We free range our chickens all day. I love it and they love it. We have lost some to hawks, and who knows what all else. It is always sad when it happens. More so when you only have three, I feel for you ubumartin and hope you never loose another before its time.
We have considered locking them up so we don't loose them but honestly have decided for us the best option is to free range. They are happier and the sure do keep the bugs down. We bought 11 guinea's a few months ago and we have lost three so far. This really bums me out but the reason we got them was to eat ticks and locking them us will not accomplish this.
I guess I just wanted to say Free ranging is the best! To me its the way nature intended and if possible you should do it. That being said, you have to be prepared to loose some occasionally unless you live somewhere there are no preditors and no corn (our friends lost 5 pullets this spring and 8 last spring that wandered into the corn and never showed up again, we think they got lost or something)
Good luck with the chickens and good luck with free ranging it really makes for happier hens!
Just my two cents worth!~Melissa
We have considered locking them up so we don't loose them but honestly have decided for us the best option is to free range. They are happier and the sure do keep the bugs down. We bought 11 guinea's a few months ago and we have lost three so far. This really bums me out but the reason we got them was to eat ticks and locking them us will not accomplish this.
I guess I just wanted to say Free ranging is the best! To me its the way nature intended and if possible you should do it. That being said, you have to be prepared to loose some occasionally unless you live somewhere there are no preditors and no corn (our friends lost 5 pullets this spring and 8 last spring that wandered into the corn and never showed up again, we think they got lost or something)
Good luck with the chickens and good luck with free ranging it really makes for happier hens!
Just my two cents worth!~Melissa
