[Tykelad]

Hi all, i am still new to all this and have a question.

I have a hen house, a 15ft run and some happy chickens. I bought 5 young chickens (pre P/O/L) and they settled in well, then i went and bought 3 Warrens at P/O/L. This was about a week ago but they aren'y laying yet either. My question is, besides my hen house and run, i have approx 5 acres of land that my O/H keeps her horses on. If i put a pop hole in the run to allow them out onto the field, will i ever see them again ? Will they lay all over the field and not in the nesting boxes which is what i planned ? Will they terrorise the neighbours gardens ? The field has post and rail fencing to keep the horses in but also has an electric wire running across the top to stop the horses leaning over. Will this harm the chickens ? Will the chickens come back to the hen house on a night time ? So many questions !  Should i just leave them where they have and have done with it ? I just like the idea of them having more space.

Thanks in advance

[joyfull]

I would put more electric wire around lower down to prevent a fox getting in (Roughlee has some photos on here somewhere of his fencing). As your girls are used to sleeping in the coup they will return at night and to encourage them to lay in their nest boxes you could get some pot or plastic eggs to show them where to lay  . Joyxx

[Diva]

ooooooooo - sounds very similar to what i am wanting to do!

All in all i have 40 acres in one place (run a livery yard) and also another 5/6 acre field elsewhere, and i am trying to decide where is best!  So far, i am thinking of turning one section of a massive shelter/barn into a coop and letting them have one of the 2 acre paddocks.