Keeping Chickens Free Range

[kaseythomas86]

How funny. Our dog is a boxer too! Theyre really good dogs--after the first two years lol. He can get pretty jealous so I think that may be part of it. I dont like penning him up so ill just have to stay vigilant

Ours just turned 2! It really did take that long to get him to be good lol he chewed everything in sight! He also hated cats! Now I have a kitten outside with him and he only bothers her every once in a while but a yr ago he would have killed her! Maybe it will just take some time for him to get used to them but I let my chickens out with the dog when they were chicks with supervision and if he got rough I made him lay down and stay.

 

[angie a]

He loves the other aninals including the cat and the pug. I think maybe it is jealousy the last two nights ive made him set in the yard with me and the chickens. He would hardly look at them. Maybe he feels guilty. Lol. Hopefully once he gets used to them hell be able to ignore them.

 

[fancychick1]

I just started raising chickens back in April and I free range. When they were young I kept them in a run for about a month so they knew that was their home and then I took down the run and just let them have the run of my backyard which has a privacy fence around it. I watched them constantly at first like a mother worried they were gonna find something to get in to but now at 18 wks I open the coop at 6am give them their feed and just let them run. They have plenty of places to run for cover if needed usually they hang under my deck or the pool deck in the hot afternoon. By 830pm they are all in the coop waiting for me to close the door. My ducks don't like to go to bed but they usually go in and join them once I tell them its time to go to bed. I don't have eggs yet so that will be the next hurdle to get over.
Last month I added some silkie chicks to the group and of course the older chickens don't like them ( I think they are jealous). They have their own coop cause I'm afraid the others will kill them. When they run in the yard I had to make a special place for them to run where the bigger chickens can't get to them so they have protection. It has took a little longer to get them to go to their coop at night because they usually just huddle together in the yard close to the coop. Every day is a new adventure with them all.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

I FOUND HER! For close to 17 days, a guess, My older, P rock has been missing/brooding, only to show up about twice a week to eat, drink. Today, I noticed, again, my rescued Walker hound laying below the driveway, focused on something in the bushes ahead of her. Twice, she has done that and I've hoofed everywhere trying to find where my girl has laid. Well, Dixie, my dog, was right on. The hen was in the bush right in front of her. I will haul out the hen hutch to keep them in once they hatch but…. If i have only had an occasional hawk, can hear an owl some nights, do I need to keep the chicks penned for weeks at a time? Will they be picked on by the others, 1 sexlink, 1 leghorn, another P rock, 1 dominant bantam roo and 2 much younger roos?
I may break down, keep a couple. PRs have come home from TSC, others given to me @ 4 mos so a BIT new at this chick deal.....

 

[RoosterLew]

I FOUND HER! For close to 17 days, a guess, My older, P rock has been missing/brooding, only to show up about twice a week to eat, drink. Today, I noticed, again, my rescued Walker hound laying below the driveway, focused on something in the bushes ahead of her. Twice, she has done that and I've hoofed everywhere trying to find where my girl has laid. Well, Dixie, my dog, was right on. The hen was in the bush right in front of her. I will haul out the hen hutch to keep them in once they hatch but…. If i have only had an occasional hawk, can hear an owl some nights, do I need to keep the chicks penned for weeks at a time? Will they be picked on by the others, 1 sexlink, 1 leghorn, another P rock, 1 dominant bantam roo and 2 much younger roos?
I may break down, keep a couple. PRs have come home from TSC, others given to me @ 4 mos so a BIT new at this chick deal.....

As far as flock introduction, momma will take care of that. She will introduce them. Now as for hawks and owls....they will make away with chicks!!

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Thanks, Lew, love your signature, BTW.

REreading my post, kind of a Dur, on my part. ; /
I have a couple of shelters, one is a 3 hen size hutch. Just a matter of getting whatever, moved out/in/around. Dogs & Roo have been pretty vigilant about protecting the chickens.
Thank you for your response! Any help, helps!
LONG LIVE FREE RANGERS!! (Did that sound right…?)

 

[RASS]

I free range mine on 2 acres; they roost themselves at dusk in coop. When I first put them in coop it took them 2 days to venture outside, they seemed a little fearful. They would look out door but did not go out for 2 days. Now out at first light and back in at dark.

I have never had one brood, sit on eggs, yet. Hope to sometime.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Well, I got the hen hutch up the cabin…

…..WHEW! It's a bit beat up but will hold. Now how to catch the lil squirts once Momma has them strolling. Don't think, maybe someone here knows, but do not think it's a good idea to move eggs and Momma into hutch now, So soon to 'Cheep, cheep' day? Input, anyone? Will likely let them loose around back yard once they have been in hutch a couple days….

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

I free range mine on 2 acres; they roost themselves at dusk in coop. When I first put them in coop it took them 2 days to venture outside, they seemed a little fearful. They would look out door but did not go out for 2 days. Now out at first light and back in at dark.

I have never had one brood, sit on eggs, yet. Hope to sometime.

I would imagine they were responding like city kids to the farm/country, a bit freaked out there is so much room and NOT TRUSTING what they don't know. My girls almost always lay in a box they share. When I was short an egg, repeatedly, is when i suspected the Bantam Roo got his 'job' done. I wonder how many of the 'about' a Dozen I saw, will be fertilized. Good Luck, Rass! If my yr old Bantam can get my 2 yr old Plymouth Rock, ANYTHING is possible...

 

[Carpenter Coop]

First off I'm new to raising chickens.

After a few weeks of keeping my 6 babies inside. When they got their feathers I moved them outside to the coop inside the run. Just before dark they head inside and I lock them in. In the mornings I open up the door and let them out to the run. A couple of weeks later I started letting them out of the run and move around my back yard. They love it.
They even climb into a hedge and roost.

I then bought 4 more babies a week ago, they are now two weeks old. For the past few days I have put them in my yard too. They seem to love it. A couple of the older pullets have approached them, but not done anything. Of course I am close to protect.

I even put them inside the run where the pullets are and where there is dirt. The babies even thrashed about in the dirt and fell asleep. Too cute!

My opinions:
if they were wild the mom would have them all over eating grass and playing.

By slowly introducing them to the older pullets maybe they will be accepted easier when I put them together for good.

They get some sun and natural food.


FYI... I watch them like a hawk, they are inside with food water warmth.


On another note, I watch them from the house and when they hear or see me they run to the door so they can get out. Of course getting them back inside before I have to go to work is fun. Lol