Freedom Rangers

[mike67909]

Mrs. Mucket :

Here's a question about free-ranging FRs. Would 24-inch tall fencing covered with deer netting keep FRs happy? I've noticed they like to flutter around a lot so maybe they like more airspace. Has anyone used deer netting alone as fencing? I need something to keep them from roaming and flying out, but not necessarily for predator control.

I use 24 inch rabbit fencing for the sides of my chicken tractor. The top has regular poultry netting and a piece of plywood to keep rain out. I leave the top off for a while during the day and find they like to roost on top of the tractor. So if you can go higher I would, its no problem for them to get out.

I did use deer netting for the top of my hen house run I haven't had any problems with predators with that. I use the stuff from http://www.bennersgardens.com/ its really nice stuff i would get the heavy duty stuff, I think it is stronger.​

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I think this is a tri-color.

 

[sires6]

Quote:
I think this is a tri-color.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/13544_crm2.jpg

Ok, he's just pretty. Myself, I would cull all the rest and keep him for reproduction. Anyone have success with "bringing up baby" (them laying eggs and then you letting them rear them)?

I would be interested.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Quote:
I think this is a tri-color.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/13544_crm2.jpg

Tim--beautiful rooster! Was this one a very dark colored new chick? How many tris did you get? Out of 26 we got only one dark hatchling. I was hoping for more as we're going to try breeding and see what happens. Some of our others (at 3+ weeks) look like they may be colorful as well.

 

[TimG]

My tri-color was from last year's batch. I think he was a chipmunk patterned chick, but am not 100% sure. I got none this year. Actually, I ordered about 170 for a group and there was a single dark chick that someone else ended up with.

I like those that look similar to New Hampshires myself, so I'm not disappointed with the lack of tri-colors in my batch this year.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

I lost my first FR chick last night. This morning when I went out to their pen in the barn, the bucket feeder had been knocked over and there was one dead chick under it. They have knocked it over before, probably from too many roosting on the bucket lid at once. So I need to do something different. Either secure the feeder, use a different type, or remove it after feeding. I had it raised about 2" on wood in hopes they wouldn't get so many shavings in it. The water bucket is the same but has never been tipped over.

Do all of you have your FRs on free choice? I could feed them twice a day and take the feeder out after each feeding. They are almost 4 weeks old and we are getting ready to put them out in the grass with a larger night shelter. I am thinking about putting a PVC feeder in there.

Thoughts? These FRs are much stronger and active than my laying flock chicks!

 

[sires6]

I lost a couple of FR's, one from a knocked over wire "gate" and the other died for unknown reasons. I placed a chicken wire partition between the chicks and the adult chickens to prevent problems. www.purelypoultry.com has FR's, not called that, listed under the meat birds.

 

[mstricer]

Has anyone had a hen lay an egg and if so how long till they lay? I would want to save a couple hens and a rooster.

 

[TimG]

I had seven Rangers processed last week to get down to about 10 keepers for breeding. 3 males and 4 females this time around. Dressed weights: 6-1, 5-6, 7-4, 6-2, 6-0, 4-12, 5-12. They were a couple days shy of 12 weeks at the time of processing. They were bagged and some water may have added slightly to the weights, but I am comfortable saying that one can achieve a 5-6 pound dressed weight in 12 weeks. Remembering that I processed three boys just shy of 11 weeks that dressed out at 5-15, 6-0 and 6-6, I think it's safe to say that one could push the processing of some cockerels to 10 weeks and still top 5 pounds dressed.

I haven't weighed any live Rangers in a while, but I will likely give it a try before long.

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

Tim, thanks for sharing about your FRs. I look forward to hearing about your breeding--we are also planning to keep 10 hens and 2 roos out of our 25. They are just 4 weeks old now though so I'll be interested in watching your progress.

Our crew is out on grass in a tractor waiting for overhead netting so they can free range in a fenced area. They are near a group of mixed breed pullets and cockerels that were never as noisy and active as the FRs! At 4 weeks we've already been able to ID a few good keeper prospects (looks + personality).