How to free range for the first time

[urbanchicks]

Hi ,
I have had the chickens for 2 weeks now and want them to free range for a couple of hours a day in the garden with me around.How do i go about it and how do I get them back into their run? The garden is surrounded by a 6' fence and most has a further 3'wire fence at an angle facing inwards.I am very nervous to let them out,I am so worried I won't be able to get them in again,what advice can you give me please.

Also you have all additions to your posts with details of your chickens and other pets etc,
how do I do that?

Thanks,
Maggie.

[Steve valentine]

To get them in, just throw a little corn in the run

[aceface]

agree with Steve although i trained mine to a command of "come on ,come on" in rather a high happy voice whilst standing at the door rattling the corn/mealworm tin and once inside reward them i did it a few times a day to get them used to it and they now rush to wherever i am ,it helps i think if ever you have a cat/dog etc in the garden that shouldnt be there it can help to bring them into the coop and out of danger,dont worry about them not going in they know where the food is and as they pootle around the garden they will pop in and out for drinks etc good luck let us know how you get on

[sandy]

We keep a small tub of mealworms under our bridge incase anyone every escaped so we can rattle it and they will follow. Infact anything in a bucket/tin/plastic container that rattles they will follow whatever they are doing while free ranging. Mine will come running when they hear a plastic lid coming off a container, even when it just contains cotton wool

[perchy]

I started off with a tin that had corn in and mealworms, when they first came out I threw some treats down and watched them and when I wanted them to go back in I threw the treats down again by the run and then in the run, now they come and go as they please, it is a little nerve racking, but gets easier also like Ace says, call them they will get to know your voice etc

[Kazgaz]

I was the same - I've only had mine since February. They very quickly associate you with nice things to eat and so are very easy to get back in the run. Now if I carry anything down the garden while they're out and about, it takes me twice as long to get there as they're all around my feet trying to see what I've got (or in Flo's case leaping up to pinch it!). I've had to resort to hiding things up my jumper!!

[perchy]

I lost a ham sandwich and a doughnut once

[sazchops]

I let mine out just before dark, just open the run gate and out they wander, as it gets dark they head for bed.


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[Kazgaz]

I learned the hard way - don't have a cup of tea AND a scone while they're around - you get mugged!

[Mo]

I let mine out just before dark, just open the run gate and out they wander, as it gets dark they head for bed

Yes, if it's nearly bedtime the first time you let them out they won't wander far. Then you can increase the time as they get used to coming back.
But getting them back in the middle of the day can be more of a problem if one has got out when I didn't want it to. Open the door and it's one in two out!

Edit to add
Don't worry if they don't go out when you first open the door. One will notice it and pop out then the others might decide it's OK too. I think they are more likely to find their way back if they find the way out than if you rush them.

[Mrs B]

My lot always come to me at a click (like you do for horses), this can mean anything from stop beating each other up to I have maggots for you. To get the in the run I use the click to get their attention then a thigh slap. Beerless has to use the mealworm tub rattle because the chickens do not obey him.

The first time you let your lot out make sure you have plenty of time because if you are stressed and clock watching you will not enjoy it.

[Freeranger]

I agree with everything said here, but did find that bribery & corruption (although used extensively for other reasons) wasn't necessary in the end, because they have a very strong sense of where home is and make their way back once the light starts to go.

[aceface]

in the summer we were sat outside and if we take anything to eat we are mugged so mumhid a treatsize bag of maltesers in her cardigan pocket and we were sneakily eating them out of there but we were rumbled and set about by 7 starving hungry underfed !!!! chickens we had nowhere else to hide them so mum was holding them up in the air out of their way and went up the garden to put them away unfortunatley noone told me that my little bantams could fly so high the bag was knocked out of her hand and ripped apart and devoured in the blink of an eye we couldnt be cross and scold them for laughing and admiring their cunning plan,eating al fresco is now a distant memory

[pepi]

I agree with everything said here, but did find that bribery & corruption (although used extensively for other reasons) wasn't necessary in the end, because they have a very strong sense of where home is and make their way back once the light starts to go.

Im with FREERANGER on this - open their run, and once they find their way OUT to free range, they will find their way HOME too.

Those of us who make stupid noises to call our hens my daughter tells me are really ssssaaaaadddddddd!! (My hens being of superior intelligence have two calls - one for 1 flock and the other for my old girls, and neither will come for the other flocks call. And Im not sssaaaadddd either!!)

[bmpsands]

Nothing to add - the tip about using a rattling tin of treats is ace and you only need to do it for a few days. They probably come to you now anyway if you've had them for a couple of weeks.

I stressed hugely about this when I first let mine out in June. Their previous owner never let them free range so I wasn't sure if I dared do so. Needn't have worried. Hens are smarter than you think and have a strong sense of what is best for them.