Coop advice for free range chickens needed

[curtismom]

We have approximately 20 chickens that we need to prepare coops for. Our intention is to let them free range since our main purpose of getting them was to help with the tick population. My latest thought is to put their coops in our large, fenced vegetable garden area, thus allowing them to come and go as they see fit as well as organically helping control the pests in the garden. My worries with this are the predators (foxes and raccoons) being able to get to them since they will not have a covered run.

I’m curious to know what others do regarding this issue when they chose to free range their flocks.

I should add that they will be kept in their coops during the night, and only allowed to free range during the day. So perhaps the predators will not be much of an issue if any...........

Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Mostly what they will do is organically control the plants and produce in your garden :> Good luck

If you're free ranging, you WILL lose some birds to hawks, and possibly sometimes to loose dogs or foxes or whatnot too, that's just the way it is.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[chicmom]

Hello there....

Sounds like a lovely idea BUT, some chickens are very destructive and will really make a mess of a garden.....and some are not. I wouldn't give the chickens access to your garden while the plants are young and delicate. Once the garden is well established and growing well, then I would allow the chickens to come in.....but not at first.

I have a small flock, and my chickens didn't harm the garden, but I really kept my eye on them. I'm a gardening fool, and I am out there daily weeding and such, so I was always watching.....so no problem.

I would say, once you do let them near the garden, watch them and see what they do.........

Oh, and I wanted to tell you that guineas LOVE ticks! They are great bug control.

 

[curtismom]

Thank you!

Originally we were going to get guineas, but heard they were so hard to keep around and everyone we met that had them had lost them. So, we opted for chickens instead. Lyme disease is a real problem here, so we really needed to come up with a way that we could control the tick population and if we don't allow the flock to free range, the ticks are still going to be an issue.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
What about fencing in the garden, then, so they are not apt to go in there? Won't be many ticks in there, they're mostly in the grass and such. (Although I have no idea how many deer ticks chickens actually *eat*, they are different than guineas)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[jason9111]

I have my pullets and during the day I have been allowing them to free range in the yard. I have a coop inside of an 8'x13' dog kennel with a covered top that they stay in while they aren't free ranging. They are still young, so I give them a lot of time out, and so far they have stayed clear of my vegetable garden. I am sure they will find it and get into it though. They seem to enjoy playing in the dirt versus the grass though. Pretty funny watching them. My backyard is all privacy fencing, so free ranging is pretty well okay except for the overhead predators that I keep a constant eye on.

 

[Willow's Meadow]

Quote:
Mostly what they will do is organically control the plants and produce in your garden :> Good luck

If you're free ranging, you WILL lose some birds to hawks, and possibly sometimes to loose dogs or foxes or whatnot too, that's just the way it is.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

HAHA!!!!

Thats so funny!!!!!

 

[BarredBuff]

Quote:
They will eat the bugs in your garden and eat the produce to. So do not let them in your garden, the predators can be a problem but usually arent. The main day time ones are dogs and hawks. But you will lose birds if they are confined or let out thats just how the cookie crumbles.

 

[newchickengirl]

Free rangeing comes with pros and cons. I free range all My birds but always have to have a good live stock dog. Wether it be a collie (hearder) or a grt pyr. A good dog can be an invaluable asset to your lil farm. Ive lost a few to hawks but not since Ive had a dog. The times I lost were due to My old dog taking a permanent vacation. You do have a risk during the day and more so at night regardless. Good luck