Perhaps we need to standardize some definitions, at least within our BYC community.
Perhaps something like:
"Open Range" for unlimited non-fenced, unprotected wandering chickens, access to coop at night
"Free Range" for chickens who have free access to the outdoors, and perhaps a minimum run / protected "range" area, access to coop at night
"Pastured" could mean in a fenced chicken tractor with coop that gets moved around or a large run with grass etc that they have access to...
"Cage free"....I guess depending on one's thoughts, even a run could be considered a cage, but I'm pretty sure that means not living in a confined cage without access to open association with other chickens.....
"Coop" the structure in which the chickens stay at night, gennerally with a place for egg laying and gathering. Sometimes referred to as a hen house.
"Run" a fenced or protected area usually adjoining a coop which provides outdoor access for the chickens. an outdoor enclosure for the protection and control.
Thoughts?
Not sure where my girls fit in !
My girls are locked up in a coop at night, we check to make sure we have everyone! It's for their safety.
During the day my girls have an open top run when I need them in a safety zone; or they can cruise around the yard at will: they forage on grass lawn and my hostas ( darn them!), they scoot thru the metal gates into paddocks with horses, mostly surrounded with heavy guage horse fencing to protect the sheep from coyotes and the protect the horses from being stupid (young horses can be foolish). I have a fenced yard for the dogs who also act as protectors and keep coyotes away (mostly). Some areas are not fenced like my driveway which if the chickens cross over is another, say, 5 acres of fun: forest, gardens, leaves and boulders. So my chickens are: open range and free range and cage free and cooped and run and . . . .
Seriously, thanks wsmith, you are on the right track!!! Clear definitions for the commonly used terms are VERY helpful.
Bottomline, method of keeping poutry tells you little about the total care; a far ranging bird , perhaps hamburgs or dorkings, are not so happy with living in a tractor; whereas a BO living in a tractor then going in the house to sit on a lap while watching Scooby-do is her favorite thing. IMO, I'm learning what my own particular birds need to thrive and provide it. I have the limitations of many acres adjacent to a wooded preserve (read hunting and coyotes) and zillion dollar houses going in across the street. This poses different considerations than say city living situations. I guess I'm trying to say, one size doesn't fit all.
Rant over.
