Free range huge problem

[PitbullChick]

I have a neighbor who has well "game chickens" so to speak. Last summer I had 2 BIG stocky beautiful white roosters,well they found his free ranging hens and he ate my chickens

. Anyways,im getting new chicks soon as I havent had any since,and I have the dome style pens outside and they are rather large,would that be okay,since they wont be able to free range? I will try to post a pic tomorrow so you can have a better idea of size.

 

[Mrs. K]

The thing is, if you can free range a great deal, you can cheat a bit on size of the coop/run, and the number of chickens that you can fit in there.

Chickens are perfectly happy confined, IF they have enough room. If you start getting bad habits, well ten to 0ne, you have too many chickens for the run/coop.

Mine free ranged very successfully all summer, and then in September, started getting heavy predation. I think it is a bobcat, cause they are gone in the daytime, so mine have been locked up for weeks in the run/coop. Let them out last week, and lost two more

ugh! So until a get a trapper out here, they are under confinement, and yesterday, I did not close the gate behind me, and they are so used to staying in, they didn't even try and go out, which at first was a bit of a trick.

I love to free range mine, but I would not have any left if I didn't confine them. It will work, but you can fit more into the game, if you can free range them.

MrsK

 

[PitbullChick]

The thing is, if you can free range a great deal, you can cheat a bit on size of the coop/run, and the number of chickens that you can fit in there.

Chickens are perfectly happy confined, IF they have enough room. If you start getting bad habits, well ten to 0ne, you have too many chickens for the run/coop.

Mine free ranged very successfully all summer, and then in September, started getting heavy predation. I think it is a bobcat, cause they are gone in the daytime, so mine have been locked up for weeks in the run/coop. Let them out last week, and lost two more

ugh! So until a get a trapper out here, they are under confinement, and yesterday, I did not close the gate behind me, and they are so used to staying in, they didn't even try and go out, which at first was a bit of a trick.

I love to free range mine, but I would not have any left if I didn't confine them. It will work, but you can fit more into the game, if you can free range them.

MrsK

but my neighbor has prize winning chickens,they come in my yard everyday,well his hen hatched chicks that wernt pure and my rooster wouldnt leave so he ate them. I REALLY dont think free range is going to be possible. Would they be fine without it? With one or 2 chickens per cage? I only plan on getting 4 chickens.


Thanks

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

but my neighbor has prize winning chickens,they come in my yard everyday,well his hen hatched chicks that wernt pure and my rooster wouldnt leave so he ate them. I REALLY dont think free range is going to be possible. Would they be fine without it? With one or 2 chickens per cage? I only plan on getting 4 chickens.


Thanks

I'm not sure I'm understanding your post. Your NEIGHBOR ATE your chickens FROM YOUR YARD? His prize winning chickens would look real good on a dinner plate on my table if they came in my yard. I'd be having a very serious chat with my neighbor if he was eating my chickens.

 

[my sunwolf]

Well ideally you'd provide 10 sq ft per chicken, but others say only 4 sq ft, even permanently. Mrs. K is right in that you'll know if you have too little space by the behavior problems that arise... vent picking, comb pecking, feather picking, etc. I would go with a larger amount of space if I were you.

 

[PitbullChick]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your post. Your NEIGHBOR ATE your chickens FROM YOUR YARD? His prize winning chickens would look real good on a dinner plate on my table if they came in my yard. I'd be having a very serious chat with my neighbor if he was eating my chickens.

Yes,they went in his yard so he ate them,he even told me he made dumplings out of them! Thus why I dont want to free range period unless its absolutely a have to thing.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is not a have to thing.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Lots of people don't free range. The more space you can give them in the chicken run, the happier they are. So bigger is better if you have a choice. Check out the coops section of BYC to get an idea of other people's projects if you wish. Lots of photos there for ideas.

 

[daoustaj]

Eat his

 

[Frizzle13]

Yeah go and eat his two fav roos