free ranging

lisavw · **Posted:** Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:19 pm

several weeks ago, we got three little bantam hens, and up till now they have been in the chicken tractor getting moved around the garden every day or so. we would love to let them roam around the garden but need some ideas about how to make them come back to the tractor voluntarily. We have an acre or so around the house so once we let them out its unlikely they would be able to be caught again. any suggestions welcome.

glenn · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:20 am

Hello Lisavw
If you keep the feed and water in the pen generally the birds will keep going back. I usually keep my birds locked up for a week and fine that after that time they a use to laying the eggs and roosting in this area and return every night

pjh · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:07 am

mine free range (in turns) they take themselves to bed every night at dusk---if that is where thier feed water and perch is they should go back---cheers pam

lisavw · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:15 am

thanks I'll give it a go

County Lodge · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:25 am

My sussex free range ten acreas (except for the house yard (too messy)and the vegie garden paddock) and put themselves to bed every night or as soon as they see me walking toward their pen with the "treats bucket". This is their safe place so even if they get a fright while out free ranging they will usually head for the pen for safety.

The bantams free range, in turn due to roosters in each pen, in the vegie garden paddock for half a day each pen and they know the routine when I go in at lunch time a clap my hands they head toward their own pen.

nevit · **Posted:** Mon Oct 20, 2008 11:24 am

lisavw,
I reckon you will be fine as long as you don't have to many predators around, I find the hardest thing is when you build a new coop and try to get them to go to bed there rather then look puzzled to how they can return to their old sleeping quarters, real creatures of habit. It has taken me a month now to get my girls to realise where to turn in, all smiles now with new home.

lisavw · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:09 pm

Today was the first time we let the little darling chooks out of their tractor at 3.30pm with the hope they would return to it at dusk. All was going well, they were so happy scratching around under trees and shrubs. About ten minutes later, while we had gone to see the sheep, We heard the chooks shrieking, but thought they were just arguing amongst themselves. When I came up to get something from the house, I could not find them anywhere, then over the next two hours we searched and they were found one by one huddled down so small HIDING UNDER GROUND COVER plants. Something had scared the living daylights out of them and it was a miracle we did not step on them while searching. As soon as I bent down to hold them they took off, striding rapidly accross the huge yard and cos we don't have a net there was alot of chasing followed. Eventually we cornered them one by one into shrubs then grabbed each one an put her back in the tractor. So bloody pleased we found them, we are very fond of these little furry feet girls, but it seems unfair to put them through that ever again.
There was a very curious magpie standing well away, but looking very interested in the goings on when we let them out, and I just wonder if it decided to come and snatch some of the grubs they had unearthed....and totally spun them out because they had come from a full enclosure to our tractor 3 or 4 weeks ago. any suggestions?

Chirpy · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:49 pm

hi lisavw,

when I bought my first chooks I was told to keep them in for 2 weeks. after 2 weeks I let them out (I couldn't wait).

when dawn started to fall I went down to check the pen. empty! they too had hidden in bushes and it took quite a while to find them all...

so I kept them in for another week.

after that, they new the way back by dawn.

our property is smaller than yours. so I believe you might have to make boundaries for them. a smallish enclosure to start with and then expand it until they feel more confident. maybe you can try to let them out for 1 or 2 hours at a time and bait them back in with kitchen scraps? (a whole bowl of rice should work pretty well. throw a little bit to them so they see what it is and start walking towards the pen...

we have lots of magpies here and they don't seem to show any interest in my bantam silkies, even the 4months old ones...

good luck with that. patience. they'll learn...

one little step at a time.

lisavw · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:57 pm

thanks Chirpy,
yeah we have had these three bantams for 4 weeks and they are so sweet, I am going to find a way of making a nice big fully enclosed run that can be moved with the tractor

b&p · **Posted:** Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:35 am

Lisavw,

It could have been a hawk or eagle flying overhead that set them off.

My lot (even the penned ones) go right off with warning shrieks when even a raven goes overhead...sets the whole yard off.

Are your bantams adult?

I can't imagine a magpie being to interested in an adult bird unless out of curiosity UNLESS it has a nest nearby and it swooped on them doing the terrotorial thing.

In your area you would also have to be aware of snakes and god knows what else as a predator.

The girls may be a bit more settled if you can get them a rooster.

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