Am I crazy to trust my chickens??

[Toi-toi]

I have pen that covered with strings, 10'x10' with coop over hang.
When I go out for long time, I'm putting my chickens in there and they are very unhappy.
I can tell! They don't make happy sounds like they do outside.
I want them to be happy chicken.

How to hang ribbons in the yard??
Tie them like cloth line???

 

[33yardbirds]

My birds are out before sunup and out all day till they mosey on back to the coop. Our biggest threat would be an Eagle or Red Tail hawk, they are too big for the smaller hawks to mess with. We have a huge population of morning doves that take a beating from Bullet Hawks and the Red Tails seem to be happy across the swamp cruising the blueberry fields and cranberry bogs of my in-laws. The rabbits, ducks, and quial are taking the brunt of it over there. Maybe there's enough natural food to keep them happy because we haven't had a problem........yet.

 

[MyBlackHen]

I agree that letting the chickens free range is best. We just started letting our 7 week old pullets out of their run to free range a bit and I can't believe how much they love it! When we approach the run they run to the door hoping that we're letting them out. After seeing that, I am anxious to get our fence up so that we can let them out all day. We only have 10 birds and I know we are all going to be so sad if something happens to one of them ... they really have become pets. So it really is a balance between their safety and their quality of life, and I don't see the point of having miserable pets!

 

[dsqard]

Quote:
Totally agree with needleroo!
BTW I wouldn't trust them with your car keys though!

 

[suburbanminifarm]

Quote:
Yes, like clothes lines. Loop cd's or shiny metallic mylar ribbons from the fishing line every 6 feet or so along the line. Use several "clothes lines" if needed, approximately 10 or 12 feet apart and there will be no safe flight path for the hawks. I tie them from my fence to my patio cover. The shiny objects reflecting sunlight seem to scare hawks, or at least make them a bit suspicious, but do not seem to scare the chickens at all. Oh, I have kids so I also put scary stuffed toy animals out on the lawn and move them around every few days. No hawk so far has braved the ugly stuffed fluffy warthog!!!

 

[Toi-toi]

I feel better now. I know I might loose my chickens some point no matter what I've done.
But I know I'm making them happier chickens by doing free range.

I'm not sure how much I can cross the ribbons around the yard. Kinda hard to tie to all over.
But I will tie some CDs here and there!!

Thanks for all comments and suggestions

 

[iluvsedward]

all i know is that chickens are CRAZY-GOOD at hiding

 

[ellend]

Hawks have far better eyesight than chickens, and if caught out in the open or if protecting chicks, a hen will squat and hover, making her the perfect meal. Chickens have SOME instinct left, amount depending on the breed and how they were raised, but the ARE domestic birds, and low on the food-chain, at that. Old English Game hens make great foster mothers, and have more instinctive behaviors retained than most egg-laying breeds, and they focus on teaching "their" chicks. Even silkie chicks become more savvy with an OEG "mom", IF you trim the feathers around their eyes....

Free-ranging is a quality-of-life issue. Moveable "chicken tractors" can help.

We let ours out when we are home, and so are the dogs. If I hear a hawk "ki-iii'ing", they go back to our covered pen until later. Find out what hawks are in your area, and go to website (allaboutbirds) to learn their calls; you can hear them from a good distance.

Hawks will set up daily "watch" over a known food supply--bird feeders, or your chickens. If you count on "unknown objects" to dissuade them, be sure to move them at least once daily--hawks aren't stupid.

If you see one perched and observing your birds, your "head-count" is about to go down. Penning the chickens until the hawk gives up (usually about two weeks) will decrease your losses.

BTW; you can't kill them; they are protected. Hefty fines and bad karma.

 

[Stonerowfarm]

I'm about to start free ranging my younguns'. The older hens are in a run, free ranging only when we are here. I'm interested in the mylar ribbon but where does one get it? So far we have been encouraging the crows around here to roost as much and often as possible. I leave dirty eggs out for them and so far it seems to be working. they chase every hawk who comes within a couple acres of our property. But, with the younger ones going out I would like to offer as much distraction as possible.

 

[Sc00ter4900]

this post is hitting home for me. I just lost 2 the other day. I'm trying plastic owls. I'll let you know if it works. thanks Scotty