Feed Management Methods [Poll]

[MysteryChicken]

If it's smooth or staghorn sumac, you'll see berry formations like this
View attachment 3153208

Poison sumac has singular berries that grow sort of similar to cherries and droop down - a berry on a thin stem. They're also usually white.

Smooth and staghorn sumac have edible berries. The leaves are poisonous but have been used for medicinal properties by Indigenous peoples.

It has red berries, but I'll still get pictures though.

 

[tripletfeb]

1/3 acre back yard??? That's a rarity. We had an apartment, then a house on 1/5th acre., then an apartment, then a house on one acre, and now we have 30. But zoning usually puts houses on 1/4, 1/5th, 1/8th, with the majority being back yard (well, not on 1/8th acre lots, those are "zero lot line". 1/3 acre back yard, so you have 1/2 acre total???

Yes, about 1/2 acre lot size. My house is very old and was one of the first built in my little town. People built around my lot apparently. In this part of town, the lot sizes are all different. My neighbor has a long driveway that goes over my creek, a small front yard, then two acres in the back

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I also pulled up a calculator: our chicken yard feels big, but it turns out we have about 500 sq ft per chicken.

The current "permanent" part is surrounded by 6' welded wire and 3 strands of bear-strength electric. When we're outside, their main gate is opened to an extended yard enclosed with 4' netting that can be moved around a black-walnut grove and an organic orchard.

Chickens are only locked into coops after dark, but the coops have covered, aproned runs for rare occasions when everyone leaves the property, or when a predator is actively stalking nearby (e.g., yesterday, we watched a bobcat pounce on a wild turkey – the turkey won, btw, amazing – and figured it'd be prudent to close the chickens behind one more layer of security for a while).

I'd love to free range, but we're pretty sure we'd lose all of them a matter of weeks. We're always revising things, but so far, this has been a happy medium. Their yard incorporates all kinds of terrain and places to perch and hunt, and we don't have any fat or bored-looking birds

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Here is where we are so far. I'd love to see more like 500 responses from the community, but some trends are starting to be evident.

 

[ManueB]

Here is where we are so far. I'd love to see more like 500 responses from the community, but some trends are starting to be evident.

View attachment 3153395

Interesting that the graphs give a very different impression from what surprised me when reading the answers : almost two third of the people who answered have their flocks free ranging for at least a few hours a day!
I guess it depends if you see the glass half full or half empty .

I suppose there is a bias as people who can not have their flock free range at all would maybe be less willing to answer a poll on that subject.

 

[Brooks_]

Interesting that the graphs give a very different impression from what surprised me when reading the answers : almost two third of the people who answered have their flocks free ranging for at least a few hours a day!

I don't follow. It looks to me that ranging is in the lead.

 

[Fallenone05]

Interesting that the graphs give a very different impression from what surprised me when reading the answers : almost two third of the people who answered have their flocks free ranging for at least a few hours a day!
I guess it depends if you see the glass half full or half empty .

I suppose there is a bias as people who can not have their flock free range at all would maybe be less willing to answer a poll on that subject.

I used to let mine range the yard, but my neighbors let their dogs free range the whole neighborhood. Guess who doesn't free range anymore after multiple dog attacks. I'd love to let mine out again but I get so worried I just can't bring myself to

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Interesting that the graphs give a very different impression from what surprised me when reading the answers : almost two third of the people who answered have their flocks free ranging for at least a few hours a day!
I guess it depends if you see the glass half full or half empty .

I suppose there is a bias as people who can not have their flock free range at all would maybe be less willing to answer a poll on that subject.

It remsembles an inverted bell curve to me - those with the least fre range time have the least space, while those with the greatest range time tend to have the larger spaces. Or perhaps the relationship is reversed - with greater space equating to greater chance of free ranging.

But this also comports with expectations. I spend a lot of time on the Forum for local ordinances/zoning, and lots of people in urban environments are allowed only 4-6 chickens (usually hens only) which must be contained. Urban environments are also typically small yards - so even when they do sneak the birds out after work, or for a few hours on a weekend, the birds don't have far to go.

I'll do another graph when we pass 100 answers. But I'd really like to see lareger participation - we have a very small sample size right now.

 

[Brooks_]

I'll do another graph when we pass 100 answers. But I'd really like to see lareger participation - we have a very small sample size right now.

I guess next time make answers visible so we can tag those that have not answered. Just an idea.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I guess next time make answers visible so we can tag those that have not answered. Just an idea.

I don't see a way to make everyone visible, but if you click on "Answers: 13" it will show the names of the 13 users who answered that way - or it does for me.

I did not want to mass tag, however.