Do Freedom Rangers fly much?

[HillCountryMomma]

I know, I know... I see y'all laughing at me!

I'm wondering because I'd like to let them range at the back of my garden when they get big enough (they'll be 2 weeks old tomorrow, just moved out of the brooder and into the coop today, will be a while yet before they get to go outside and range).

Anyway, my garden is high fenced on 3 sides (6' with a strand of barbed wire at the top) to keep out deer. Across the 4th side about midway down there is a 4' field fence to keep my old mare out. She has the front half of the area as her paddock. My free range layers haven't been real inclined to fly over the low fence to forage in the garden. I was hoping I could just run field fence across behind teh garden for the Rangers (from the ground, up about 4') and keep them contained (there's a big grassy/weedy area perfect for foraging behind the garden). If they got out it wouldn't be the end of the world (they'd get into the garden, then have to hop another fence to get into my mare's paddock, then go through another fence to get totally out).

I'd really like to let them range the last couple weeks of their lives. I can build tractors, but it'd be so much easier to just let them loose in the back of the garden. We don't have much, if any problems with predators (knocking on wood).

Liz

 

[greyfields]

Hmmm... mine will fly out of my short tractor which is about 24-30" tall. It's behavior I never saw in Cornish Crosses. But, 6' is pushing it I think for any broiler. Just look how small their wings are in proportion to the legs and abdomen. I think you will be safe.

And even though they are great birds, they are broilers still. they tend to not stray too far from the food source.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

If they are anything like the BBB turkeys the best flying days they will have will be when they are about feathered out, but still tall thin teen looking. Once they start to fill out the wing to weight ratio tips the wrong way.

However I find they don't leave their area unless spooked by something, or maybe one will get out by accident, but they don't go far and are easy to get back as they want to be with their buddies.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

My FR'r are 7 weeks old and in an indoor coop. They TRY to fly but barely make it a few inches off the floor. I think you are just fine with 6 feet. No way they could make it that high. Heck - Mine lay down to eat!!!

 

[HillCountryMomma]

Thanks y'all! That's what I was hoping to hear. I'll wait until the FRs are pretty big before I let them out to range (and hopefully weight challenged!). I really want them to have all the advantages of beign able to eat green stuff and any bugs that are slow enough.

Mine eat laying down too. Lazy little boogers!

Though I have noticed today (since I just moved them into the big coop which is about 18x10) that they do love to run and flap their stubby little wings. They sure make a big show of scratching and foraging too.