Coopless and I let my chickens free range the neighborhood

[123RedBeard]

I started an experiment

So ... are you going to get more chickens to continue your experiment?

Get more chickens when you have a new coop for them?

What is your plan for the future?
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A coyote or fox could easily carry them away whole with very little feathers left, just cart them off to their den to feed their new babies ...

People could have carted them off to give the poor chickens a proper home, or ... just ate them!

 

[birdlover2]

I can see it from both sides. One morning I saw Neighbor A chickens across the street eating the fallen birdseed In neighbor B front lawn and the rooster was crowing right next to the bedroom window at 5am. I thought oh dear here comes the chicken complaints. Nope a few days later I saw neighbor B out feeding them veggies scraps and chatting with chickens so she is encouraging them to come over. So her neighbors may truly enjoy having the chickens over. However OP you should have a plan to contain the chickens should they start becoming a nuisance and you have just been lucky as far a predators, neighbor A has lost her part of her flock every year for the last 4 years to predators.

I agree, good post.

 

[birdlover2]

I don't think there is something morally wrong or even bad for other people with letting your chickens free room, but it can be dangerous for the chickens. Now you understand the risk. I free-ranged many chickens and lost many, I also lost some that were in the coop at night and were killed by racoons. Free-ranging comes at a bigger risk to your chickens, you can choose to get new ones and freerange if you want to, it's up to you, but don't forget that there is risk.

 

[WhoDatChick]

I have a feeling that there is likely to be considerable outrage at the OP.
I would like to make a couple of points before this happens.
There is a valid view that these are your animals and your responsibility and should remain on your property.
It would seem reasonable in this case to extend this to all and any animals ‘owned’ by someone.
So, for cat lovers for example one would expect the same considerations to apply. Cats in this respect are quite difficult to keep on a defined plot of ground; they also crap in your garden, yowl and whine outside at night and dig up your carefully arranged flower beds. Of course, the solution is to keep cats in a cat run.
As one might expect, suggest to a cat owner that they keep their cats in a cage and run you’ll get looked at like you’ve lost your mind and told that keeping a cat like that is the very essence of cruelty.
Strange how this doesn’t apply to chickens.
A similar problem arises with dogs. Many people do at least try to keep their dogs contained in their yards in suburban areas. However, what often happens is when these dogs get walked in the ‘countryside’ the owners let their dogs off the lead and the dogs run around enjoying their freedom. The problem is, it’s usually on someone else property. It’s common here to get dogs appear, with the owners oblivious to their dogs behavior.
Tell the dog walkers here that if you see their dog off the lead on the property you’ll shoot it and they’ll consider you a completely unreasonable and horrid person.
I would much rather have my neighbors chickens in my ‘yard’ than I would their cats, or dogs. If I’m lucky they may even lay a few eggs there, they’re unlikely to kill or harass any of the other wildlife apart from bugs and they do in general go to sleep at night rather than bark or yowl outside my window.
So, I won’t be joining the outraged. What I will say given they are ‘your’ chickens and ‘everybody should deal with their chickens in what ever way they please’ as I often read on these forums, then if your neighbors don’t mind the chickens in their yards and you don’t mind the possibility that they may well get predated then I can’t see a problem.

I wish there was a way to LOVE!!!! a post!

 

[Dead Diamonds]

Surprise! Good news!

My chickens ended up at the local animal shelter! I'm not sure if a neighbor called them because they didn't like the chickens or because they thought it was for their well being. All I know is they got called and the area they picked them up at matches my area.

I got my chickens back!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Surprise! Good news!

My chickens ended up at the local animal shelter! I'm not sure if a neighbor called them because they didn't like the chickens or because they thought it was for their well being. All I know is they got called and the area they picked them up at matches my area.

I got my chickens back!

Great......
Are you going to take any steps to contain them to your own property?

 

[Fishkeeper]

You should probably look up the definitions of good animal care, because it involves giving proper shelter and, when necessary, containment for their safety. It does not involve letting them run around loose and fend for themselves except for food. Please build them a proper coop and contain them where they're safe. You got lots of good advice about how to build a coop that will work, I'd go over that again and use it.
Not least because, if the shelter sees this happen again, they might deem you neglectful and not give the chickens back.

 

[MissChick@dee]

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.

Ghetto chickens....offensive.
Just how many “Ghetto’s” have you ever been to or lived in? Hood chickens? You cannot be serious. Grab at straws if you need to justify your choices. Just don’t do it at the expense of “stereotypes”. I doubt seriously if you’ve ever been anywhere near any “low income ghetto’s”

 

[Kris5902]

Agree, you have to contain your chickens if you want to keep them. For your chickens sake/welfare. Clearly, not all your neighbors are on board with your semi-urban free range plan. Proper settings for different living arrangements. How many times until the shelter decides to destroy them as you’re not able to contain them? City laws are different and chicken keeping in urban environments fence in/fence outrules are not applicable or reasonable. You don’t want to be responsible for a crack down and large increases to the chicken keeping regulations in your area do you?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thinking they need a coop and run. As has been suggested and helpful ideas have been given.

If your yard has no grass......perhaps plant it and keep chickens off it while it gets going. Then limited yard time so grass can continue to grow.