An effort to raise healthy birds is required

[Sussex19]

Honestly, I think most of the points still apply in a free range situation.
The only things that would be a bit different, are fun things/enrichment, (not nearly as much need, as they can find their own) and protection from predators. (more reliant on roosters and dogs)

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Honestly, I think most of the points still apply in a free range situation.
The only things that would be a bit different, are fun things/enrichment, (not nearly as much need, as they can find their own) and protection from predators. (more reliant on roosters and dogs)

There’s a strong dose of “survival of the fittest” in how I free range. I don’t try to make my free range flock happy. I expect them to face the conditions of my farm and either be happy as things are or die, thus culling the weak and allowing the happy chickens to reproduce and make more happy chickens.

Here’s how I’d break it down;

Food - Generally find their own. I give a few handfuls of crumbles in the morning. I liberally give table scraps when I have them, but the chickens have to fight the dogs for them.

Treats - No such thing, unless you count table scraps as a treat.

Fun stuff - They hunt small animals. They pick at my garden. I’m sure that’s great fun for them.

Calcium supplement - I do believe in pouring out piles of oyster shell and grit around the farm yard. There is a lot of natural calcium in the environment. Grass can have a lot, as do insects. But why not pour some out? Its cheap and plentiful.

Dust bath - non-issue. They just dust like the wild turkeys dust.

A clean coop - many of mine roost in trees. The poop they leave at the base of the trees is excellent fertilizer. For the one large coop I sometimes leave open 24-7, I don’t clean it but once every several years. I constantly add compost to it. It keeps a nice, earthy, smell. I do clean the smaller coops for my breeding projects. They aren’t large or deep enough to create a waste-processing ecosystem like the largest coop.

Fresh water every day - They have a large pond to drink out of, as well as several leaky spigots. I give them additional waterers when I want to give them a vitamin supplement or if the pond gets low and stagnant.

Protection from predators - Nah. They got that. I just have some dogs running around, and I harass predators when I legally can.

Vaccinated for disease - No. Many avian vaccines allow the bird to carry the sickness, just with minimal symptoms. I think its better to let sick birds succumb and breed the ones that never show sickness.

Your presence - agreed, to the extent I believe human presence deters predators. And I like sitting with them. But I don’t think they care or bond with me. They just learn to tolerate me. I think some individuals may enjoy my presence but there is no way to know.

 

[Sussex19]

@Florida Bullfrog I guess my kind of free range isn't so 'natural' for want of a better word.
Mine still sleep in a coop, I still feed them a fair bit, still give them water bowls, etc.
And I still give them treats

As with anything chicken related, there are always so many different ways of doing things, and no way is right or wrong. (as long as one doesn't down right neglect them, of course!)

 

[Toothpick]

If I didn’t have a dog that would harass them I would free range my flock. Putting the dog in a pen is not an option. The dog takes priority over the chickens when it comes to free range of the yard. And it’s not a case of the dog would kill them, he would just chase them and want to play with them. He has forced his way in to the chicken run a couple times to get at the table scraps I toss in there. One time I found him in there just sniffing around and when he saw me he had this look on his face like “ohhhh $%&%!”. The chickens were unharmed and were just milling around as usual. The weird thing about it is when I go out to clean the coop and feed them he runs out there and barks at them and tries to get in the coop. All in a playful manner. But when he was stuck in there with them it’s almost as if he was like ….hey, this isn’t as fun, how do I get out!?.

 

[Sussex19]

If I didn’t have a dog that would harass them I would free range my flock. Putting the dog in a pen is not an option. The dog takes priority over the chickens when it comes to free range of the yard. And it’s not a case of the dog would kill them, he would just chase them and want to play with them. He has forced his way in to the chicken run a couple times to get at the table scraps I toss in there. One time I found him in there just sniffing around and when he saw me he had this look on his face like “ohhhh $%&%!”. The chickens were unharmed and were just milling around as usual. The weird thing about it is when I go out to clean the coop and feed them he runs out there and barks at them and tries to get in the coop. All in a playful manner. But when he was stuck in there with them it’s almost as if he was like ….hey, this isn’t as fun, how do I get out!?.

He almost sounds a bit like one of our dogs, when she was a puppy she would chase them any chance she got, and bark at them from the other side the fence.
But then I had one hen, that would fly over the fence, and just mill around near the dogs, and they just ignored each other. She (the dog) is now very good with the chickens, and can be completely trusted around them; but, when ever I try and handle a chicken, she will get over excited and want to 'help'!
I think what can happen, is dogs feed off our emotions, and because we are expecting them to get excited, they do. Of course, I don't think just putting a dog in with a bunch of chickens is a good idea, but if there is a way to introduce them with out a human being obviously present, it could work out better.
Just some thoughts, not saying you should do anything!

 

[Toothpick]

He almost sounds a bit like one of our dogs, when she was a puppy she would chase them any chance she got, and bark at them from the other side the fence.
But then I had one hen, that would fly over the fence, and just mill around near the dogs, and they just ignored each other. She (the dog) is now very good with the chickens, and can be completely trusted around them; but, when ever I try and handle a chicken, she will get over excited and want to 'help'!
I think what can happen, is dogs feed off our emotions, and because we are expecting them to get excited, they do. Of course, I don't think just putting a dog in with a bunch of chickens is a good idea, but if there is a way to introduce them with out a human being obviously present, it could work out better.
Just some thoughts, not saying you should do anything!

Yeah I think over time he would get used to them being in the yard. But that initial “getting used to” would mean him chasing them around until he gets that out of his system. I just don’t want to put that stress on the birds, even for a day or whatever. I’ve introduced 3 kittens to him over the last 2 years and initially he is YAYYYY A TOY!!!! And wants to play. But after a few days he just basically ignored them. Now I swear he don’t even know there are cats in the house. He’s like that with every living thing. Initially super excited, then meh. People come over and he freaks out, after a few minutes he just goes off somewhere and ignores everyone.

 

[Shadrach]

Your list is the bare minimum required for decent animal husbandry.

Admittedly some of these things I don’t do/provide for my own flock but they are on my mind and I know I need to get at it.

So there's your start point; achieve the bare minimum.

The single most important thing for health, equal to diet, is excercise!
I mean seriously, how happy would you be eating vegan bird dust all day long bored out of your mind dreaming of....why men and a nice rare rump steak of course.
You don't mention any males or whether the chickens get out of the coop and run and if so where.They'll help with the excercise. They hens will either run to them, or away from them, but they'll be running and that while not necessarily making them happy will help make them fit.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you for the info, my chickens love their crumble feed but I haven’t witnessed them eating the oyster shell, but the shells on their very small newbie eggs have been very nice. Should I assume all is well? I’ll double check my feed nutrition label today to confirm percentages.

They don't need very much oyster shell so it's possible they're eating it and you don't see it - I see the levels on my oyster shell going down so that's how I know it's being eaten.

As long as shell quality is fine I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you start seeing shell issues then reassess at that time.

 

[Toothpick]

Your list is the bare minimum required for decent animal husbandry

I notice the word “decent” added in there. But I still disagree that it’s the bare minimum.

Adding to the list you would include exercise and a rooster?? And then where would the list be in your opinion with those 2 added? No longer the bare minimum I would presume.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Go to a swap meet and you can tell which sellers keep their poultry locked up with commercial feed and others who free range or have large grass covered fenced in runs. A large area to forage or even a few hours a day free ranging with varietal feed is the key to a healthy flock. My roo struts the property with his flock and chicks looking for insects, frogs, and plants.