Does anyone else Free Range?

[Moonswimmer55]

We fenced in double the garden space we need, fenced it in 6 ft high and divided in half. There is an exterior door they go out and a walkway where they access the open section. We rotate twice a year, spring and fall, and plant direct in the fluff they leave behind. In addition to the scraps from our kitchen we dump in bags of leaves we gather and waste wheat straw we gather by the truckload from a nearby farm. This is our first year but we already have greens and peas growing and 20 really happy hens and one rooster. When the hens begin to show signs of rooster wear and tear we transfer him to the quarantine pen until the hens recover. We have lost about 6 hens due to ignorance but are learning a lot and really enjoy having our little flock.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Hi what great information. I am a new chicken momma. Hubby went over board and bought me 30 tetra tints 20 Plymouth barred rocks 5 RIRs and 2 ducks. He doesn't do anything small. Lol anywho. They are fast approaching the time when they will be put out to free range. We are converting an old she'd into a coop. We live in the country so no worries about neighbors. How do I go about letting them out and free ranging? How do I train them to go back in at night. Like I said I am new and have read a ton but cannot seem to find what I am looking for. Thanks for reading

I'm not sure what tetra tints are -- a type of chicken?? If so, wow, that's a lot of birds to start out with! Your learning curve is going to be really steep.

Be sure your shed to coop conversion has adequate ventilation, especially with that many birds. There are several threads on BYC that deal with coop design. You'll need to be very careful in TN to control drafts, but not limit ventilation, as you'll likely have issues with frostbite or respiratory problems if you don't get the balance right. As illogical as it seems, adequate ventilation prevents frostbite.

I always surround the coop (chicken house) with a predator-proof run that is locked at night. Weather permitting, I leave the pop door (just big enough for chickens to get through) to the coop open 24/7, once I'm confident that my run is totally predator-proof. I build the run large enough to well exceed "agricultural standards," which I think are 4 square feet per bird (I could be very wrong about that -- you'll need to look it up). Then I keep the birds in the coop/run for about a week. That way they have time to establish their roosting arrangement and know where they live. The first few days that I let them out I watch them very carefully, and try to be there as the light dims and they start going back into the run (the run should have both a pop door for the chickens and a larger door for people). Once everyone is inside, close and securely lock the run doors to prevent predators from killing your birds at night. If some of the birds have difficulty finding their way back you can look for them before it gets pitch black. With this many, you will probably just have to count each breed to know if someone's missing.

Chickens and turkeys (and I think ducks, although I have no personal experience with them) do not normally need to be trained to go back to their coop at night. It is instinct for them to seek a safe place as the light starts to dim. If they are already established in their coop/run, then that is normally where they go. There are some exceptions, such a when a hen goes broody, or when a bird gets too far out in the forest and can't get back in time, or with certain breeds. A broody hen will set on her nest regardless of the danger, so broodies need to be found and either the nest moved to a predator-safe area, or a predator-proof run needs to be built around her nest. Birds that go too far away from home may find a concealed place to hide overnight before going all the way home the next morning. And then there's Dorkings, which I have, who like to roost in trees no matter what the weather. Luckily they have chosen a fairly short tree right in front of my house. The tree is strong enough to lean a ladder against it, so I can retrieve them and put them in their safe coop every night. It's my only breed that does this, but their tree roosting instinct is just sooooo strong! I don't know if the entire breed is like this, or just my group.

Good luck with your birds.

 

[kwissykat]

Tetra tints are a chicken that he got from tsc. I wanted chick's and boy did I get chicks. Lol Dh was counting on me killing a few I think being a first timer and all. As far as being in TN we are on the south west side of the state and the weather is pretty mild here. No snow but lots of rain. We have lots of land and horses. I'm excited and nervous. I let hubby know about the ventilation that needs to be added to the shed. Thanks

 

[Sydney Acres]

We fenced in double the garden space we need, fenced it in 6 ft high and divided in half. There is an exterior door they go out and a walkway where they access the open section. We rotate twice a year, spring and fall, and plant direct in the fluff they leave behind. In addition to the scraps from our kitchen we dump in bags of leaves we gather and waste wheat straw we gather by the truckload from a nearby farm. This is our first year but we already have greens and peas growing and 20 really happy hens and one rooster. When the hens begin to show signs of rooster wear and tear we transfer him to the quarantine pen until the hens recover. We have lost about 6 hens due to ignorance but are learning a lot and really enjoy having our little flock.

It sounds like you have a nice setup. Rotational paddocks is a wonderful way to free range in a limited space.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Tetra tints are a chicken that he got from tsc. I wanted chick's and boy did I get chicks. Lol Dh was counting on me killing a few I think being a first timer and all. As far as being in TN we are on the south west side of the state and the weather is pretty mild here. No snow but lots of rain. We have lots of land and horses. I'm excited and nervous. I let hubby know about the ventilation that needs to be added to the shed. Thanks

I just looked up the tetra tints. They're a layer hybrid, a cross between a Rhode Island Red rooster over White Leghorn hens. They are supposed to retain most of the laying capacity but be less flighty than a full Leghorn. Sounds like a nice hybrid. And you've got 30 of them, plus 25 other chickens. Be sure to set up lots of nest boxes, at least 12, because you're going to have more eggs than you'll know what to do with. Hope you can sell the eggs, because you're going to have about 4 dozen a day.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

If you are starting your birds in a brooder separate from the shed/coop then currently that is their "home". When transferring to the shed/coop, when that is ready to go, or when the birds are feathered about 5/6 weeks old-- usually a week in the new coop will let them know this is their new roosting spot. This will get them to come back to the coop at night. We started out real gradual at about day 5 with the juveniles with just a simple fenced off area to catch them easily after an hour or two outside of the coop. Although curious some were cautious with the great outdoors at first. It wasn't long they were doing it on their own without the fencing venturing farther and farther into the woods or the yard. Still is amazing to me to watch them climb into their little house each night on their own free will. Love it.

 

[kwissykat]

I have 4 kids that love eggs. We go trough about 3 dozen a week. To buy them at a store it's about 250 to 3 dollars a dozen. I also live in a very impoverished area and plan on donating eggs to my neighbors in the area that need them. I believe in helping where I can.

 

[Sydney Acres]

I have 4 kids that love eggs. We go trough about 3 dozen a week. To buy them at a store it's about 250 to 3 dollars a dozen. I also live in a very impoverished area and plan on donating eggs to my neighbors in the area that need them. I believe in helping where I can.

What a great solution. You're going to love having chickens. Welcome to BYC.

 

[Sydney Acres]

If you are starting your birds in a brooder separate from the shed/coop then currently that is their "home". When transferring to the shed/coop, when that is ready to go, or when the birds are feathered about 5/6 weeks old-- usually a week in the new coop will let them know this is their new roosting spot. This will get them to come back to the coop at night. We started out real gradual at about day 5 with the juveniles with just a simple fenced off area to catch them easily after an hour or two outside of the coop. Although curious some were cautious with the great outdoors at first. It wasn't long they were doing it on their own without the fencing venturing farther and farther into the woods or the yard. Still is amazing to me to watch them climb into their little house each night on their own free will. Love it.

So, you've changed your avatar from the rooster in the snow to the sunflower over the nestbox. Hopefully summer is on the way!!! I'm so tired of dressing in to many layers.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm hopeful Sydney! LOL. Is there really going to be a day I'll see green?! I'm questioning it!