I have had my chickens for about 4 months now in a really nice pen. I was wondering if i open the door to let them wander around the yard will they glide away or will they hang around the coop and come in at night. I reckon they might delight in scratching around in the grass some but i am frightened of them leaving or not going back in the coop at night. What do you reckon?
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Chickens are terrible at flying. The longest distance recorded is something like 302 feet so don’t worry about them flying away.
With your hens being kept in their pen for 4 months, they’ll associate this area as their safe haven. Chickens don’t tend to explore much further than where they’re familiar with. I’ve opened my pen up to allow my hens venture beyond their run…they needed a lot of coaxing and even then didn’t really venture far at all.
I’d supervise the first few times you open up the run, particularly if you live in an urban area where foxes are known to be in the area. I really don’t reckon you’ll have any problems getting them back in. A few treats always work well to encourage your hens to cooperate too!
It’s excellent to give your chickens access to grass and allow them to forage for grubs and greens etc. It helps prevent boredom and the consumption of grass will improve the colour and nutritional content of the yolk in the eggs your hens lay!
They will stay around the coop!! And come in at night. I have a large coop with six hens and I was worried to let them out but now I let them out everyday. THey pick over my summer garden and they like it they never glide away and if I forget them and go out after dark they are always in the coop sleeping together. They are creatures of habit they like the same routine everyday!!