Ok, we free range our chickens and have a large coop...

[missnu01]

The coop is sort of strange...it is the top half of a large 2 story building... and I think that is disconcerting for some of the chickens.

 

[DallasCriftins]

I think you have to apply a bit of common sense and the what if scenario especially if you are in the US which seems to be the home of ambulance chasers and ligation

What if one does wander out in the road and is run down you will feel guilty
What if one does wander out in the road and causes an accident you will then no doubt by up to your neck in grief!

I find my chickens keep the coop in clear site
try moving it out of sight from the road and see if that helps?

 

[missnu01]

I can't move the coop, it is a permanent building...nor am I worried about the chickens getting in the road, but thank you. There are no ambulance chasers here...I live in the country...if a chicken gets rundown, then yes that is sad, but not the end of the world..and if a chicken causes an accident I feel pretty sure the person driving the car would be to blame, not the bird...

 

[debid]

My chickens apparently have no fear because they wander pretty far from the coop. Into the forest? Yes! Under the neighbor's fence? Why not?! All around the house and assorted outbuildings? Check! Fruit orchard and garden? YES! Down to the lake? No, thank goodness. But their limits stretch and stretch with the more time they get out and about. Their range shrinks for a while after an encounter with a predator but in no time, they're back to wandering. And before you think they must be starved, they free-feed on layer pellets and have a compost pile to rummage some 10' from the coop. There are good dusting holes right there, too, and abundant natural foods. They just like to wander and scratch and peck. Oh, and they run back to the coop to lay. Always.

 

[missnu01]

My chickens are just not that brave so far. Perhaps my dominant roo will continue to be the dominant roo and can keep everyone from wandering. If they start then I guess we'll have to start putting a few fences...Lol.

 

[aart]

The coop is sort of strange...it is the top half of a large 2 story building... and I think that is disconcerting for some of the chickens.

That is interesting! Must have a heck of a long ramp, huh? Would you post a pic?

 

[MetallicBlue]

Yeah that does sound interesting. I'd love to see a pic too.

We have finished our coop except for the chicken door and ladder. The chicks are only two weeks old, so I have enough time to finish. Their run/yard is fully enclosed with fence because of predators in the area (including my dogs). I wish we could totally free range them, but my husky can not be trusted.

 

[missnu01]

Well here is my pictures, and guess what?! I got 2 eggs today! Not just one...given one of them is very very small...So either a new egg from a hen I've been waiting and waiting for her to lay, or it is from the bantam mama hen..Either way! 2 eggs! Hooray! I could literally do my own egg dance right now!









it is kind of hard to see...but when I made the ramp I made it way too long...there are still 3 feet of it in the coop it is probably 20 feet altogether...and probably 8 inches wide.

I'm so excited about seeing more than one egg! I wanna go hug all the chickens!

 

[missnu01]

We got our large dog after getting the chickens...so that makes things a good bit easier, and all the neighbors have chickens and dogs...so all the predators in the area are chicken friendly.

 

[gryeyes]

"All the predators are chicken friendly?!?!". Dogs are not the only predators of chickens. After all, EVERYbody likes the taste of chicken (even other chickens, but that's a different story.)

Ever look up into the sky?