Challenges of living in the woods with chickens

[Carontheroad]

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.

Hmmm. I have 5 white Columbian rocks. Really pretty birds in my opinion. I’d hate to see them get taken.

 

[Carontheroad]

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.
View attachment 4148013

Wow, definitely in the woods! What breed of chickens do you have? I’m thinking that has some impact in successful woodland free ranging.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Hmmm. I have 5 white Columbian rocks. Really pretty birds in my opinion. I’d hate to see them get taken.

I believe @3KillerBs has white chickens that do well free range? I don’t think it’s a given that they get picked off. It very well could be either old country wisdom or a myth. Hard to tell sometimes

 

[Carontheroad]

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:

View attachment 4148045

View attachment 4148047

HaHa, you’re funny! Yes, nothing like new tools to get the building juices flowing. So interesting to see what can be done in different environments. I really find having the coop next to the house is so handy. I can look out the window and check on everyone. I keep a binocular on the windowsill if I want to look in the shadow areas. Good idea to post pictures of the ground.

 

[Carontheroad]

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!

Those darn predators are a challenge. The biggest thing is to not leave any food or garbage outside. Everything likes chicken. I was even wary at first with our cat but he’s learned that they are off limits. He’s been eyeing the wild quail but I tell him “NO” and I think he gets it that they are off limits too.

 

[CabritaChicks]

I believe @3KillerBs has white chickens that do well free range? I don’t think it’s a given that they get picked off. It very well could be either old country wisdom or a myth. Hard to tell sometimes

Maybe their brightness actually helps deter predators? It reminds me of the days we used to hang shiny metal spirals to keep them away. Mine are definitely on the flighty side—and I swear they practically glow in the dark!

I just assumed it was a 'swoop' gone wrong to hit a 30ft glass wall.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Maybe their brightness actually helps deter predators? It reminds me of the days we used to hang shiny metal spirals to keep them away. Mine are definitely on the flighty side—and I swear they practically glow in the dark!

I just assumed it was a 'swoop' gone wrong to hit a 30ft glass wall.

I am sure part of it depends on the environment too. We don’t get a lot of snow so maybe they stick out when the foliage is more sparse here. When I meat an old farmer with chickens running amok it will be the first thing I ask

 

[No Coop No Problem]

I live in a forested swamp in the southeast and my chickens free-range outside 24/7. They co-habitate with foxes on my property and a variety of other predators pass through regularly. None of them present any danger to my chickens. At the very most I'll lose one or two a year, and those being the old or sickly. The predators here have no chance of catching healthy gamefowl or landraces, and even heavy production chickens survive just fine with some basic predator mitigation

As others have corrected noted, chickens are the descendants of junglefowl and they're far safer in the woods than any field

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.

It's possible that in some environments a white chicken will do passably well, but I think in most places they're basically doomed. When I originally began I had chickens of all colors, however the white and lavender got picked off by hawks whereas camoflaged colors never did. Now out of compassion for my animals I'll never keep any chicken that isn't camoflaged

Why keep prey animals with the added curse of not even camouflaging like their ancestors did? Seems cruel to me. One guy on BYC had a fox get into his coop that had 99 white chickens and 1 black chicken. Guess who the only survivor was?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I live in a forested swamp in the southeast and my chickens free-range outside 24/7. They co-habitate with foxes on my property and a variety of other predators pass through regularly. None of them present any danger to my chickens. At the very most I'll lose one or two a year, and those being the old or sickly. The predators here have no chance of catching healthy gamefowl or landraces, and even heavy production chickens survive just fine with some basic predator mitigation

As others have corrected noted, chickens are the descendants of junglefowl and they're far safer in the woods than any field

It's possible that in some environments a white chicken will do passably well, but I think in most places they're basically doomed. When I originally began I had chickens of all colors, however the white and lavender got picked off by hawks whereas camoflaged colors never did. Now out of compassion for my animals I'll never keep any chicken that isn't camoflaged

Why keep prey animals with the added curse of not even camouflaging like their ancestors did? Seems cruel to me. One guy on BYC had a fox get into his coop that had 99 white chickens and 1 black chicken. Guess who the only survivor was?

Speaking of camouflage…there are 8 chickens in this picture. Not that I knew that until I walked by three times.

 

[Appalachickens]

Wow, definitely in the woods! What breed of chickens do you have? I’m thinking that has some impact in successful woodland free ranging.

I have 13, one each of: Calico princess, black sex-link, cinnamon queen, California tan, blue laced gold Wyandotte, cream legbar, starlight green Egger, Easter egger, barred rock, ameraucana, red star, buff Orpington, and speckled Sussex. I don’t plan on letting them be forest chickens. I think they aren’t designed for that. They have what I hope is a very secure coop and I’ll just let them out near the house when I’m available to keep an eye on them. But down the road I want to look into game hens or mixes that include that who will be flightier and warier in the woods. I was telling my daughter-in-law today about the book I’m reading ( “Free Range Survial Chickens”) and she said to my son, “I told you forest chickens were a thing!”