Free Roaming Chickens

[familyguy]

I live in a medium size town in vermont on a fairly well traveled road and my girls free-range with no problem. We have a never had a problem with them getting in to road. They will roam around the yard and even right up to the big old maple tree on the side of the road (looking for tasty bugs) and never once have they gone in the road. In fact, they are better behaved than my kids ... they don't leave the property and they come home in the evening and go back in the coop all by themselves! lol.

 

[chicks47]

So it surely sounds like this is a common concern with many. I truly enjoy watching the chickens have the run of the yard. I also want to keep peace in the neighborhood. I'd love at least 10 acres (as opposed to 3/4 of one) But one day...
So for now we are letting the girls out and really watching them. When the ground thaws my husband wants to build a pen area which will be about 30' by 20' maybe? And that would be around their coop. I know that will be better than not getting out at all. I think our plan will be to have that when we cannot be 100% attentive during the day with them. I hope to let them roam the rest of the yard as much as possible still. Of course in the summer months we are outside much more to watch them too.
If my chickens aren't happy then that's just not good.

The joys of chickens! And 'CHICKPEAS' ...... about the poop! Ours are on our back deck and front porch often. I just take a hoe/scraper and scrape the concrete when I think of it. I don't like it either, but such as life with chickens. My other big task this summer will be trying to keep them away from the garden!

I just hate to see fencing all over everything. SO I guess is is like WEAZL922 says.. it all depends what you want
therefor how you want it and what works for you.

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
I HAVE A BIG BACK DECK BUT THEY NEVER COME UP ON IT, I DON'T KNOW WHY THOUGH.

 

[jamband]

Quote:
are you pooping on them?

the warmth comes from the poop composting with the pine shavings, not the shavings themselves.

 

[jamband]

Quote:
I think that sort of goes against nature doesn't it? I think a chicken would know what it likes to eat better than us wouldn't you? I mean really its like saying my dog likes his dehydrated kibble better than a steak....or a rabbit. Thats why i find it funny when vegetarian feed is emphasized.... Chickens eat all sorts of meat from mice to lizards to bugs.... I think in the long term with the global decline in resources we need our chickens to do as much on their own as they can.....Just my opinion.....love this thread

 

[JoePa]

I keep hearing that free roaming chickens are healthier - I don't buy that - here's why - when they roam free there are more chances of them getting parasites, internal and external - then they have to be given chemicals to rid them of the pests - people say use Seven to kill mitts and fleas etc. - heck that's poison - not good for chicken or owner - if they get internal worms they need to be treated with harsh chemicals and the eggs can't be eaten for 2 weeks - doesn't sound healthy to me - I say keep them in a nice clean coop and run - both large enough and feed them good stuff - if they are never let out of the enclosure they won't even miss running around outside - that free roaming stuff - in my opinion is over done -

 

[clayb226]

I let mine out daily, and do not supervise them. I live in town, and see pit-bull from time to time, but they love it. They have never left my yard, I kept them in the pin for a month, now they free roam daily. The only problem I see is that a stray rooster keeps coming up and trying to take on my rooster. I took my son to T-Ball practice last night, when I came back, there were two bloody roosters in my yard, but they were not fighting anymore. I have not seen the stray rooster today, since I let our rooster and hens out, hopefully that is all done with. I am thinking about getting some free BLRW roosters I found, to go with my BLRW eggs I will start next week, I do not want them fighting.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

my layers free-range all day, we live on a farm and they follow the ducks from water puddle to water puddle

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
My thought is that chickens are natually exposed to that kind of stuff, if I kept my birds in a run it would become all muddy and wet. Thats not good for them either.

 

[chickbird]

Quote:
chickens are natural foragers, i think it is cruel to not let them range for some time each day, they so enjoy it and reward owners who allow this, without the free ranging their life is miserable. so try it and see the difference it makes,