Free Range or Not? What Does Everyone Prefer?

[fowlsessed]

RedBarnFarms, how about the idea of making a compost pile in the run?

 

[speckledhen]

As to a compost pile in the run, there is one hazard--moldy anything. It will result in sour crop and sometimes, if that can't be remedied, death.

 

[RaeRae2]

The problem with the hawks is that once they kill and eat that first chicken, there's no stopping them. The first few years we had chickens on this farm, the hawks never touched a chicken. We didn't think they would! We just figured Red Tails don't eat chickens. The hens are too big. Well, I think they had to get desperate enough to grab one, and then all bets were off. From then on, they hunted the chickens until they killed most of them. And they would bring their babies here to hunt and kill chickens. So the next generation learned how to do it, and so on. Horrible problem.

Here's a few photos of what we built. You can see their house in the 2nd picture. It is part of the big barn, and it's a separate room, I think 12x12x8.

In the 1st and 3rd photos you can see that big forest of trees off in the background - that's where the 2 breeding pair of Red Tails live with their babies. They raise about 2 young ones every spring.

So yeah, we built a McMansion for my birdies so they could live comfortably and happily without being croweded, hot, or miserable. I knew most of their time would be in the run. They have heating and air conditioning in their house, they have fans. They have food and water in the house, and in the run. They have flock blocks, and I put out various fruits and vegetables every morning. I also pick a large armload of grass for them every morning and throw in the run. Their regular feed is a mix of cracked corn, black oil seed, and layer crumble so they get a mix. I also buy bags of some kind of chicken treat at Tractor Supply that looks like little yellow balls of cat food. It says something about bringing the free range inside the coop. Can't remember the name brand. It's made up of different forages and vegetables into a kibble format and they love that stuff.

Every night when I let them out, we sit on the law together and they eat mealworms. I stay out there with them while they run all over the yard and dig and scratch but they only get maybe 2 hours at most in the evenings and that's it. I usually lay under a tree and read on my iPhone while they do their thing. I usually have snacks and a glass of tea for myself, and they always run back to me and beg for food, take a drink of my tea, and then run off again.

At this point they actually seem lost and afraid when I'm not out there. They seem to always want to run back to me and "check in" instead of just running off to do their own thing. But I hand raised them and they have been extremely spoiled and handled extensively every day so that's pretty much all they know.

If you get more mature birds that are more independent and used to being free ranged and then try to lock them in a run 24/7, they would probably be more stir crazy.

I totally agree with this. I have not lost any to hawks but we have ALOT around here and that is always on my mind because I too have seen how well they catch their prey. They learn different tactics to every obstical you present, there is no getting around them they are alot smarter than people give them credit for. I am building a what I call my "BIG BADASS COOP MANSION" next spring and would love to see pics of yours, I'm not going fancy, I dont need to match the house I just want efficency, comfort and a bunch of super happy chickens.
I let mine out in the evening too so they can forage for 2 or 3 hours and I stay right there watching over, I do not leave them unattended. I use the mealworm bait too lol works every time..

 

[maidenwolfx80]

The problem with the hawks is that once they kill and eat that first chicken, there's no stopping them. The first few years we had chickens on this farm, the hawks never touched a chicken. We didn't think they would! We just figured Red Tails don't eat chickens. The hens are too big. Well, I think they had to get desperate enough to grab one, and then all bets were off. From then on, they hunted the chickens until they killed most of them. And they would bring their babies here to hunt and kill chickens. So the next generation learned how to do it, and so on. Horrible problem.

Here's a few photos of what we built. You can see their house in the 2nd picture. It is part of the big barn, and it's a separate room, I think 12x12x8.

In the 1st and 3rd photos you can see that big forest of trees off in the background - that's where the 2 breeding pair of Red Tails live with their babies. They raise about 2 young ones every spring.

So yeah, we built a McMansion for my birdies so they could live comfortably and happily without being croweded, hot, or miserable. I knew most of their time would be in the run. They have heating and air conditioning in their house, they have fans. They have food and water in the house, and in the run. They have flock blocks, and I put out various fruits and vegetables every morning. I also pick a large armload of grass for them every morning and throw in the run. Their regular feed is a mix of cracked corn, black oil seed, and layer crumble so they get a mix. I also buy bags of some kind of chicken treat at Tractor Supply that looks like little yellow balls of cat food. It says something about bringing the free range inside the coop. Can't remember the name brand. It's made up of different forages and vegetables into a kibble format and they love that stuff.

Every night when I let them out, we sit on the law together and they eat mealworms. I stay out there with them while they run all over the yard and dig and scratch but they only get maybe 2 hours at most in the evenings and that's it. I usually lay under a tree and read on my iPhone while they do their thing. I usually have snacks and a glass of tea for myself, and they always run back to me and beg for food, take a drink of my tea, and then run off again.

At this point they actually seem lost and afraid when I'm not out there. They seem to always want to run back to me and "check in" instead of just running off to do their own thing. But I hand raised them and they have been extremely spoiled and handled extensively every day so that's pretty much all they know.

If you get more mature birds that are more independent and used to being free ranged and then try to lock them in a run 24/7, they would probably be more stir crazy.

Oh wow I love it,

 

[fowlsessed]

As to a compost pile in the run, there is one hazard--moldy anything. It will result in sour crop and sometimes, if that can't be remedied, death.

yea, but I don't think it's so much for the chickens to eat the stuff in the compost pile, more the bugs that come with the compost pile. How do you keep things from going moldy then?

 

[cafarmgirl]

The problem with the hawks is that once they kill and eat that first chicken, there's no stopping them. The first few years we had chickens on this farm, the hawks never touched a chicken. We didn't think they would! We just figured Red Tails don't eat chickens. The hens are too big. Well, I think they had to get desperate enough to grab one, and then all bets were off. From then on, they hunted the chickens until they killed most of them. And they would bring their babies here to hunt and kill chickens. So the next generation learned how to do it, and so on. Horrible problem.

Here's a few photos of what we built. You can see their house in the 2nd picture. It is part of the big barn, and it's a separate room, I think 12x12x8.

In the 1st and 3rd photos you can see that big forest of trees off in the background - that's where the 2 breeding pair of Red Tails live with their babies. They raise about 2 young ones every spring.

So yeah, we built a McMansion for my birdies so they could live comfortably and happily without being croweded, hot, or miserable. I knew most of their time would be in the run. They have heating and air conditioning in their house, they have fans. They have food and water in the house, and in the run. They have flock blocks, and I put out various fruits and vegetables every morning. I also pick a large armload of grass for them every morning and throw in the run. Their regular feed is a mix of cracked corn, black oil seed, and layer crumble so they get a mix. I also buy bags of some kind of chicken treat at Tractor Supply that looks like little yellow balls of cat food. It says something about bringing the free range inside the coop. Can't remember the name brand. It's made up of different forages and vegetables into a kibble format and they love that stuff.

Every night when I let them out, we sit on the law together and they eat mealworms. I stay out there with them while they run all over the yard and dig and scratch but they only get maybe 2 hours at most in the evenings and that's it. I usually lay under a tree and read on my iPhone while they do their thing. I usually have snacks and a glass of tea for myself, and they always run back to me and beg for food, take a drink of my tea, and then run off again.

At this point they actually seem lost and afraid when I'm not out there. They seem to always want to run back to me and "check in" instead of just running off to do their own thing. But I hand raised them and they have been extremely spoiled and handled extensively every day so that's pretty much all they know.

If you get more mature birds that are more independent and used to being free ranged and then try to lock them in a run 24/7, they would probably be more stir crazy.

Holy cow, I LOVE that set up! I have to say that is just about the nicest I've seen so far, those are some lucky birds!

How funny, they drink your tea!

Silly girls!

 

[Kellie jordan]

We started out free ranging but lost all 6 ducks and 3 pullets and 3 roosters and 2 hens. Now they are in the coop unless we can sit and watch them in the pen. We are going to build a more secure run , since something came and got my best rooster. Because they cant go out all day I go out and pick their favorite weeds and grasses and feed them through the wire screen door I put on so they would get sun on 3 sides and not feel soo cooped up. They and I love our little visits through out the day.

 

[TXchickmum]

The problem with the hawks is that once they kill and eat that first chicken, there's no stopping them. The first few years we had chickens on this farm, the hawks never touched a chicken. We didn't think they would! We just figured Red Tails don't eat chickens. The hens are too big. Well, I think they had to get desperate enough to grab one, and then all bets were off. From then on, they hunted the chickens until they killed most of them. And they would bring their babies here to hunt and kill chickens. So the next generation learned how to do it, and so on. Horrible problem.

Here's a few photos of what we built. You can see their house in the 2nd picture. It is part of the big barn, and it's a separate room, I think 12x12x8.

In the 1st and 3rd photos you can see that big forest of trees off in the background - that's where the 2 breeding pair of Red Tails live with their babies. They raise about 2 young ones every spring.

So yeah, we built a McMansion for my birdies so they could live comfortably and happily without being croweded, hot, or miserable. I knew most of their time would be in the run. They have heating and air conditioning in their house, they have fans. They have food and water in the house, and in the run. They have flock blocks, and I put out various fruits and vegetables every morning. I also pick a large armload of grass for them every morning and throw in the run. Their regular feed is a mix of cracked corn, black oil seed, and layer crumble so they get a mix. I also buy bags of some kind of chicken treat at Tractor Supply that looks like little yellow balls of cat food. It says something about bringing the free range inside the coop. Can't remember the name brand. It's made up of different forages and vegetables into a kibble format and they love that stuff.

Every night when I let them out, we sit on the law together and they eat mealworms. I stay out there with them while they run all over the yard and dig and scratch but they only get maybe 2 hours at most in the evenings and that's it. I usually lay under a tree and read on my iPhone while they do their thing. I usually have snacks and a glass of tea for myself, and they always run back to me and beg for food, take a drink of my tea, and then run off again.

At this point they actually seem lost and afraid when I'm not out there. They seem to always want to run back to me and "check in" instead of just running off to do their own thing. But I hand raised them and they have been extremely spoiled and handled extensively every day so that's pretty much all they know.

If you get more mature birds that are more independent and used to being free ranged and then try to lock them in a run 24/7, they would probably be more stir crazy.









This is FaBuLoUs!!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

yea, but I don't think it's so much for the chickens to eat the stuff in the compost pile, more the bugs that come with the compost pile. How do you keep things from going moldy then?

Well, I don't allow mine in the compost pile and mine is just shavings with whatever feed is in the shavings, plus sometimes banana peels or onion skins, maybe coffee grounds. Once, the pile became so large it was bulging against the fence at the bottom. Some hens ate through the fence at the bottom of the pile. Two developed sour crop from wet, moldy feed at the bottom. I was able to fix one hen. The other one died. Mold is really bad for chickens, period.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

RedBarnFarms, how about the idea of making a compost pile in the run?

As to a compost pile in the run, there is one hazard--moldy anything. It will result in sour crop and sometimes, if that can't be remedied, death.

Speckledhen said it better than I could have!