Does anyone else Free Range?

[Bogtown Chick]

Yes. It was very beautiful! I was going on a long weekend trip too right after I finished the chores and saw it! So the timing was bad. Anyways we scared it off I think. Then I saw one just this past fall crossing the road one morning...and thought "Oh no...not again." But it must have been just after some mice in my compost pile. (They love to build their nests in there) So far they've just been helpful with the mice problem. And possibly the rooster blood on the leg...But not even sure about that. I don't want them getting too comfortable around here though...as pretty as they are. That would be something to see one going after an egg! Are they pretty dexterous to handle an egg? Impressive animals all around!

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I can't claim to know how serious a predator they are. I have friends who say they'll kill a chicken, but I've seen them around the place and I don't think they've killed any chickens. But we think they did kill a baby duckling. But, yes, all about the eggs. I think I lost lots of eggs to them.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

The one I have is quite small. My understanding is they get probably 8-10 inches longer than the 4-6 inch one I saw. But I've heard they are devastating. Their preference is blood. They'll drink out of the neck or crook of the wing and just pile up the bodies. But if there is food without a struggle I think most predators are wanting to take the path of least resistance. So the egg and mice are probably more attractive to them.

 

[Searsmom]

Hi!

My hens and rooster free range all day but are shut up tight as houses when dusk comes - we have hungry skunks. People who don't control their dogs are the worst predators here. I lost 3 medium size ducks and three chicks in three days to the same pair of dogs before I ran them off. We have hawks, but the rooster lets out the alarm and they run for cover. I have been missing one hen for two nights now but I'm not sure if she just went broody somewhere or was snatched.

My chickens live not too far from the road and while they'll go up right next to it and give me a heart attack, they've never crossed it, or even gotten on it. They free range year round, some days they get more feed than others. Happy chickens...

 

[txladybugz]

I have a small flock that free range & I like it just fine. I let them out first thing in the morning while I am getting ready so they can eat. They stay outside on my 3 acres & come & go from the coop when they please, laying their eggs in the coop. At night they go roost in their coop & I lock them up. They are extremely clean & healthy birds this way. The only thing that is inconvenient is they like to peer inside the back patio windows & they drop huge land mines on the back porch....I have to spray it off often

 

[NSawyer]

I cracked up at the "huge land mines on the patio" comment, mine do the same thing! I don't usually have to clean it though, because one of my dogs thinks chicken poo is a delicacy

My 6 grown girls free range, and in fact they riot if I don't let them out on a nice day! They have about two of our acres to explore, and plenty of cover from hawks. I've seen hawks, foxes, and feral cats around, but still take my chances. The girls are just happier that way, and our dogs keep everything but the squirrels out.

I love having my chickens for company in the yard. During gardening season, they followed me around for scrap tomatoes or beans. I know that one day, we may experience tragedy, but I just can't see locking them up all day.

 

[txladybugz]

I agree NSawyer.....the inconvenience is hardly worth keeping them locked up all day. They are happy & healthy hens!

 

[centrarchid]

Balance, you need balance in the approach to free-range keeping of chickens. Sometimes keeping them cooped up for extended periods is prudent thing to do. Predator management will be biggest driver for how confinement is employed. If you are in a flock only setting with no other animals, especially chicken friendly dogs, then a nice coop is needed for times when predators are hitting you hard which they will unless you live on a small island. Some of my birds are never penned. They fly well and have two dogs plus layers of fencing to protect them. Others at certain times of year a r e confined owing to concerns of pasture management / rest periods. Keep birds off when forage base is damaged by too much pressure.

 

[heybarb]

When we started, we built the coop and planned to free range all day. That lasted about 2 months until we started losing chickens at a fairly rapid pace, about one every other day for 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure it was a hawk and our cockerals (3) did their best - 2 of them died - but we also lost about 6 pullets who had just started laying. Our beautiful, free ranging flock (all with names) were pretty upset when we built a pen to contain them. We confined them for about a week straight, added an older, experienced rooster, and started letting them out in the afternoons only. We've only had one loss in the past year and it was over Thanksgiving weekend when we were out of town for the weekend and just left the pen door open so they could free range all day...

They always go to bed at night and we have a Pullet Shut door that closes at dusk. Only once did a couple of girls refuse to go to bed ontime, but the rooster called them over and in they went! It was awesome! We do occasionally find a few eggs in a hidden nest somewhere, but they usually go back to the coop to lay their eggs in the nest boxes. We did have one girl disappear for a while, only to show up with 4 chicks. Now the kids can't wait until she does it again this spring.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I have heard that predation overall is higher in the mornings and afternoons are a "safer" time. For the most part our day time predators have visited in the morning--the bear, the weasel, hawk....

I did have one Momma Raccoon come about 8:00pm on a June night. (They'll visit during daylight hours when hungry and have a brood) It was dusk not quite dark. The birds had been cooped and locked up about 1/2 hour or so--the timing was on our side. She sat on the little knoll near the coop just staring at it...sizing it up I'm sure...deciphering the smells from it. But DH did put an end to her visit very quickly. She would have become a problem...I have no doubt...and figured us out.