Free Ranging does not mean no fences

[DrakeMaiden]

I think this is a good discussion. Minus the technicalities of the definition of "free-range."

I've noticed birds of prey tend to be more active around the middle of the day, so I try to be more cautious about where my birds are then. Often times they are sleeping in a sheltered spot, under a tree or underneath our deck.

I believe the pee method works best when it is the first piss of the morning, because it tends to be more concentrated. If you've already had problems with predators, I think it would be less effective of a deterent than for those who haven't yet had a problem.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:

You're funny. What type of predators have you had?

 

[speckledhen]

My birds are freeranged. I live in the woods, on a small mountain. They do have a pen, but they usually are let out of it all day between daylight and dusk. I am in the process of fencing less than half of my mountain acreage, about 2 acres out of over 5 acres, with livestock fencing because I'm trying to sell the other three acres that adjoins me. I have a couple of "explorers" who are always finding their way under the fence somewhere (I haven't gone around the perimeter and checked every inch for gaps under the fence yet-the topography is very uneven). If they get stuck outside the fence, they begin walking the perimeter, looking for mom to open a gate for them, the goofy women, LOL. Had two girls that somehow got left out of the headcount one evening and as it was getting dark, I just happened to see them outside one of the gates on the far side of the property from where their coop is. They had make a long trip halfway around my property, on the gravel road that borders my place, avoiding the dogs, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, etc, that roam here at night. It's always one particular girl influencing a couple of others to go on these expeditions to the outer reaches, LOL.
A few months ago, I found a fox's den on the property maybe 250 ft from the coop-this was before most of the fence was up. I have no idea why I have not lost any chickens to predators in the two years I've had them except that I spend alot of the day outside around them and they are never left out of the pen when I leave to go somewhere.
When I complete my fence, I will still consider my chickens freeranged. They will not have any less range than they actually travel now when the fence is enclosing the place.

 

[DuckLady]

I advertise mine as "free range, cage free and spoiled rotten" on my business cards.
They get the back 3/4 of our acre during the day and they get the front when they can fly their fat butts over the gates.
They are never caged, they are locked in their pen at night.

Free range is just that, they get to range freely in their area.
Now free range buffalo is another matter. I woul dnever argue a buffalo's right to range wherever they felt like it.

 

[jessied1227]

I let my girls free range, and boy, do they ever free range. We live on 13 acres, of which about 10 is heavily wooded and we are *very* rural (our road is not paved, our driveway is 1/8 mile up into the woods

).

I would honestly say, the girls go in a circuit of close to a 1/2 mile through out the day. The girls seems to have a routine of where they go and when they are there. Everyone has made it home every night (*knock on wood*)

My sister did see a bobcat in the driveway today, in broad daylight, which greatly worries me.

I've been putting some serious thought into an enclosed run, but I really like the girls to be out, they're all so fat and happy.

It's a chance we all have to take, you know? I hope my girls don't get attacked. If they do, I will probably keep them close in for a long while, but I would always go back to free ranging. It seems like the natural way of things to me.

JMHO-
Jess

 

[seedcorn]

Predators I've had over years.........

starting w/this year, skunks--they are one of the worst; in past years, possums, racoons, coyotes, hawks, owls, stray cats, stray dogs, neighbor's dogs, my (at the time) untrained dogs.

And NONE of them are afraid of my urine............and yes, I've peed AM, noon and PM, altho not on the same day perhaps.......

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
Sorry...that sucks. Drink a lot of beer and try it again when your pee is stronger. That's what my DH does.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

broncbuster, i've about made tractor supply in waxahachie one of the most profitable stores in the chain!

two weeks ago, i picked up 10 panels of that horse panel for the princely sum of a little over $500, and have built a nice-looking, very strong, 9.5'wide x 40' long x 6' tall chunnel.

BUT, it was worth it! there is NOTHIN' comin' through that chunnel! i had two of the neighbors pit bulls over to test it, and one of them lost a tooth before the trial was over (didn't mean for that to happen, but he would not give up). also, i had a 200lb man crawl on top of it, and it barely budged, so i don't think it's going to be collapsing anytime soon.

for the person who wanted to know what horse panel was, here is the info at tractor supply:

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=8&paID=1043&sonID=356&page=1&productID=25205

When they say "rugged", they mean RUGGED!!! My 24" bolt cutters (and the biceps to which they were attached

) just about gave up the ghost on the panels they had to cut.

I'll be posting pics of the chunnel by sunday night.

 

[sara]

Quote:

 

[Southern28Chick]

usbr wrote:

I believe you dont really have free range chickens, you have yarded chickens. Probally best described as cage free because "yarded" is not as common and cage free is understood but people would get the wrong idea if you said free range. Of course, with no definations its hard to lable things but I personally wouldnt sell eggs or chickens as free range if they had a fence.

Do you free range? What type of set up do you have for your chickens?​