Free range in a (possibly?) dangerous place? What do you think

[chickity-chick]

Hi everyone! I am new to chickens and would love to get some advice on a few questions. So I have my run and coops in my back yard, the majority of the back yard is a pool and a hillside with lots of plants that people have said are poisonous to chickens. Like irises, hydrangeas, hosta's, old english ivy, those bushes that are spiked with berries (what ever they are called) etc... Generally lots of plants that come back every year and that people have said are poisonous to chickens. My run that is on the other side of the pool deck- flooring is pea gravel covered in play sand and is 75 square feet. Since there is no grass or plants I feel like it would be nice to let them out into the yard sometimes- for extra space, to explore, to get to eat bugs, change of ground cover, etc. I currently have 4 chickens, 2 black copper marans and 2 red sex links, but am looking to get 3-4 more (options--> barred rocks, americanas, dominicker, and possibly a rhode island red). If I got 4 more that is roughly 9 square feet/chicken in the run with all 8 in there. But I know it is an 8-10 square foot per chicken number for runs. Basically my question is- would it be bad to let them free range in the back yard for a few hours a week with supervision even though there are a lot of of 'bad' plants? Will they actually eat them or will they know to avoid them? The worry is the really large and 14ft deep pool and all the bad plants, but I don't want them to be unhappy and feel cooped up. Also, would getting 3-4 more chickens be bad considering the accommodations? The two groups would share a run but sleep in separate coops since I have two smaller coops that can hold 4 chickens only each with 2.25 square feet per chicken in the coops. I would absolutely love some advice, I want my chickens to be happy but also don't want to get them poisoned or sick. I have a family of 5 so I feel like I need more chickens in order to get the amount of eggs that would be enough for the family. They would always be supervised if out of the run, but I wont be able to monitor what they eat, only that they don't fall in the pool. Thank you for all who will help me with this dilemma!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your set up is already tight as it is so if you cannot expand both coop and run space I would not add more. Free ranging for a few hours doesn't compensate for the fact that they'll usually be locked up. Integrating new birds takes more space than minimum recommendations, and you'd be below that with 4 more.

Chickens *shouldn't* fall into a pool but if they do there's a chance they can drown if there's no easy way for them to get out.

The plants could be a concern but if chickens have their choice they'll avoid eating things that are poisonous to them. That doesn't mean they won't tear up the plants, but they probably won't eat too much of them.

 

[chickity-chick]

Your set up is already tight as it is so if you cannot expand both coop and run space I would not add more. Free ranging for a few hours doesn't compensate for the fact that they'll usually be locked up. Integrating new birds takes more space than minimum recommendations, and you'd be below that with 4 more.

Chickens *shouldn't* fall into a pool but if they do there's a chance they can drown if there's no easy way for them to get out.

The plants could be a concern but if chickens have their choice they'll avoid eating things that are poisonous to them. That doesn't mean they won't tear up the plants, but they probably won't eat too much of them.

Hi thank you for your reply. So how many square feet per bird do you recommend to be completely available per bird?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So recommended minimum you usually see here is 4 sq ft in coop + 10 sq ft in run.

I only do 4 sq ft per in my coop, but my weather is generally temperate so very little chance of the chickens needing to stay in. If you live in a climate with long, freezing winters, you may need to bump it to 6-8 sq ft in coop, as cabin fever can lead to issues even with an established flock.

I personally would push for at least 15-20 sq ft in run, especially during integration, because adding a variety of clutter makes integration a lot smoother. Clutter provides hiding spots and also gives birds something to interact with other than their targets. But clutter eats up space, so that's why having that extra space is necessary.

 

[lulu1642]

Just lost two roosters and two hens all living together happily, in fox attack this morning...mine WERE free range but no more.......their new space is roughly 7ft x 25ft. just going out to buy more electric fencing.

 

[lulu1642]

btw....I currently have one roo and 1 chicken although plan to make flock 12. Plus lost a hen about 4 weeks ago in bucket of water....not having a great time.

 

[Acre4Me]

@Chickity-chick— where are you located?

If you have some visual interruptions in the run, and roosts, you can likely be fine with 9 sqft/bird. But, you still need to watch their behavior. Even with ample space, some birds just don’t get along, even after hashing out the pecking order.

if you are in a snowy/harsher climate then you’ll need to know that you need more coop and covered run space. Since you have a pool, maybe you are in a milder or warmer climate.

2 coops: as a flock, birds will try to cram into one coop at night, they prioritize flock togetherness over comfort and spaceon the roost. Sometimes two coops works out, but many report that all birds cram into one at night. Maybe you can connect them together if that is the case with your birds.

pool: yes, a possible hazard, but less so if there are not things around that will seriously frighten them to jump or run blindly...like a dog chasing them. You might find the worst hazard is to your feet when you step in their poop just as you enter or leave the pool.

hazardous plants. I’d be most concerned about delicious looking poison berries. Many on here report that the chickens just know ( usually) to avoid things that are bad for them. But the allure of a fat red berry is something to consider.

good luck.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The yard at my previous house had lots of problem plants, but the girls never indulged. If you can remove any, I'd be tempted because I'm a worrier.

As far as space goes, I have 8 chickens in over 200 sq ft of run, and I still think it feels cramped. I agree with @rosemarythyme . I'd figure out a way to enlarge the space before adding more.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Plants are not a problem so long as they have adequate quality food available. Even if the test a toxic plant, they typically need to eat way more of it to have any ill effects from a toxic plant than they will actually ingest. As long as they are not deprived of quality forage, they will won't pay much attention to the other stuff.
The pool is a concern if its an "in-ground" pool as squabbling chickens don't always pay attention. Any open water deep enough for a chicken to not be able to climb out of is dangerous even if it is only a "kiddie" pool.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Knowing where you are can help with a lot of questions, including a few of yours. Obviously climate is important but just knowing which country you are in or which side of the equator can often help. If you modify your profile to show your general location it's always available.

You do not get guarantees with chickens and their behaviors. We can tell you our experiences or what we would expect is most likely to happen, but there are always exceptions.

On the pool. Chickens float. They can even move in the water by paddling their feet. But they cannot launch themselves from water and fly out. They may try to climb out by flapping their wings but since they can't push against anything with their feet I would not expect them to be successful. Their feathers are not waterproof like a duck. They can become waterlogged. They are not going to die immediately if they fly or fall in but they can die from hypothermia even if the water is pretty warm. If you are there and paying attention instead of texting and distracted watching you'll have plenty of time to get them out.

On the poisonous plants. Those plants are just as poisonous to wild birds as they are to chickens. Do you see several dead wild birds around? I agree with previous posters. One bite won't kill them, it takes a certain dosage to be deadly or even just make them sick. Most poisonous plants just don't taste good. If they have alternatives they are unlikely to eat enough to harm themselves. If you keep them in a bare run where there are no alternatives and toss a poisonous plant in there they can eat enough to harm themselves. Some people on this forum say they have had a chicken with choices eat something that killed it. To me it is extremely rare and I don't worry about it. I consider it highly unlikely to happen. But there is a saying "anything can happen".

On adding more chickens. I would not unless you increase your room, coop and run. Integration takes more room than for after when they are integrated. If one group is immature even after they are integrated you need additional room. You might be able to integrate new chickens and get by with the room you have but to me you are right on that edge where it could go either way.

Are you prepared for chicken poop on your pool or patio furniture? On any decks or porches you might have? Where you or your kids walk and play? Maybe even in your pool? Chickens love to scratch in mulch and similar places. They can find all kind of creepy crawlies and bits of vegetation to eat. They are powerful scratchers, can spread that mulch over a large area. Many people do free range their chickens or give them access to their yards. We all have different circumstances and tolerances. As far as this stuff goes my suggestion is to try it and see how you like it. Just have a plan if you don't like it.