Tired of hearing I should put chickens in a coop instead of free-range

[chickenannie]

Anyone else hear this? My chickens run around the farm, and yes, they walk around my yard and sit on my porch and under the car if they feel like it. Yeah, so I have to wash down my porch every few days to get rid of a few porch poops. Who cares?
I love having them free-range -- they're happy, I'm happy.

Older farmers and other 'helpful' people are always saying "you should keep them in a confined area." It's really getting on my nerves.

 

[waynesgarden]

If you told me that you are worried about the many coyotes in your area killing your birds, I'd suggest to you that you keep them safely confined in a run.

But you didn't ask me and personally, I don't give a hoot about where you keep your birds. If they poop on your picnic or get eaten by coyotes, it makes not a whit of difference to me and you shouldn't care what other people think either.

Merthinks you are a bit thin-skinned about the whole issue. That is, unless you secretly believe the old geezers to be right.

Wayne

 

[CityClucks]

Nope - no one has told me this - so you GO, chickenannie!!

If your clucks aren't imposing on anyone else's property, and they're happy and you're happy, no worries! (except for predators...I'd worry about that.)

 

[Patch of Heaven Farm]

My chickens free range and I love it and so do they! I wouldn't have it any other way. I know what the risks are and accept that I may lose one to a predator. I just tell people who say they should be shut up that I appreciate thier concerns but it is unnecessary.

 

[gritsar]

My response to anyone that would say that to me would be "when you start paying for the feed for my birds, doing all the labor involved in keeping my birds and lay awake at night worrying about my birds, you can start telling me how to keep my birds. Until then, mind your own".
Basically the same response I gave people who wanted to tell me how to raise my kids.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
I've found that people get really bothered about other people's business. I don't know why.

 

[chickenannie]

Well, yes, I do lock them up each night to protect them from predators.

I think it's the stereotype that chickens in your yard aren't "proper" and that's why I've heard the comments. I do also get visitors who are thrilled with being able to see chickens up close who thoroughly enjoy the fact that they free-range. In fact, that's the usual response.

But my friend's husband, for example, has imprinted on his brain that roosters are "very dangerous". and when ever he comes over he grabs his wife over near him in case she's attacked by my extremely mild-mannered roo, who could care less about people and has never attacked anyone. He does this every single time, no matter that the roo walks on by.

By the way, I do it because I think IF you have the space and inclination to free-range, it's the healthiest environment for the birds.

 

[chookchick]

Your friends husband--he probably does that any time a strange male walks by--delicate male ego.

 

[dancingbear]

I agree with you, I free-range, too. I seldom hear any negative comments about it, except this one guy who seems to think that free-ranging means your birds are chased by snarling predators, all day, each and every day, and we're therefor cruel and negligent. Whereas in reality, I haven't lost a chicken to a predator in over a year. A couple got hit by cars, but that was unusual. I lost a couple of guineas at night, then the remaining ones decided to come in at night for awhile.

Some years are better than others. But the chickens love to run free, and the greens and bugs are great for them. Cuts the feed bill, too, and makes the egg yolks nice and orange.

Ignore the one guy, sounds like he has a rooster phobia. Maybe he got flogged as a child, and just can't move on about it. It happens.

 

[redhen]

why does it bother you what others think?...in the end,,its your choice....just as keeping their chickens confined is their choice....noone is really right in this matter...