Keeping Chickens Free Range

[alibabba]

Successful first free range with my 7-10 wk old chicks.

Awesome! They look so good and healthy. Love your use of PVC.

Hey, just a thought, please don't be offended...

I can't see the rest of your yard, but around the shed and stuff looks like not much cover. Would you be able to throw a couple cheap shrubberies here and there. Mine really spend most of time under the shrubs and trees and not out in the open. The swingset under the giant tree is an all day spot. Rarely cross the bit of open yard. Sometimes when I look out into my yard. I don't even see chickens....

 

[katatonic123]

@alibaba Around front I have 2 trees and a row of hedges, not to mention my flower bed *grumble*, where my year olds spend most of their time. There is a tree out back that I've been attempting to grow for several years that's still only about a foot high. My brother, who is the genius behind this coop, and I were discussing fast growing trees that I could plant close simply for shade if nothing else but didn't come up with anything while he was here. Any good suggestions? My yard, unfortunately, came with NO trees whatsoever 13 years ago when we moved in. I now have 2 decent sized trees in front and 3 not so big in back and the other side. Maybe I'll transplant my rose of sharon or forsythia as they are attempting to overrun my parking spot.

 

[alibabba]

@alibaba Around front I have 2 trees and a row of hedges, not to mention my flower bed *grumble*, where my year olds spend most of their time. There is a tree out back that I've been attempting to grow for several years that's still only about a foot high. My brother, who is the genius behind this coop, and I were discussing fast growing trees that I could plant close simply for shade if nothing else but didn't come up with anything while he was here. Any good suggestions? My yard, unfortunately, came with NO trees whatsoever 13 years ago when we moved in. I now have 2 decent sized trees in front and 3 not so big in back and the other side. Maybe I'll transplant my rose of sharon or forsythia as they are attempting to overrun my parking spot.

First, thank you for being open minded

So good that they have some hinding spots.

I too moved into a yard with nothing but 1 silver maple, a fence, tiger lillies and hostas.


I planted a tree out back, moved a sapling maple and let some mulberry and weeping cherry "volunteers" (bird dropped along the fence) grow. That is since 2005.

The ckickies like to hang under the Sand Cherry. They grow any old where, preferring crap soil and adding lovely magenta color.

Better to plant some things, see what works where. If it's not doing well, it can be moved to a different spot.


Rose off Sharon and Forsythia could be divided....



I am just speaking from my experience, if they have a choice, they stay around cover and I am glad I had some. Only problem would be a hawk taking a break in my big tree. They can't see my chickens just flying over.

I want you to have super success and long lived chicken pets.

 

[alibabba]

 

[katatonic123]

Nice shady yard. We already lost one to a hawk last October. That was a sad day. I will definitely look into moving or splitting my rose of sharon and forsythia for an immediate start and maybe go to Lowe's and see what they have by way of trees. My son has been wanting a sakura (Japanese cherry tree). What better excuse than it's for the chickens?

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

Haven't been active on this thread in a while, so I am going to share my free ranging situation.

This is our barn, where our Chickens, Ducks, Sheep, and in a couple weeks a pig live in their own stalls. The chickens and ducks' run has a small door (pictured near the mass of chickens in the photo below) that I use to let them out to free range. The sheep free range too and I think that is very helpful in keeping them safe from our very bold aerial predators. I am also usually out there with them which is very helpful in keeping them safe from predators.

Here are the protective and chicken-loving sheep trying to come and eat the chickens' treats. They are too fat for treats, however.

Here are some of my birds having some fun during their free range this week.

We mostly rely on our rose bush, our dogwood trees, and the chicken run for shelter from predators. So far we have not had any predator losses with about 40 chickens and 2 ducks, during our free ranging in a pretty heavily predator-populated area, so that is very good. I think the sheep help a lot and also having such an open property makes it easy to see predators. I have seen prowling foxes long before they were anywhere near my chickens, thanks to our open property.

I would love to help others to be as successful in free ranging as we are, because it is a great treat and even better when you don't lose any feathered friends in the process.

 

[Hannah Nichole]

Haven't been active on this thread in a while, so I am going to share my free ranging situation.



This is our barn, where our Chickens, Ducks, Sheep, and in a couple weeks a pig live in their own stalls. The chickens and ducks' run has a small door (pictured near the mass of chickens in the photo below) that I use to let them out to free range. The sheep free range too and I think that is very helpful in keeping them safe from our very bold aerial predators. I am also usually out there with them which is very helpful in keeping them safe from predators.



Here are the protective and chicken-loving sheep trying to come and eat the chickens' treats. They are too fat for treats, however.



Here are some of my birds having some fun during their free range this week.







We mostly rely on our rose bush, our dogwood trees, and the chicken run for shelter from predators. So far we have not had any predator losses with about 40 chickens and 2 ducks, during our free ranging in a pretty heavily predator-populated area, so that is very good. I think the sheep help a lot and also having such an open property makes it easy to see predators. I have seen prowling foxes long before they were anywhere near my chickens, thanks to our open property.

I would love to help others to be as successful in free ranging as we are, because it is a great treat and even better when you don't lose any feathered friends in the process.

Beautiful photos! They look like very happy chickens.

 

[katatonic123]

I think we lost one of our babies. Went out for a head count and there are only 10. Thought we had 2 missing but found one in the other coop curled up on my broody who just happens to be her momma.

 

[Free Feather]

Lost like dead?

 

[Debby27]

I think we lost one of our babies. Went out for a head count and there are only 10. Thought we had 2 missing but found one in the other coop curled up on my broody who just happens to be her momma.

oh I'm sorry....i hope you find her/him