.

 

Loz

[moochoo]

Firstly congratulations on your new arrivals. I will try and answer some of your questions but I'm a relative newbie so someone else will probably pop along later with more advice.

There girls will definitely get used to you with regular feeding and handling (especially once they've gone to bed). Your labrador may take a bit longer but if you introduce him/her on their lead it should prevent over scaring the chooks.

I let my girls out after 7 days, they knew where home was after then and could return if they got panicky.

The best way to get them back in the run is with food, mine love sweetcorn. If you let them out for a couple of hours before bedtime they'll put themselves back to bed on their own.

I don't really know what plants are dangerous but they instictively seem to know what is ok to eat. My girls won't touch the ivy that runs through my hedge.

I hope this helps, but keep reading the forum it is a fount of knowledge.

[lozkate]

MooChoo,

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I guess the recency of your experiences will provide a good perspective on my situation. No doubt the vast wealth of knowledge herein will provide plenty more.

 

I like the idea that they'll self select foods. We've had to train the Labrador not to eat his own foot when he's laying down!!!!!!!!

 

The hens have been eyeing him with a deal of curiosity throught the mesh of the run.

 

It's gonna be a job desensitising the dog to the hens. Gladly I have some degree of sucess with dogs.

 

Thnaks again.

 

Loz

[Leicester_H]

The best way to get them back in the run is with food, mine love sweetcorn..

 

I agree. I kept mine in the run for 10 days.During this time every afternoon, I went to the back door, blew a whistle, and then opened the run door a little in order to hold a bright red bowl containing a treat (usually sweetcorn). They ate from the bowl immediately

 

Now when they are free-ranging, I simply have to blow the whistle, they run to me, I walk them down to the run and put the treat bowl inside and close the run door.

 

Whenever they are out, I always have the treat bowl and whistle handy in case I need to get them back inside the run quickly, eg. if I saw a fox, unknown cat etc.

 

H

 

PS - Welcome

[lozkate]

Hazel,

 

Wow.

 

....and I thought my lab was well trained.

 

L

 

PS How do you know what are treats. At the moment they seem to be mad keen on anything that hits the floor of the run.

[Laura & CTB]

PS How do you know what are treats. At the moment they seem to be mad keen on anything that hits the floor of the run.

 

Yep - that's about right Anything that isn't their usual mash/pellets can be considered a treat

[parmaviolet]

I'm trying to remember how long we waited before letting June and Audrey out....I think we waited 3/4 days. They were both Gingernuts and were very gregarious so not as timid as yours. However, I'm sure that if you arm yourself with a tin of sweetcorn you'll soon have new best friends. try not to give them too much, too often though...it makes them fat & then egg laying can be affected.

 

Getting them back in the run is easy once you've found their favourite foods. My girls go for spinach, cabbage, sweetcorn, rice & sultanas. Once they get used to everything they might even go in if you walk towards them with your arms stretched out and down. Mine do and have even been known to go to bed when I've said 'come on girls...bed time'

 

As for plants, once they get used to your garden, they'll eat everything and anything Mine even eat the herbs that hens are not supposed to like. They've also destroyed a bamboo, if you can believe that!

 

With your dog, I'd wait until the hens have a bit more confidence before free range introductions are made. If you search back to posts made in 2004, I think there were some helpful ones about dogs and hens.

[lozkate]

Thanks PV.

 

I'll look back.

 

Also thanks for reminding me about Parma Violets! Off to find some.

 

Loz

[BeckyBoo]

Hi there, I think we managed to wait about 5 days after getting our last two before we let ours out - I think it was when they were easily putting themselves to bed with no hassle. Now we've only got to rattle the "treat tin" and they all come running, mind you they've got a good trick worked out, about 5 go in immediately, one of them stays by the door, the other two hang about outside, if the treats are not according to todays taste, they all pile back out again - cue dashing about the garden shouting "come here you b****y chickens!"

Ours ate all the forget-me-nots, all the fuschias and loads of weeds, but hardly touched any shrubs altho they dug all around them. Now I've worked out what they're leaving for me I've refilled the gaps in my garden with more shgrubs I hope they're going to leave.

 

Good luck with your chookies!

 

Mrs Bertie

[Leicester_H]

PS How do you know what are treats. At the moment they seem to be mad keen on anything that hits the floor of the run.

 

Yes - anything thats not their pellets really.

Anything that is easy eating, small, soft.

Mine like most things but turned their beaks up at some leak trimming last week - s oyou just can't tell until you try

Almost everyones chickens go mad for corn. I but Sainsbury's cheapest tins (22p) - I give approx. 1Tbs per chicken so it lasts about 4 days. It does have added salt and sugar, but not enough to matter in these quantities I think.

[superjules]

We let ours out the same day we got them, but they already knew the eglu as home, it was just in a different garden to the one they were used to.

 

Our excitable springer spaniel, Jasper, still chases them when he thinks we're not looking, he can't resist - I guess it's instinctive for his breed. He gets a soaking with the hose for chasing them and lots of praise and treats for being good. Sometimes the chickens get fed up with him getting too close and chase him away themselves. I'm not sure I'll ever get to the stage where I trust him with them enough to leave them alone together, but within a week of getting the chickens they could all be free together in the garden under supervision.

 

Our chickens love raisins, corn and brocolli leaves in particular but will eat most things (although not lettuce ). I use a particular bowl for their treats (well, an old ice cream tub!) and they are now recognising it and sprint over to me when I'm holding it. I make a clicking sound when I give them treats (I can't whistle!!) which they are now starting to associate with food, which helps when they have hidden themselves in the garden, I just click and they pop their heads up.

 

It sounds like you are really enjoying having them already! They're great fun, aren't they!

 

PS Love your sig.

[Tessa the Duchess]

The lovely man from Omlet that delivered my chickens said to wait 5 days before letting them freerange, but I just couldn't wait that long so let them out after 2 days. I have never had any problems with getting them back in the run, they love sunflower hearts and I just chuck a handful into

the run and they are all back in instantly! Had no problem with the dog

either, she was fascinated with them to begin with, but now they just ignore each other, although occasionaly she forgets herself and lunges at them and they all cluck at her and run away, which is actually quite funny to watch.

 

Tessa

[Krysia]

My girls regularly get lots of s"Ooops, word censored!"s but they always come running (very funny ) if I shake a tub with treats They used to love dried meal worms and they make a good sound but they are expensive for what they are.

 

Now we get dried corn from the food supplier and shake it in a plastic tub they know exactly whats in it and we can heard then up in no time.

 

even the chicken sitter while we were away was amazed at how shaking a tub could work.

[Carol U]

I found mine were much more responsive to treats and easier to get in after they started laying. It was as if it changed their personalities. Now, I just have to say 'come and see what I've got', and they come racing up the garden. They like anything which is small and crunchy or else soft - e.g. cooked veg, pasta etc. They find it hard to eat sort of rubbery things, like old cabbage leaves. They adore any sort of cat food and go to huge lengths to break in and steal it. Doesn't seem to have done them any harm! Good luck.

[lozkate]

Eggsellent!

 

The dog's being really good with them. I Kinda let them come out of the run this pm. They're still a bit wary of me so they went back ijn when I approached. Taking that as a good sign that they know where they live now.

 

Loz

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My experiences match everyone elses! I kept mine in for 6 days. I had no problems getting them to go back in - any food seems to work. If dusk is falling they often go in of their own accord.

 

My dog was interested in them but they lunged at him if he got too close which terrified him! He doesn't bother with them much now (but I still wouldn't leave them alone together).

 

Just bought some more dried mealworms (which they LOVE) on ebay - much cheaper than Pets At Home - is there anything you can't get on there? .

[lozkate]

Mealworms!!!!

 

To be fair I'm so besotted I'd cook them a four course dinner with sorbet, coffee and cognac if I thought they'd like it (and Me!).

 

They have a mjor problem in that my kids and lab hoover up every last morsel of anything that comes out of OH's kitchen. She's a bit good in there! Hens will get nothing unless she start cooking celery crumble!

 

Thanks all for help.

 

Loz

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Mine don't really get leftovers as such - I save a bit of pasta if I'm cooking some and they get it the next day or I boil up spud/carrot peelings then mash them up the next day with a bit of hot water (to warm their wee tummies!) & sweetcorn, mealworms (I know, , but they love them so much!) or anything else they like. Good way to get the garlic powder into them too.