Free ranging owners

[matimeo]

I have four birds that free range my back yard, which is approximately .07 acres. A little less when the garden is in since that takes away my side yard. Extremely jealous of folks with acreage.

 

[centrarchid]

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Do you have option of a green roof to augement pasture for your birds. Not entirely joking. We considered green roof for our home but price and local contractors prevented. Former too high and latter not willing to take up challenge (cause they be candy backsidees).

 

[matimeo]

I don't think I could green roof, and even if I could, I wouldn't be able to afford it (or justify the expense). But all said and done, it's plenty of room for four chickens. Where I live, our backyard is actually quite a bit larger than most.

 

[Kansaseq]

20 adults that range in shifts on approximately 3/4 of a fenced acre. Will eventually fence the full 5 acres so they have more room to roam.

 

[vnploveschickens]

I've got 16 chickens that roam about. We have 4 acres, but they use may maybe the 1-2 acres around the house and shop.

 

[shchinchillas]

We have 15 birds that completely free range, 23 birds that are being introduced to free range (They are locked at night, but spend the day with their coop door open when we are working in the pastures/barn), and 10 birds in the basement for the winter as they are only 3 weeks old. We also have a mixed flock- Sex links, silkies, phoenix and Sumatran.

We have just under 80 acres; some wooded most of it crop land. Birds are free to come and go as they please. We haven't had *knock on wood* any predator deaths thus far. I'm thinking most of it is due to the fact that the chickens tend to take cover with the horses/goats when there is anything lurking. After the birds got past the 12 week mark we have had 1 death and that was due to a silky rooster who went to perch on the horse water bin, and must have fell in through the night and couldn't get out.

We have found that most of the birds stay within running distance of the barn/horse pastures or near the farm equipment that they can run under for cover. We do have one rooster who will take his 6 hens up by the peacock/duck pen and to forage under the pine trees up there.


My fiance's aunt tried to free range her birds and something was picking them off. She is right next to the property our birds are on (and the birds would all co-exist together, ours coming home at night and hers going home at night). I can only think that this was because her birds other then the coop didn't have the shelter/protection of the other animals (horses), so something was taking them.

 

[woodmort]

Sorry but the Devil is making me do this--every time I see the heading of the topic I think I have to answer thusly. "I haven't freeranged for over 50 years, my wife won't let me."

 

[un-named]

6 chickens and 5 call ducks on my 11 acres, but they are welcome to wander over 40...
they stay within the nearest 2 acres and mostly within 200 feet of the barn.

 

[un-named]

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[Buff Hooligans]

"Free ranging owners".... I'm picturing a bunch of chicken owners randomly roaming around a property...