Has anyone had their first week free ranging their chickens go terribly wrong?

[DonnaScott]

I'm getting ready to do some short term free ranging in the late afternoon where I can supervise because my place is crawling in predators and I'm in the woods.

Could anyone that had Free Ranging go terribly wrong tell me their stories.

Did your Chickens take off, fly off, not assemble back to the coop at night.....


You can save the predator stories - I've already experienced them up close and personal.

Any advice to free ranging also very welcomed.

Thank you in advance

 

[Mrs. K]

The more you let them out, the farther they will go- to a point.
I have never not had mine return to the coop at dark. Don’t chase them, they will go back on their own.

Chickens hate change, even a good change. I would expect them to stay very close to your set up.

If you are nervous do this for a week, about 20 minutes before roosting, with them in the run, take a can or plastic bin, with a little scratch, shake it loudly call, “here chick, chick and toss a scant amount near the inside of the gate. They will quickly come and learn that is where the treat is.

I don’t free range every day, nor when it is high wind or cloudy, that gives advantage to the predators. If you get hit by a predator go into 24/7 lock down for several weeks, so the predators moves on.

Mrs K

 

[DonnaScott]

I'm a bit

The more you let them out, the farther they will go- to a point.
I have never not had mine return to the coop at dark. Don’t chase them, they will go back on their own.

Chickens hate change, even a good change. I would expect them to stay very close to your set up.

If you are nervous do this for a week, about 20 minutes before roosting, with them in the run, take a can or plastic bin, with a little scratch, shake it loudly call, “here chick, chick and toss a scant amount near the inside of the gate. They will quickly come and learn that is where the treat is.

I don’t free range every day, nor when it is high wind or cloudy, that gives advantage to the predators. If you get hit by a predator go into 24/7 lock down for several weeks, so the predators moves on.

Mrs K

I'm a bit nervous about them flying away. Terrified actually.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

I'm getting ready to do some short term free ranging in the late afternoon where I can supervise because my place is crawling in predators and I'm in the woods.

Could anyone that had Free Ranging go terribly wrong tell me their stories.

Did your Chickens take off, fly off, not assemble back to the coop at night.....


You can save the predator stories - I've already experienced them up close and personal.

Any advice to free ranging also very welcomed.

Thank you in advance

I have 5 hens who always find their way out of the coop. they like to sleep in the trees.

 

[welderskelter]

Clip one wing that will keep them out of the trees.

 

[fluffycrow]

Them flying away is highly unlikely. Not only do chickens not use flight as their primary means of transportation, but they also don’t make it a habit of abandoning their territory.

As mentioned by Mrs K, they might be scared of venturing beyond the coop/run doors in the beginning, much less leaving their familiar surroundings behind.

Chickens gravitate towards places they know have water and good forage ground/food available. Your setup is not only a source of food and water, but also the only familiar place in the area, which will keep them close by

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are your chickens trained to your coop? Have they been sleeping in the same spot for over a week? Do they go to bed on their own when it gets dark?

You are dealing with living animals. Anything can happen, I do not give guarantees concerning chicken behaviors. You occasionally read stories on here where it did not go well. But I have never had a chicken not desperately want to return to where it normally sleeps if it is coop trained. I think the odds are tremendously high that they will return.

I do not consider it a horror story but chickens do not always understand the concept of a gate. It has only happened a couple of times, but one the first day or two of free ranging I had a few so desperate to get back to the coop that they went up to the fence and tried to get through. They'd pace back and forth looking for a way while the gate they had been using all day was 15' to 20' feet away and wide open. I had to herd them to the gate so they could get in. They did not want to herd in that direction since it was further away from the coop. After a day or two they learned where the gate was but you may especially want to be there the first few nights as it is getting dark to see if they need help.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Scatter a little treat (scratch, BOSS, worms, etc.) right at and around the gate (just on the inside for a few days before you let them out and on both sides once you do let them out) as you call them so they learn where the gate is and to come there when you call. Chickens are trainable but they're not geniuses.

 

[DonnaScott]

I have 5 hens who always find their way out of the coop. they like to sleep in the trees.

That's my main concern

 

[BigBlueHen53]

That's my main concern

Clip the flight feathers on one wing.