Does anyone else Free Range?

[dpenning]

I will Redo my lock up door so it is more functional AND convenient - and lock up my fowl every single night without fail; had my birds been locked up, the raccoon could not have gotten in.

Blessings to you all, Laurie in Berthoud

So my girls free range. I bought six hens even though I really only needed/wanted 3 but everyone said you will lose some. My coop is a solidly built shed and my pop or is an automated door that I never have to do anything with. I still have six hens. I do have an electric fence around the outside of the coop but that is more for a deterrent for my chicken chasing dogs and I actually have a "chute" the girls can get out to free range. They are all over the property. It continues to amaze me that I still have six but I think your statement above is key. They are locked up tight at night!

 

[Hooligans7]

Yes, it is. I'll bet Sharon mcCrumb is one of your favorite authoresses.

I am writing this to report on a predator raid on on my "bullet proof" Little Coop (410silkies) a few weeks back. This coop is raised almost 3' off the ground; it is about 20' from the house, and there is a Nite Guard positioned not more than 10' feet away from it. The front part of the coop is a covered porch sort of area, totally enclosed with chicken wire secured with screws to the 2x4 frame. There is a door between the coop proper and the wire-enclosed porch, and on this evening it was left open, as usual. Except for raptors, there have been no predators sighted on our 2 acres in the last two years, but I've heard coyotes and seen a rare raccoon roadkill in the near vicinity. I think it was a raccoon that scaled the chicken wire and pushed its way through the wire "securing" the eaves. It slaughtered and partially devoured the three young SS I was growing out there. What would I do differently? This was an unnecessary slaughter - entirely preventable.

The greatest threat to my flocks is my own arrogance and laziness, and I need to work on those.

I would pay attention to my dog when she tries to get me up in the middle of the night. She is big, sharp, and diligent, and she doesn't "cry wolf."

I will Redo my lock up door so it is more functional AND convenient - and lock up my fowl every single night without fail; had my birds been locked up, the raccoon could not have gotten in.

Research ways to thwart raccoons. They are more savvy than I, and we all know it. In addition to clever physical deterrents, I am thinking I might use some things like motion detector alarm systems. Anybody have experience with these?

OK, so my dog is it for right now. I shall probably have to learn how to make a dog door for extra large dogs on ehow.

We have had enough of a winter already for me to make some assessments about some of the things I did to get ready for it. It will be a long post, so full of good news, I am hoping it will be helpful to many - as in what works, what doesn't work, what surprises me, etc. Am working on it right now, even as I type this.

Blessings to you all, Laurie in Berthoud

Sorry for your loss, Laurie. I learned the hard way that the only thing chicken wire is good for is keeping chickens in — not keeping predators out. Chicken wire is totally inadequate against predators. I've seen a big hole right through chicken wire made by a hungry dog, and not a particularly large or strong dog. The dog got his chicken dinner, and fatally injured a couple of other hens in the process.
You need welded wire fencing that is fastened from the inside with good-sized staples, or sandwiched between wood strips on the exterior and peppered with screws.
I use 1" by 1" welded wire around and on top of the run, and 1" by 1" overlaid by ¼" by ¼" welded wire on the main doors. See, a raccoon was grabbing at my chickens through the 1" by 1" welded wire. It couldn't get through the wire, but I didn't want any further feather grabbing, either. So I overlaid it with ¼" by ¼" welded wire and wired the two together at 6-inch intervals. No problems since!
Get welded wire ASAP!

 

[coop410silkies]

So my girls free range.  I bought six hens even though I really only needed/wanted 3 but everyone said you will lose some.  My coop is a solidly built shed and my pop or is an automated door that I never have to do anything with.  I still have six hens.  I do have an electric fence around the outside of the coop but that is more for a deterrent for my chicken chasing dogs and I actually have a "chute" the girls can get out to free range. They are all over the property. It continues to amaze me that I still have six but I think your statement above is key. They are locked up tight at night!

yes, auto doors are a dream yet to be fulfilled. Until then, though, it's go out to do it myself. I am glad to hear your door works well. I did put an electric wire around the coop, which lasted about a minute before my large puppy charged through it. I kept tripping over it after that and took it out last summer. The coop was built by someone who doesn't keep chickens, and he did not make it easy to use. It was hard to access the door from its porch to the inside, the birds liked to stay out, and I usually let them be out. I need to redo parts of the door so that it's accessible enough to use, and I have been intending to do that for sometime now. It's just unfortunate that I didn't get it done. Thanks for your support.

 

[coop410silkies]

Sorry for your loss, Laurie. I learned the hard way that the only thing chicken wire is good for is keeping chickens in — not keeping predators out. Chicken wire is totally inadequate against predators. I've seen a big hole right through chicken wire made by a hungry dog, and not a particularly large or strong dog. The dog got his chicken dinner, and fatally injured a couple of other hens in the process.
You need welded wire fencing that is fastened from the inside with good-sized staples, or sandwiched between wood strips on the exterior and peppered with screws.
I use 1" by 1" welded wire around and on top of the run, and 1" by 1" overlaid by ¼" by ¼" welded wire on the main doors. See, a raccoon was grabbing at my chickens through the 1" by 1" welded wire. It couldn't get through the wire, but I didn't want any further feather grabbing, either. So I overlaid it with ¼" by ¼" welded wire and wired the two together at 6-inch intervals. No problems since!
Get welded wire ASAP! 

i know experience when I hear it talking. I hate chicken wire, for all the reasons listed above, plus many more. In my coop's case, the wire made it possible for the raccoon to climb the wire enclosure and pull it from its attachment to the roof. Do you think the quarter inch mesh would keep it from climbing up and through? I think the 1/4 welded wire might be the right stuff to use if it will keep the coon from climbing, but I'm not certain about that. I probably will have to have the builder re design how the porch is enclosed, as well. I am going to have to sleep on this for a few nights. Thank so so much Hooligans for your concern and experience. It is good to hear from you about what works.

 

[Scott H]

1/2 inch welded wire is adequate. A coon can't reach thru it. 1 inch wire is a coon masacre waiting to happen.

 

[vpatt]

My coop window and vents are covered with half inch hardware cloth so I feel pretty certain my girls are safe when locked in at night. Their pen is only regular wire (5') and it will keep them in when they don't want to get out....I have had at least four of the eleven who 'flew the coop' at least once when they were new here. But most days they are free from morning to night unless I have a reason to shut them in. Except for that little bantam she lives life on her own terms and I think she only hangs around for the food.

 

[Beer can]

Except for that little bantam she lives life on her own terms and I think she only hangs around for the food.

I have a four foot fence, keeps them all in except for a EEgr bantam and one of my brown leghorns, I even cliped all their wings on one side. I had to put more fence on top to keep them in. I was having a predator problem at night when I was freeranging them, at night roosting in trees, lost five birds. I spent too much on them + feed to let a coon have them, so I have to try getting them back in at night.

 

[vpatt]

She sleeps six feet off the ground up under the porch. She can get over the five foot fence. I think because there is a dog nothing comes in the yard at night.....but I would think that could change depending on how hungry the predators get. I think we have most all of the predators here......she roosted with the others in the coop at first and then went out on her own. I was told she is a phoenix....is that behavior common to them?

 

[vpatt]

I am interested in mixing some feeds together and need some advice. I have

21% chick starter
16% laying madh
9% scratch

2 parts chick starter
I part layer mash
1 part scratch

My thought is to increase protein with the chick starter and add scratch to make them like it more. I also would ferment it. Would they pick the corn out do you think or not? I have Nuti-balance too I could add....just because I bought it and would like to use it up....prolly wont buy it again. I would like to at least give higher protein during moulting and these are things I have. I also have oyster shell on the side because this would cut back the calcium. Just thinking about higher protein and a more all purpose feed....am i headed in the right or wrong direction? I thought of adding BOSS too. Or i could just mix half and half mash and syarter. Sorry to ask here I wasn't sure where to go. They do free range every day. And will unless I need to shut them up temporarily for some reason. I'm guessing chicks would still only use starter for 6 weeks?

 

[Lous Eggmoble]

I have a big rooster with the hens and he keeps a very sharp eye as to what is flying overhead. When ever he see's something out of the usual he sounds off and the hens scurry for safety..This seems to work for me. I let them out in the morning and close the door at night.