[Charlie's Chickens]

Whilst I am nowhere near feeling brave enough just yet, :blink: at what point do I let my new girls free range in the garden for the first time??

I have had them just coming up for a week.  Every day I have been going up to the run shaking my tin bucket of corn to get them used to the noise, me and the rewards for coming over.

Although it was only 3 years ago we homed our original girls, I just can't remember what we did....or feeling so nervous about letting them out 

Thanks

Emma

[joyfull]

if they come back to the corn tin then I would try now. Make sure you are on hand and after an hour of so guide them back to their run with the corn tin rattle 

[Charlie's Chickens]

Deep breath and....think I will save it for Sunday when I can marshall them

[Lindeggs]

If you're confident they know where 'home' is (which they almost certainly do after a week) you can let them out now!

One tip is to find out what time they put themselves to bed.  (Usually right on sunset for mine) then let them out only half an hour before sunset.  They will not get far before bedtime, and they will all head back to the coop for bed.

[hillfooter]

Just a day or two is usually needed to imprint home (food and security) on them so a week's more than enough.
HF

[Charlie's Chickens]

Thanks for the replies.  I think I had been nervous up until now as Dotty had not been putting herself to bed, but eyeing up the surronding trees.  Last night however, she went in on her own so a couple of more nights and I think I will be brave and let them out.

Another of our new girls Florence is a white leghorn and I have heard they can be a bit 'flighty' anyone have any experience of them taking off any more than other chooks or am I again over worrying  :blink:

[orionsquare]

I have a cream legbar that loves to roost on the trees at night. She was very flighty despite trimming the flight feathers off one wing she managed to fly up the tree which was about 6 feet tall! She did that a few nights in a row and getting her off the tree was a nightmare. In the end, both of her wings were trimmed of ALL flight feathers. She is since grounded and obediently goes into the coop with the rest of the hens in the evenings

[joyfull]

I have over 10 that roost in the trees but as most of them are over 20 feet up I don't worry too much 

[Charlie's Chickens]

I braved it today and let them out whilst I mowed the lawn......and it was fine, in fact I now have a new garden buddy as Henrietta literally followed along behind me    I did take some pics and will post when I manage to get them off my phone  :blink: