Free range=run/fly aways?????

[TraciCortez]

My banties are cooped all the time (mind you in a chicken palace) but I would love to let them out but I am so fearful of them flying over the fence (((( we can't clip their wings because my boys show them in 4-H and if their wings are clipped they will get DQ'ed. Thoughts????

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

If you are showing them then free ranging could tatter their feathers, so if they're currently showing them I wouldn't free range
We free range our banties, and they know where home is, (and if yours are cooped up 24/7 then they will def know where home is) and will come back for night,
If you're really nervous you can let half roam and lock up half, usually the other half will call the others so they won't go too far

 

[chfite]

My chickens forage daily in 3/4 acre with a 4 foot chain link fence and have not gotten out. They seem to be so interested in what there is to eat that don't notice anything else.

Chris

 

[fowlmouthgirls]

I'm on an acre right now with the back chain linked off, my girls the 8 weeks give or take Nd they can get through the chain link, if they feel like it, but usually come right back over within 10 minutes, the bigger girls can't get through so the smaller ones stay pretty close. I'm hoping I can fatten them up so they can't get through anymore!

 

[centrarchid]

Release birds late in day. They will not go far before feeling need to return to roost for night. This will give them the opportunities to consume green plants and dust bath which can help with feather quality. For me, the prettiest birds with respect to feather and body mass are those that are free ranged.

 

[dairyfarmer]

Turn em loose. The biggest problem I have with free ranging is them hiding their eggs. I keep mine locken in till early afternoon so they lay in their nesting boxes and then turn them out. It's amazing how far they go and what they all get into, but every night at dark they are all back on their perches in the coop. It really cuts down on how much feed they need, and I think it's great for the birds