Free Range Chickens

[Stasi]

Thank you so much for all the information! So the general consensious is to not clip. I like that because I was kinda worried about clipping their wings anyway. I've had bad experiences with clipping dogs nails - so I wasn't really looking forward to it. Thank you everybody. What a great information source!

 

[Lobzi]

Quote:
I have two bantams and especially the Roo is a great flyer.I dont think he would never leave Chickie and Chickie would never leave me. She cant fly as well as she is a frizzle, but she still never tries to leave. I have heard that they wont leave the place where they know they food is available so I tend to mainly feed them close to or in the pen. They free-range all day while Im home and I am not always there to supervise them.

 

[witeowl]

Wonderful, thanks for all the information. Like the OP, I'll avoid clipping unless they show me that they need to be clipped. I'll start slowly and do my best to keep the backyard an interesting place which meets their needs. (I'd like to eventually be able to let them freerange in the afternoon without me being in the backyard the whole time, but that'll come later.)

Also like the OP: I'm somewhat relieved; I really wasn't looking forward to clipping.

 

[ozark hen]

Mine free range from sunup...wait until the sun is completely up as predators are still ranging before then....till dusk. They return to the coop on their own. I am not outside with them all day. We have two very large Quince bushes that they hide under if a sky predator is around or want to stay cool and shaded. There is plenty of yard and plenty of shrubs, trees, etc. for them. I feel safer with them free ranging than leaving them in the run during the daytime. Never had one fly away and we live in the middle of 82 acres.