Anyone let chickens loose in cow pasture unsupervised?

[0o0]

Have you looked at getting fly predators shipped in? A friend of mine has done that on her property and had pretty good success, and we've thought about doing it here. You can order them online.

After seeing the hundreds to thousand parasitic flies on each cow, I gave them a molasses based lick mineral tub last week with IGR (0.01% methoprene). Cost me $120 for the 200lb tub! Regular mineral tubs cost half. I am hoping it lasts a couple months, but it might be gone a lot sooner. I researched fly predators (species of tiny wasps that lay eggs in fly pupa) but they appear just as expensive as the IGR on an annual basis. Wanted to try the chickens because of the hopefully non-recurring cost. Plus chickens are more fun than wasps!

Another thought is getting a LGD. A well trained LGD will help a lot with all the predators, especially the big ones.

I want to get an LGD but thought I would have to wait until I can be there full time to feed it. Could I use an automatic feeder? Do LGDs fare well for days by themselves?

Nice set up for some free range birds. I suggest you look into Buckeyes for a good dual purpose bird that is a good free ranger, provides nice meat on the boys, girls lay decently

Thanks for the recommendation.

Earlier I had a brief fantasy come to mind of attaching razor blades to the rooster legs for predator defense like are used in cock fights. Would give the coyotes a surprise. Had a good laugh with the family at the absurdity of the idea.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

No animal fares well days on end without supervision especially not in a new set up. A well trained LGD will need minimal supervision, but he will need some. Until trained and familiar with your range, he will need a lot.

A good LGD will have eyes and ears you won't, and can be a huge benefit discouraging predators in free range situations when you can't be all places at all times.

Only highly trained dogs would be trust worthy with infrequent supervision, and if food source was scarce would likely be tempted to start eating livestock.

 

[aart]

I'd wait until you move there.
The coop auto-door might work....if it works as it's supposed to twice a day.
Just another thing that needs daily observance IMO.
Course you could always give it a try, see what happens.

Curious, how are the cows doing 'unsupervised'?

...and BTW......Welcome to BYC!

 

[bobbi-j]

Maybe, but not probable. When people are around, stomping about, that tends to move predators off. When they are gone for days, predators move back in. Coyotes are very good at this, sometimes, I have found out later, they were watching me, waiting for an opportunity. Really, I would not give an experienced mature flock of 25-30 head to last more than a month in the set up you are describing.

Yep. Even with someone living in our house (but gone for 12-14 hours a day for work) while we were gone this summer, about 1/2 my flock disappeared one day while out free ranging. (They were getting let out in the morning, locked back up at night.) Not a feather to be found. Suspecting coyotes, given the trail running from the field to the building site. Our house is about the distance of a city block from our barn and coops, so people coming and going around the house wasn't enough to deter them.

After seeing the hundreds to thousand parasitic flies on each cow, I gave them a molasses based lick mineral tub last week with IGR (0.01% methoprene). Cost me $120 for the 200lb tub! Regular mineral tubs cost half. I am hoping it lasts a couple months, but it might be gone a lot sooner. I researched fly predators (species of tiny wasps that lay eggs in fly pupa) but they appear just as expensive as the IGR on an annual basis. Wanted to try the chickens because of the hopefully non-recurring cost. Plus chickens are more fun than wasps!

I want to get an LGD but thought I would have to wait until I can be there full time to feed it. Could I use an automatic feeder? Do LGDs fare well for days by themselves?

Thanks for the recommendation.

Earlier I had a brief fantasy come to mind of attaching razor blades to the rooster legs for predator defense like are used in cock fights. Would give the coyotes a surprise. Had a good laugh with the family at the absurdity of the idea.

I'm afraid replacing the chickens you will likely lose will be a recurring cost.

I would not leave a dog alone for days on end. I'm not familiar with LGDs, but I think any dog needs at least some supervision.

 

[centrarchid]

I used to do it routinely with flocks kept at either horse barns or cattle barns. Flocks started as one or two hens and one rooster. Chickens were game chickens which are generally predator savvy. Still losses where incurred and that was factored in when considering how many such locations would be kept with flocks. Chickens themselves where not managed. Some neighbors did similar with production / heritage / ornamental breeds. Key factor was predator suppression provided by dogs. Not all dogs were effective. Some were an actual threat. Not all where owned / attached to farm where chickens were kept. LGD's are no better / or worse when dealing with such a problem.

Fields grazed by cattle horses tend to have very little cover. Cover does provide some localized protection from predators, especially hawks, but one a hidden importance is its ability to provide resources that reduces the flocks interest in ranging far or fragmenting. When the chickens range far out into an open field or a long distance around the perimeter following a fence, that is when you get into trouble even with dogs in the area that are beneficial.

LGD's in the beginning require more inputs as pups and adults not familiar with chickens will more likely cause troubles. LGD's are otherwise well suited for the independent living. We have an Akbash I work that does well with protecting about 100 sheep and goats but she is not likely to stay with the chickens in the manner they need to be properly protected.

Chickens in general are poorly suited for keeping well away from frequent human presence. I push the boundaries by simply having a day job. The old association of farm-wife or house-wife with chickens likely had a basis in fact.

 

[The Moonshiner]

You're talking centralized around a barn with dogs on location. OPs talking no dogs and only an open walled shed.
World of difference. I don't think his would make it long at all. Certainly not long enough to get established enough to survive.