[spud]

As we recently moved home and got our hens moved into their new home too, I was wondering how most folks manage their hens opening hours?

I have a nice large grassy area that is fenced in with poultry netting, I can move it every couple of weeks so hens have a fresh run.

At the moment I let them out about 11am when most eggs have been laid, the odd hen goes back in to lay during the day, and we try and close them back in by 7 - 8pm didn't want to chance them out much later due to foxes in the area.

When its a really wet day like today we don't let them out, there are afew Black Australorp that would probably cope ok with the rain, but I know from past experience that the hybrids get soaking wet and don't seem to have the sence to go in out of the rain.

I was just wondering what 'opening hours' your hens keep? TIA

[joyfull]

some of mine are out all day and all night and all year in the wind, rain and snow. The rest are let out of their coops anytime between 6am and 7.30 to free range and then shut up about 9.30pm. For shelter they have the hedgerows, an ifor williams landrover hard top and a few lorry wheel arches made into a long tunnel.

[sneezer]

Hi when you say you "let them out" do you mean out of the contained run to destroy the rest of the garden or do you mean out of the coop?
Mine have a large area and they are always out 6am from the coop and then they are usually all in about 8.30 at the moment, this will be later as the nights draw out.  The rain doesn't hurt them so don't worry about them getting wet, in fact mine love it due to the increase in worms

[Beano]

Ours are let out around 7.30am and go back in around 7.30pm. We have two runs for them. A fair sized one that is totally secure and that one is used in the winter months when it's dark at 7.30am. Then we have a large fenced off area that they are in when we are at home in the winter and all day in the summer. The larger run is not as secure as the smaller one because it has no roof but a 10ft fence. Shelter is important and they have that in both runs. The roof is the shelter in the smaller run and there are trees and bushes for them in the larger run. The smaller run is handy if we go out before it gets dark and we aren't back until after dark. They just get themselves into the coop and we shut the hatch when we come back knowing that they have been safe whilst we were away.

[Prod]

I keep mine on a small field  adjacent to my cottage but I cant see them without walking down the lane a few yards.  The coop is in an electric fenced off area of about 36sm  The coop door opens at 6.30  and then I go down at about 8 to 8.30 and let them into the field where they fre range till about 7  when i go and 'lure' them back into the fenced area The coop door closes at 9pm.  I built them a shelter at the back of the shed out of 3 pallets and an old ground sheet.  They use it  but if it is really heavy rain I sometimes leave the shed door open and they go in there too.  They sometimes lay their eggs in the bags of straw and woodchips!!!  and they know I keep the food in there too!!

[CoopersCoop]

I let my ladies out around 7 everyday and they spend the majority of the day in the run, until around 4.30 when I come back from work and then they free range for the duration of the evening. They put themselves to bed anytime between 7.30 and 9.

[spud]

Tnx everyone, I started letting the hens out of the coop earlier and have now a problem with hens looking to get out side their area (pacing the fence) to lay their eggs. I've popped the troublesome ones back into the coop for a half hour or so until eggs are laid and they then settle down.
They didn't seem to mind the heavy rain, and didn't get as wet as I remember from hens in the past, perhaps its the forest situation and trees giving some shelter.
I'm trying to keep them as natural as a coop situation will allow, which seems to work for most of them.
Cheers

[jamima]

I let mine out just before 6 am, they free range the garden which they have'nt destroyed due to large area under the conifers which they scratch and dust bath and shelter from the rain they go into the coop themselves around 9 .pm

[Anndee]

Ours, 3 bantams, get let out about 7.30-8am and they have the run of the garden, mainly grass, until they want to go back in which is usually about 5.30-6pm. they don't seem to want to stay out any longer than that.

[Beano]

It's strange how, when I let them out of the big run to free range in the garden, they almost knock me over to get out. Within half an hour they're back in the run.