Feed Management Methods [Poll]

[ChicoryBlue]

Would a tractor with no floor,moved every day, be considered a secure house all day everyday?

A lot of people do this, some version of a secure coop as part of a tractor run where the pasture changes often. I used to do this with both coop and run, now I've changed to sort of a trimester version of it, but answered like it's in one place all the time since it essentially is, with supervised free range time each day. I know people who do the coop and run moving together daily. It still is confinement of some kind. This poll isn't differentiating between a in-place secure coop and run all day everyday and a moveable one. Is it interested in looking at the level of free will situations provided by BYC members? Edit to add: As part or all of of their diet? @U_Stormcrow

 

[DavidReaves]

Curious to know if you have some explanation ? Has the population of predators increased, or do they have less to feed on in the wild?

Purely speculation on my part, but I would guess that both, protections provided by various governments has made some difference and other prey species may have dwindled. I don't know about France, but in the US in years past it wasn't uncommon for rural residents to shoot or otherwise kill birds of prey even though they were protected by law (since 1918).

 

[WIchickMama]

My 7 girls are in a secure run and coop all day and night. They have a coop big enough for 10 and a run at 200 sq ft so more than enough room but yet I find them cuddled together a lot (all have been together since hatch day). They get commerical feed available all day and I change the water at noon and 4 pm so they have fresh. They get weeds/grass and fruit/veggies from our land daily and occasional hand tossed scratch (haven't had it in about a month).

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I LOVE your trailer coop

Thanks! Me too lol

 

[U_Stormcrow]

A lot of people do this, some version of a secure coop as part of a tractor run where the pasture changes often. I used to do this with both coop and run, now I've changed to sort of a trimester version of it, but answered like it's in one place all the time since it essentially is, with supervised free range time each day. I know people who do the coop and run moving together daily. It still is confinement of some kind. This poll isn't differentiating between a in-place secure coop and run all day everyday and a moveable one. Is it interested in looking at the level of free will situations provided by BYC members? Edit to add: As part or all of of their diet? @U_Stormcrow

Yes. One of the next two polls will focus on quality of forage. And tractoring is a "part of" method, as is everything but truly feral ranging.

I don't want to sidetrack, but tractoring has the disadvantage that the birds can only snack on what's w/i the area of the tractor. Which often means a virtual monoculture - big risk of dietary imbalance because its all substantially "the same". OTOH, tractoring has the advantage that it keeps the birds from gorgining by choice (and thus imbalancing the diet) in the forage when a particular treat is at height of production - like sunflowers, numerous berries, various grains. We'll get that far in these polls, eventually.

 

[ManueB]

Populations have increased with the DDT bans (a good thing), and 'control' is now a federal crime.

Purely speculation on my part, but I would guess that both, protections provided by various governments has made some difference and other prey species may have dwindled. I don't know about France, but in the US in years past it wasn't uncommon for rural residents to shoot or otherwise kill birds of prey even though they were protected by law (since 1918).

It's been a while though since DDT was banned and prey birds protected! But maybe it took a few decades to grow the population. In France too shooting a prey bird is forbidden since 1976.

I was wondering also because I have kept chickens for only three years with no problem whatsoever in the first two years and this year we had attacks from the sky about every two weeks during winter and the beginning of spring. I suppose there are also shorter term and local factors at play.
Sorry for going off topic . Though not completely as it's probably one of the causes for not letting chickens free range.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Yes. One of the next two polls will focus on quality of forage. And tractoring is a "part of" method, as is everything but truly feral ranging.

I don't want to sidetrack, but tractoring has the disadvantage that the birds can only snack on what's w/i the area of the tractor. Which often means a virtual monoculture - big risk of dietary imbalance because its all substantially "the same". OTOH, tractoring has the advantage that it keeps the birds from gorgining by choice (and thus imbalancing the diet) in the forage when a particular treat is at height of production - like sunflowers, numerous berries, various grains. We'll get that far in these polls, eventually.

Agree with your points, don't think they're off-topic as far as feed management. Feed additions/ supplements / treats -- types & amounts per bird (I saw you intend to ask about pasture type also) -- a lot of factors to try to assess!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Agree with your points, don't think they're off-topic as far as feed management. Feed additions/ supplements / treats -- types & amounts per bird (I saw you intend to ask about pasture type also) -- a lot of factors to try to assess!

Yes, I intend to eventually create multiple polls to try and capture a "feel" for what is typical.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think just by having to come up with so many different categories you've shown that nothing is really typical but I applaud your attempt.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I think just by having to come up with so many different categories you've shown that nothing is really typical but I applaud your attempt.

Oh, I don't know about that.

While there is a small sample size, we can say that the majority of flocks are managed in a way that involves four hours or fewer of free range time daily, and that the overwhelming majority of those flocks only occasionally range, or not at all.

We can also say that only about 1/3 of flocks are maintained with access to a massive amount of space for each bird, split about 50/50 between ranging substantially all day, and roughly evenly divided between the other time frames.