I free range my barred Rocks and my 1 w/leghorn..They love it...They sleep in the tree...
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free rangeing believers here!!!
- Thread starter missourichickenmama
- Start date
We had a couple sleep in a tree one night. My neighbor had given me three pullets, and they were used to taking care of themselves. Unfortunately they were the last 3 of a larger flock that was picked off by preditors. She gave up and gave them to me since I have a coop. One night two of them perched in the tree and just wouldn't come down. I finally gave up. They looked very peaceful and happy, but I was sooooo nervous for them. They were ok the next morning, but they prefer the barn now, which helps me sleep better, lol! Oh, one of them is a brown leghorn, but I'm not sure what the other one is. The third one she gave me is a nice Langshan, but she's not such a rebel!
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Spook, Wow, I know loosing chickens is tough as I've lost a many to flying predators. But I do so envy you the opportunity to see those amazing birds of prey.
I have decided to just grow some mutts and allow them to free range their whole lives just to feed those types of birds. Sorta like nature would. My whole flock has free ranged since they were old enough to come out of the barn. I started with about 65 and now am down to 25 after two years. I think that my predator is a mother coyote, and honestly, I'd love to shoot it. Also, racoons and opossums get way more chickens than the birds do. Just think, it would justify that huge Sportsman bator if you hatched babies to feed wild predators. Now, you'd just have to learn to sex them so you could keep your girls in that pen and let the Roo's do as nature intended. Well, you might then have to wear a hat in the yard to keep your head clean with so many birds flying around you!!
Spook, Wow, I know loosing chickens is tough as I've lost a many to flying predators. But I do so envy you the opportunity to see those amazing birds of prey.
I have decided to just grow some mutts and allow them to free range their whole lives just to feed those types of birds. Sorta like nature would. My whole flock has free ranged since they were old enough to come out of the barn. I started with about 65 and now am down to 25 after two years. I think that my predator is a mother coyote, and honestly, I'd love to shoot it. Also, racoons and opossums get way more chickens than the birds do. Just think, it would justify that huge Sportsman bator if you hatched babies to feed wild predators. Now, you'd just have to learn to sex them so you could keep your girls in that pen and let the Roo's do as nature intended. Well, you might then have to wear a hat in the yard to keep your head clean with so many birds flying around you!!
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Eventually I hope to freerange my extra roos
Everyone gets to free range once in a while. It'll increase when we actually get moved
My flock free range when we are here (which is always just about).
Mine free-range morning till night. They are locked up in the coop at dark.
We have coyotes, hawks, bobcats and bobcat hybrids, and a whole bunch of other predators. Oh yeah, and the pair of golden eagles that the crows never fail to accidently warn the chickens about.
I learned recently that roosters have different alarm sounds based on the type of predator and I've seen/heard it for myself. If it's a ground predator the rooster make his noise and the hens all head for the coop. If it's an aerial predator or if the roo hears the crows making a certain noise, he gives his alarm and the hens all head for cover; which may or may not be the coop. I have been truly amazed by this. Most of the time the crows can caw all day and the chickens don't pay attention, but let a predator be around and the crows never fail to warn the chickens.
Mine have 80 acres on which to roam. I've never found them further than 5 acres away from their coop.
We have coyotes, hawks, bobcats and bobcat hybrids, and a whole bunch of other predators. Oh yeah, and the pair of golden eagles that the crows never fail to accidently warn the chickens about.
I learned recently that roosters have different alarm sounds based on the type of predator and I've seen/heard it for myself. If it's a ground predator the rooster make his noise and the hens all head for the coop. If it's an aerial predator or if the roo hears the crows making a certain noise, he gives his alarm and the hens all head for cover; which may or may not be the coop. I have been truly amazed by this. Most of the time the crows can caw all day and the chickens don't pay attention, but let a predator be around and the crows never fail to warn the chickens.
Mine have 80 acres on which to roam. I've never found them further than 5 acres away from their coop.
- Thread starter
- #17
i prefer to free range because i figure that i would rather have them live short lives and be very happy than live long lives and be pend up,
it would make me feel sorry for them. if i were given the choice to either have the whole *backyard and have a risk of being eaten by a predator, or being cooped up in a pen and live long, i would choose the BACKyard.
* the reason back is in bold print can be found at hens want a roo change?
it would make me feel sorry for them. if i were given the choice to either have the whole *backyard and have a risk of being eaten by a predator, or being cooped up in a pen and live long, i would choose the BACKyard.
* the reason back is in bold print can be found at hens want a roo change?
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I agree. I just couldn't imagine confining my chickens to a run, no matter how big. I do believe they are best off in the coop at night. That's when alot of the predators are most active. Also, I've spent alot of time watching my roosters in action. These two boys do a really good job of watching out for the hens.
I agree. I just couldn't imagine confining my chickens to a run, no matter how big. I do believe they are best off in the coop at night. That's when alot of the predators are most active. Also, I've spent alot of time watching my roosters in action. These two boys do a really good job of watching out for the hens.
I was letting them free range until I lost several in a week to a hawk. I really WANT to let them out of the pen, but for now, they seem happy enough in it. If I can't manage to keep them safe and need to pen them, I'll get guineas to free range for ticks.
- Oct 29, 2008
- 7
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We have free range . . .they sleep in the rafters of the calf barn at night . . .we have had them since spring and haven't lost any to predators.
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