Can a free range hen raise chicks and protect them?

[Cowgirl71]

What breeds were these momma hens, may I ask?

A self-reproducing flock really appeals to me!

 

[peepblessed]

Quote:
My free range hens are never got off guard by hawks (we have lots of them, hawks I mean). We have lots of trees and they dodge for cover. My free range hens are Ameraucana. I never let my silkies out without a cover. I think roaming dogs would be a bigger problem for me. I know I've seen a tiny mama cat taken on a huge dog and send it screaming with the cat riding on the dogs back. Sounds like mama hens have some of those same traits!

 

[pgpoultry]

i have Brahma mamas free ranging with their chicks. They are generally docile and trusting of humans, though the chicks often run under their huge bodies. BUT they can turn into monsters when other chickens approach, particularly the roosters.

 

[sourland]

At one point in time

my free range mixed bantam hens successfully raised brood after brood. I had no problems controlling mammalian predators. Then we had the Migratory Bird Act and protection of all raptors. The burgeoning Cooper's hawk population soon made it impossible for my free range hens to successfully raise chicks. They have even depleted the pheasant population to near non-existance. So, here in NJ for me it is impossible for a free range hen to successfully raise a brood of chicks.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

The Boss came in this morning to report that the mama Black Orp who resides in the main coop had her 3 week old babies eating out of the large feeder-- which is suspended at hen height inside. Apparently they jump up to the feeder's edge and hang on as they eat the layer pellets.
They have free ranged since they were 5 days old. They were hatched in our incubator and mama went broody about the day they hatched, so, me being tired of chicksitting, I put the 3 day olds under her and she quite happily adopted them. She keeps them near her and under vegetative cover most of the time. We have bushes, perennials and trees for cover and 2 roos who are always watching for danger.
If the broodies will separate into another coop we feed them chick feed, but if they stay in the main coop, they forage for themselves. I haven't seen any difference in the growth rates.

 

[RHRanch]

Quote:
I have seen a hawk fly into (collide with) a hen I had with babies ... Momma hen went head over heel several feet. Hawk came back around and grabbed a baby. It was shocking!

 

[lavenderorpgirl]

ours are free range and we have oodles of cats (all fixed and utd), dogs, possums, etc and the chickens run the place...they dont get messed with or mess with anyone...and they have their coops to go into at night that are secure.

 

[dufus]

i had a hen take missing, turn up a month later with 14 peepers, and they have been completely yard raised since then. i gave away 8 at 2 weeks, snake got 2 of the peeps, and i have 4 left now, 5 1/2 weeks old. momma hen went back to the roost at night when the chicks were 2 weeks old, the peeps got on lower a lower perch, until a snake got one there one night. [ i got the snake ] the chicks have about gotten independent now, stay with momma hen only sometimes. they have moved right in with the flock of 1 RIR rooster, and sex links. the others hens or rooster does not bother them at all, and they fight with the older members for food when i scatter it at night, getting them shut up. they moved into the flock, and set their suitcase down. we always had yard biddies when i was a kid [ rural MS, 50's ] and just don't remember anything bothering them. i guess the population is so great now, america has been paved over, and the wild animals have lots less habitat and more competition for food and quarters now.

 

[peepblessed]

I continue to be astounded by all of your awesome stories!!