Be honest, what would YOU do? Vote.

[bobbi-j]

Please update us as to how it turns out!

Agree - I'd like to know what you decide.

 

[Alaskan]

One side sees them as pets that each have a different and unique personality that should be cherished and preserved. The other sees them as livestock that have a purpose and can tolerate. I'm in the middle. I have never seen feather picking or any stress-associated behavior in my flock. Maybe a pecked comb here and there but I wouldn't call that unusual since my dominant hen can be a real B with the bit of RIR in her.

maybe...but....

I see my chickens as livestock, not pets. I butcher them myself, eat tgem, rah, rah. BUT, I greatly prefer large square feet per bird because then it is SO MUCH LESS WORK!!!

If the birds are crowded and a nasty behavior starts it is VERY difficult to get the bad behavior to stop. Nightmare. I want less work and productive chickens and that is why I am such an advocate of more space. You can also go WAY longer between coop cleanings.

 

[MinervaELS]

I would cover the pen with netting, let them out into it every day, and then add a few more to the dozen.

 

[Living_Legend]

Another thing to notice.... more voters (as of now) say keep them all but more commenters say get rid of some. interesting.

 

[Chickassan]

@Living_Legend , not trying to be bossy or anything but I noticed you said dominiques are in your mix. They don't get very big at all and they absolutely looove to forage so you might want to bump up your ranging time as much as possible for those busy bodies.

 

[Living_Legend]

@Living_Legend , not trying to be bossy or anything but I noticed you said dominiques are in your mix. They don't get very big at all and they absolutely looove to forage so you might want to bump up your ranging time as much as possible for those busy bodies.

I own 5 acres surrounded by 50 acres of woods. I am basically having the equivalent of a daycare inside of a prison. I have every predator known to man completely surrounding me. I feel like they can only free range when i am there and only free range in a controlled area i created that is fenced in and will have netting over top of it.

I personally see hawks, deer, groundhogs, skunks, foxes every single day... I hear the coyotes at night.

 

[Chickassan]

I hear ya, just giving you a heads up you've got some wall bouncers in your mix.

I own 5 acres surrounded by 50 acres of woods. I am basically having the equivalent of a daycare inside of a prison. I have every predator known to man completely surrounding me. I feel like they can only free range when i am there and only free range in a controlled area i created that is fenced in and will have netting over top of it.

I personally see hawks, deer, groundhogs, skunks, foxes every single day... I hear the coyotes at night.

 

[Living_Legend]

I hear ya, just giving you a heads up you've got some wall bouncers in your mix.

Thanks for the head up. I work from home 2 days a week and have the weekend so thats 4 days a week they can free range some, and the other 3 days i probably can let them for an hour before it gets dark...... but yes something to think about.

 

[bobbi-j]

maybe...but....

I see my chickens as livestock, not pets. I butcher them myself, eat tgem, rah, rah. BUT, I greatly prefer large square feet per bird because then it is SO MUCH LESS WORK!!!

If the birds are crowded and a nasty behavior starts it is VERY difficult to get the bad behavior to stop. Nightmare. I want less work and productive chickens and that is why I am such an advocate of more space. You can also go WAY longer between coop cleanings.

This ^. It's better to have more space than not enough, whether your chickens are seen as pets or livestock.

I own 5 acres surrounded by 50 acres of woods. I am basically having the equivalent of a daycare inside of a prison. I have every predator known to man completely surrounding me. I feel like they can only free range when i am there and only free range in a controlled area i created that is fenced in and will have netting over top of it.

I personally see hawks, deer, groundhogs, skunks, foxes every single day... I hear the coyotes at night.

Something to consider would be an area fenced with electric wire or netting. Won't stop the hawks, but it could help with ground predators.

 

[Living_Legend]

If one was to giveaway chickens at what age would be best? Meaning hey it seems like they're all going to make it and are healthy but I don't have room for all of them.