Low maintenance bachelor flock

[PippinChicken]

Hi everyone,

I breed Brahmas and have a large, enclosed run right next to the house. My chickens get locked in their secure coops every night, have unlimited access to fresh feed, and have electric stock tank heaters to keep their water from freezing in the winter. They're coddled, doing quite well, and producing a lot of chicks.

As we all know, roosters get the short end of the stick in the chicken world. I work hard to find good homes for my cockerels but without the space for a dedicated bachelor flock, I end up culling many before they even get to a proper butchering age.

This is sad and a total waste of beautiful birds, so it has got me fantasizing about a free range bachelor flock...I have about an acre of land at the back of my property that is entirely unused. I know I'll lose way more to predators than I'm used to with my enclosed run, but this would be birds who's alternative is being prematurely culled so I'd be happy knowing they at least had a chance at a nice life.

The problem is that I've just never kept any free range flock before, and since this is on the outskirts of my property they would have to be as self sufficient as possible. The climate is mild (rarely below freezing in the winter and they're a cold hardy breed) and there's ample brush to at least attempt to seek cover from predators. For those of you who keep fairly self sufficient flocks, what sort of shelter do you provide for them? Do you still shut them in a secure coop every night? How much feed do they go through when there's ample vegetation and foraging? And possibly the biggest obstacle, is there any way to ensure they have fresh water in the winter if they're too far from the house for electric water heaters or refilling each morning? Anything else to think about?

I'd appreciate any input or ideas you all have. At this point it's just a fantasy but if there's a way I can give these unwanted boys a good life then I'd certainly prefer that to culling!

 

[ChemicalchiCkns]

Can you set up dark colored Bowls in sunny Places to warm up that way? Or solar power water heaters/stirrers?

 

[Skippersnh]

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot is going to depend on where you are. I live in western SD, and really the lovely thought of living off the land, would only work in June and July. By August, the protein quality in the bugs is falling rapidly. By September frost, few are alive. So where I live, we do have cold weather, and really even at the height of bug and seed production, I still feed feed. Less feed, but still they are eating it, as the other is not meeting their needs.

Free range birds will more than likely draw in predators much closer than now. Predators are opportunist. If you keep you layers locked down, 24/7 well it might be worth the risk. You might be tempted to think, that with the easy available roosters, they would leave your layers alone. It never seems to work that way for me, predaotors ALWAYS GET THE ONES I want to keep.

I myself, like to let my layers out so that they too can scratch and peck. I would not want to be pulling in predators and risk my layers.

It might work, it might work some, or you might be wiped out relatively quick. It will depend on your breed of birds, your predators, your feed situation. A lot of variables.

I don't think it would work for me and my set up.

Mrs K

 

[PippinChicken]

Can you set up dark colored Bowls in sunny Places to warm up that way? Or solar power water heaters/stirrers?

Those are great ideas! I'll have to do a little experiment with dark bowls in the most sunny space. Unfortunately we're in a more wooded area so direct sunlight is pretty limited, but these are exactly the sort of creative options I'm looking for

 

[Skippersnh]

i had to stop free ranging due to losing so many to predators and they were cooped up at night i lost 5 birds in a months time

 

[nuthatched]

Sounds like a good idea to me. if you're able/want to, you could build a coop on stilts (like 5 feet or so high), the stilts wrapped in metal sheet, with about a 2 foot porch over hang on all sides, that should help keep them safer from night time terrestrial predators and rough weather.
you won't need nest boxes, just roost bars threaded across.
As for feed and water, I suppose you could get one of those big horse feed bowl things or something like that for the water, and make a feed dispenser out of a 5 gallon bucket.
Something like this, up high, without a ramp. It doesn't have to be house shaped, I'd do a side peaked box; If you want it higher up, (I don't know your predators) add a ground perch at half the height, about 4 feet or so away from the entrance. (about the 5 rung up from the bottom of the ramp)
Example of a high stilt coop

Ground Perch

It will also make it easier for bulkier roosters to get up into the coop

 

[Folly's place]

Your local predators will be thrilled, and your cockerels will get to be killed off, not nicely. They will need to be fed much of the year, as there won't be adequate forage anytime it's cold, at least.
I don't see this as a humane alternative at all.
Mary

 

[aart]

I end up culling many before they even get to a proper butchering age. This is sad and a total waste of beautiful birds,

Not a waste at all, they are delicious, I slaughter extra cockerels at about 14 weeks old. But my flock is for food, not pets(not that I never pet a chicken).