Coopless and I let my chickens free range the neighborhood

[Alexandra33]

My guess is that OP's prepared to accept the multiple risks attached. While I personally wouldn't do things this way, everyone's entitled to do as they please with their birds.... provided nobody else's private property is being compromised. Certainly hope the neighbors have given permission in this situation? If not....

We live on a country road, with a few farms scattered randomly. Almost everybody allows their animals free access to roam. Barn cats are necessary around here to keep the rodent population down, since agricultural fields invite hoards of mice/rats. Not only do I keep my own, unconfined barn kitties around for practical purposes (thankfully, they barely leave the property), as well as personal enjoyment, but other farm cats meander into our yard frequently. Doesn't bother me in the least. Said felines serve an important purpose, and aren't normally destructive. Poultry also free range as they please, since we're all surrounded by open field full of leftover corn/soybeans, and bugs to be consumed. Only thing that causes huge issues is unleashed dogs.....these prevent individuals from talking a nice walk by running aggressively into the road, growling/baring teeth, and pretty much decimated a nearby farm's beautiful flock. Nearly lost ours, too, when a distant neighbors' beagle followed us home. Thank goodness for dog wardens and firearms! I'm unwilling to tolerate danger to beloved livestock, or potential human injury, even if it's "the owner's fault."

Long story short - problem animals will be shot, no questions asked. Innocent, go free.

~Alex

 

[Kris5902]

I’m all for free ranging... but I don’t think suburbia or “downtown” is the appropriate place for it. Most places there are enforced laws against livestock in city limits... chickens are still livestock. No one wants their next door neighbor on a city lot to get 3-6 pet pigs, cows, goats or sheep!

Not that I’m against the backyard chicken movement either, mind you! When I lived on my city lot I really, really wanted to get backyard chickens (my city had the oldest anti-chicken laws in the area and was not looking at amending them any time soon).

I now live in a “fence out” area... so I respect that aspect. We free range cattle and sheep on our property, in parkland adjacent to our property (we sold it to parks a few decades ago!), and when they occasionally find the trail out of parks and onto the road, wander down and start snacking in a neighbors yard we collect them promptly to be nice (not because we have to!).

It’s not really appropriate to draw lines between domestic pet laws and those regarding livestock management (free ranging cats and dogs for instance); that said, free ranging in this manner/type of location is what holds back the backyard chicken keeping in cities. If you want to keep your chickens like this, move to an area where it is allowed and appropriate so you don’t have a negative impact on everyone else in your area who wants to have a backyard flock and is willing to conform to the requirements of doing so in an urban/suburban area.

 

[Helloworld]

I think neighbors will become mad, sky birds will learn their patterns and eventually kill them, your grass in your yard will come back, and your neighbors won’t have to step in poop and they can grow flowers.

Owls watch a set for days. You can put your chickens up 30 minutes earlier everyday and the owl will figure it out and come earlier and earlier. If they are game chickens they will have a little longer life span because they can fly and roost high but they will meet their demise eventually as well. Lets hope they enjoy their freedom to the fullest!

 

[WindingRoad]

My guess is that OP's prepared to accept the multiple risks attached. While I personally wouldn't do things this way, everyone's entitled to do as they please with their birds.... provided nobody else's private property is being compromised. Certainly hope the neighbors have given permission in this situation? If not....

We live on a country road, with a few farms scattered randomly. Almost everybody allows their animals free access to roam. Barn cats are necessary around here to keep the rodent population down, since agricultural fields invite hoards of mice/rats. Not only do I keep my own, unconfined barn kitties around for practical purposes (thankfully, they barely leave the property), as well as personal enjoyment, but other farm cats meander into our yard frequently. Doesn't bother me in the least. Said felines serve an important purpose, and aren't normally destructive. Poultry also free range as they please, since we're all surrounded by open field full of leftover corn/soybeans, and bugs to be consumed. Only thing that causes huge issues is unleashed dogs.....these prevent individuals from talking a nice walk by running aggressively into the road, growling/baring teeth, and pretty much decimated a nearby farm's beautiful flock. Nearly lost ours, too, when a distant neighbors' beagle followed us home. Thank goodness for dog wardens and firearms! I'm unwilling to tolerate danger to beloved livestock, or potential human injury, even if it's "the owner's fault."

Long story short - problem animals will be shot, no questions asked. Innocent, go free.

~Alex

You want YOUR animals to roam free but are quick to want dogs to be killed. How does that work.

 

[Alexandra33]

You want YOUR animals to roam free but are quick to want dogs to be killed. How does that work.

For the record, we've never shot a dog. There've been escapees from either a few roads over, or the next county that took refuge in our barns. They didn't bother anything, so we cared for them until claimed. Chicken killers, though, have no place here (had the beagle returned, we were armed and ready). My statement extends to ALL nuisance animals, not just dogs.

Just to clarify, I don't let my flock invade other people's private property. The cats stay here almost all the time, as well, besides occasionally hunting in fields.

~Alex

 

[Dead Diamonds]

Thanks for your comments.

My two chickens are red stars. I get 2 eggs every morning. They faithfully still use their nesting boxes. They come home at dusk and sleep in various places in my yard. I have spoken to every neighbor that they have ventured to, everyone loves them and does not want them to stop visiting them. My neighbors do not have front yard gardens that the chickens can get to. I live in a a city that actively promotes backyard chickens. Not sure of everyone's experience, but it is common to see chickens in the ghetto/low income urban areas. At least, the last three cities I lived in were like that. I actually got the idea of owning chickens when I saw two different people in two different areas in my city post pictures on facebook of chickens crossing their neighborhood street.

I have done a bit of research on this. There are articles out there that have a different opinion than what is status quo on this forum, and that is what I am basing some of my decisions on.

As far as sky birds, I have a large owl that lives right next door, so the threat is the same inside my yard or out.

I'm in the process of building a new coop.

I do not believe their improvement in health has anything to do with my coop. I think it has everything to do with no longer relying 99% on eating artificially fortified ("organic") chicken feed and no longer confined to a yard that no longer has grass to eat.

 

[Helloworld]

You want YOUR animals to roam free but are quick to want dogs to be killed. How does that work.

Ooo ooo ooo me! This is easy.
The person happens to dislike DOGS.

I happen to dislike wondering cats because I have had flocks decimated by them as well so while my neighbor is killing the animal they dislike I am at the barn taking out the one they happen to fancy who just wonders to eat mice, pee on my crap and get in my trash. My roosters are better mice hunters than any cat around my house. There is a very true statement we all should live by... FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS. I am also deadly allergic to cats so if my neighbor can’t contain them we will because my neighbor won’t pay for my ER bill nor come to my funeral because I killed said bad cat. It is what it is.

 

[aart]

I live in a a city that actively promotes backyard chickens.

....and where would that be?

 

[1cock2hens]

OP is in Austin Texas according to the other thread

 

[MissChick@dee]

Sounds like a chicken’s “Movie of The Week”. What could possibly go wrong?