Challenges of living in the woods with chickens

[Carontheroad]

Pics would help I definitely don't have a 'grassy' area, I have beach-side jungle. I have definitely found my issues.

• How do your chickens do with a forest floor environment—any pros or cons?
  • They disappear- get lost, often in trees so I need to stop looking on the forest floor. They crawl up in the trees!
• Have you tried planting anything (like clover or hardy ground cover) in or near your run to improve forage?
  • I tried, I actually use a mix- but the soil/germination rate is shnite.
• Do your chickens explore the wooded areas freely, or do they stick close to home?
  • They explore- more than I would like at times. But they are chickens after all- and they know where home is. They are keen on pestering my hubby while he is building out new 'sexy' coop. They ADORE when hubby weed whips certain areas, as there are so many critters to consume.
• How do you manage predator risks in wooded areas? Have hawks, owls, or other wildlife posed problems?
  • Non of that here.
• What creative methods have worked for keeping aerial predators away?
  • The forest itself, they fend for themselves.
• How do you keep your run from turning into plain dirt or mud, especially in shaded or uneven forest terrain?
  • I let them free range- so no issue.
• Are there enrichment ideas or planting tricks you've used inside the run to keep it more natural?
  • I always give 'bouquets' of fresh herbs, and I use a coop 'refresh' all the time (dried herbs).
• Do you get visits from curious wildlife like ravens, foxes, or bears? How do you handle them?
  • NA
• Has your terrain made it difficult to fence or rotate pasture? How do you manage free-ranging on a sloped or rocky property?
  • I have a sloped/rocky (as I live on a mountain). Because the chickens are my buddies- I don't have an issue. But I only have 7 birds.
• Do you ever feel like you're missing out on that "pasture-raised" image—or do you love the wild feel of your setup?
  • I LOVE my setup. So do my birdie-babes. This si them today: awaiting extra special vittles by the side door.
  • View attachment 4147636

Wow, I like the way you think. I’ll try to share some pictures tomorrow as well. You’ve piqued my curiosity, “sexy coop”?

Sounds like there are minimal predators where you are. Your chickens are lovely. I see you have a rooster. I’m just going to start with having a rooster, keeping 2 of the cockerels I just hatched a month ago. That will make 27 for me, including 14 mature hens and 11 pullets.

 

[Carontheroad]

I actually grow 'fodder' in planters.... keeps them away from my vegetable garden

Same here. Every so often I place one of the pots in their run and the plant is gone in about 2 hours. I take the pot back out and most of the time the plant will regrow. Gets a bit heavy lugging pots in and out. They still get in my garden when free ranging. No access to my main garden, just stuff I like to grow close to the house for daily picking. Looks like I need to add lettuce to their pots! Lol.

 

[Carontheroad]

Coons and coyotes are my worst predators, they have wiped me out more than once, with hawks and eagles picking off a few, one at a time. Often times, when you first start with chickens, predators are not sure they are a food choice, but once they find you, they will be back.

I throw waste hay into the run and as bedding in the coop. One winter, I sprouted seeds for them. But really in the spring, once anything was the least green up, they quit eating the sprouts.

I have tried brown birds (thinking camouflage) and black birds (thinking crow like) and white birds - which I was positive would be the first to go, but actually did fair. I have a black and white leghorn, that I am thinking I would like more of...always something.

Mrs K

This is our 4th summer with chickens and so far we’ve been lucky with no losses to predators. But as you said, once they find them it’s a whole different story. I’ve been expecting another hawk/eagle breech but nothing yet. That’s why I’m wondering about this raven (and he has a large wing span) that keeps coming about. Usually they don’t come so close to the house.

No coyotes here but we have cougars. Racoons seem to be everywhere but I’ve never seen one on our property in the 10 years we have lived here. Saw them way more in the city. They are clever critters for sure.

I gather up dry leaves in the fall and keep them in garbage bags and throw them on the outdoor run floor for them to rifle through. I also have started to dump old flower pot dirt into the run and they dig through that.

I keep a small meal worm farm for them and I’ve taken to putting the spent wheat bran under a log in the run because there are always really small worms that I miss. I put a piece of potato for the worms under the log as well and every now and then I lift the log and let them dig that area for any tidbits.

 

[Appalachickens]

Following with interest. I am new to this (the oldest girls are 8 weeks) and also live in wooded mountains. No lawn/grass here - we don’t even own a lawn mower. I plan to let them free range some when they are older and maybe eventually move toward having forest chickens rather than coop chickens. To give you an idea of the terrain, the roof in the photo is our house.

 

[Appalachickens]

This is our 4th summer with chickens and so far we’ve been lucky with no losses to predators. But as you said, once they find them it’s a whole different story. I’ve been expecting another hawk/eagle breech but nothing yet. That’s why I’m wondering about this raven (and he has a large wing span) that keeps coming about. Usually they don’t come so close to the house.

No coyotes here but we have cougars. Racoons seem to be everywhere but I’ve never seen one on our property in the 10 years we have lived here. Saw them way more in the city. They are clever critters for sure.

I gather up dry leaves in the fall and keep them in garbage bags and throw them on the outdoor run floor for them to rifle through. I also have started to dump old flower pot dirt into the run and they dig through that.

I keep a small meal worm farm for them and I’ve taken to putting the spent wheat bran under a log in the run because there are always really small worms that I miss. I put a piece of potato for the worms under the log as well and every now and then I lift the log and let them dig that area for any tidbits.

I did something similar - gathered up leaves and dumped them in the run. They loved them. Also threw in some smaller tree trunks riddled with woodpecker holes. We’ve got raccoons and possums that eat the cat food off our porch, and on the property I’ve seen coyotes and foxes, plus owls and hawks. Heard but not seen a bobcat, and had a bear come through once. So plenty of predators!

 

[CabritaChicks]

Wow, I like the way you think. I’ll try to share some pictures tomorrow as well. You’ve piqued my curiosity, “sexy coop”?

Sounds like there are minimal predators where you are. Your chickens are lovely. I see you have a rooster. I’m just going to start with having a rooster, keeping 2 of the cockerels I just hatched a month ago. That will make 27 for me, including 14 mature hens and 11 pullets.

That’s quite the flock! I don’t think I could keep track of that many. Hatching my own chicks on Easter was such a wonderful experience—I ended up keeping my little rooster because she (well, technically he but I cant seem to remember that fact) turned out to be so special, sweet and funny. Fingers crossed he stays just as sweet!

I’ll definitely share photos of the coop once it’s finished and add it to the coop forum section so people might get some ideas. I’m a designer at heart—so everything I create has to be just right and visually stunning (much to my husband’s dismay).

We’re building a new, modern-style coop. I don’t need a massive run for the “Spice Girls” and the “Mean Girls” (as my husband affectionately calls the two flocks… plus there’s Gypsy Chick, of course). So I’ve got room to get creative. The challenge is making it hurricane-resistant, find materials on a tiny island that is difficult to even find on google maps, creative ventilation—and making it super sexy: think modern home magazine kinda look to match our home...which is proving to be very expensive (again… poor hubby).

But... he did get to buy new tools, and this is his first real framing project. He is so proud that at 60 he can learn new skills, hehe.

But the location is actually on the sea (coral reef) so the 'soil' is decomposed matter, sand/stones and oodles of shells and coral (no need to buy calcium grit)- in the woodlands. We had to clear a area so we could get our jeep down there- we will replant with more food-forest items. Behind it looks very much like a scene from Blair Witch.

This is a shot from early on starting on a portion of the frame:

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

This thread is also worth a read:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/landrace-adaptive-breeding-discussion.1624350/

It’s not specifically about keeping chickens in the forest but more about forest chickens, if that makes sense. Genetics can be a huge help in predator evasion.

 

[CabritaChicks]

This thread is also worth a read:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/landrace-adaptive-breeding-discussion.1624350/

It’s not specifically about keeping chickens in the forest but more about forest chickens, if that makes sense. Genetics can be a huge help in predator evasion.

Absolutely agree—it's all in the genetics!

My RIRs disappear into the background, and Gypsy Chick (a game fowl mix) is practically invisible—lightning fast and always the first to dart off. Then there are my three “Charlie’s Angels”—almost entirely white, which wasn’t the goal when I hatched them, but that’s how they turned out. They stand out like glowing targets, which unfortunately caught the attention of a falcon I assume. Not a local one—likely an escapee from someone’s falconry setup on the nearby islands. It actually slammed into our window this morning (we live in a poured concrete and glass house).

When I was incubating those eggs, I was really hoping for some buff or grey tones. But nope! On the bright side, at least they’re easy to spot for me—little beacons in the bush. Which is why we are keeping Suki the rooster as well- hopefully to assist if things get a bit national geographic.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have read some people have no problem with white chickens but around here they’re always the last ones in the bin at the feed store I had two Delawares in suburbia and a hawk went for my Speckled Sussex instead. Of course that was in a backyard with little cover. And the Sussex was the only one in the open. Too many variables to say really in my case. They are the only white chickens I’ve owned.

 

[Carontheroad]

chickens' ancestors are jungle fowl, and they can be very happy ranging in woodland. Some keepers even manage to do it commercially; see e.g. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/raising-chickens

Interesting article! Who knew that was possible. They collect 1000 eggs daily in tree nooks and crannies. Makes me view my woods differently. I think I’ll let mine free range more, see what happens, but after they are done laying for the day so I don’t need to go egg hunting. My pullets and cockerels are legbars which are supposed to be very good free rangers. I can see their colouring blending in with the woods.