Freeranging unsupervised?

[Mrs. K]

I like to free range, but I don't like feeding the wildlife. I compromise. These "rules" help:

• Don't free range on a set schedule, let them out all day, or part of a day, sometimes late and sometimes early.
• Don't let them out on a very cloudy day or a windy day, gives too much advantage to the predators
• When you get hit, go into lockdown for several days. Cause once a predator finds an easy meal, they will be back. Keep things safe til the predator moves on.
• Coyotes tend to attack in the daylight, coons at night.
• Make sure you have a tight coop/run that is big enough for your flock in complete confinement. People tend to think they can cheat on numbers if the free range, and really you can't.

Good luck
Mrs K

 

[centrarchid]

I have two discrete flocks I free-range for about an hour and a half at the end of the day. First is released when I get home from work where it hits greens hard. Then I can call them back with some shelled corn and BOSS, closing gate behind them. Then second flock is released to forage until time to go back to roost. Shortly I will go out and close gate behind those as well. They are not generally watched during the time they are out. Most of area foraged is within a perimeter provided by hotwire. Chickens do not respect the hotwire.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I free range my chickens but had to make some expensive "adjustments" to keep them safe from day time coyote raids. The coyotes would rush in from the trees and quickly grab a chicken and run off. It would only take seconds to happen. I fenced in an area of about 50 ft x 50 ft with 4 foot fencing. Now the coyotes cannot "run in" and grab the chickens and they sure won't jump a fence in the daytime because my dog is out there as well now. So far so good. The chickens could absolutely fly over the fence, but like I said so far they are content with their "yard" and are staying in it. I sometimes sit out and watch them and sometimes I just leave them alone. I am concerned that one day the grass will look greener on the other side of the fence and MY dog will get them!

 

[Trish1974]

I wish I could (free range unsupervised), but I have every predator imaginable in mass quantities. I only let mine out when I am outside to watch over them, usually with my .22 slung across my back. I grew up with a free range flock, but this was back in the late 70s and early 80s when this area had very few daytime predators. There were no eagles, and this was way before DNR released coyotes into the area. I remember only 2 kills during that time: a peregrine falcon and a stray dog. The stray dog incident really sticks in my memory because it killed my mom's cochin bantam pair. That was one of only 3 times I remember seeing my mom cry!

 

[centrarchid]

I wish I could (free range unsupervised), but I have every predator imaginable in mass quantities. I only let mine out when I am outside to watch over them, usually with my .22 slung across my back. I grew up with a free range flock, but this was back in the late 70s and early 80s when this area had very few daytime predators. There were no eagles, and this was way before DNR released coyotes into the area. I remember only 2 kills during that time: a peregrine falcon and a stray dog. The stray dog incident really sticks in my memory because it killed my mom's cochin bantam pair. That was one of only 3 times I remember seeing my mom cry!

They came in on their own from east and northeast. They also have wolf blood mixed making them larger than typical coyotes here in Missouri. I grew up in southern Indiana and watched as first coywolves moved in. We shot some fearing they would go after spring calves. They also caused some troubles when coon hunting so we started taking dog aggressive hounds to work with those focused on the hunt. Coyotes there now not as big as those that first came in. Conspiracy theory when it comes to state agencies stock predators without a lot of public discussion before hand. Time to shut out the Russians as a fake news source.

 

[Trish1974]

They came in on their own from east and northeast. They also have wolf blood mixed making them larger than typical coyotes here in Missouri. I grew up in southern Indiana and watched as first coywolves moved in. We shot some fearing they would go after spring calves. They also caused some troubles when coon hunting so we started taking dog aggressive hounds to work with those focused on the hunt. Coyotes there now not as big as those that first came in. Conspiracy theory when it comes to state agencies stock predators without a lot of public discussion before hand. Time to shut out the Russians as a fake news source.

Maybe northern Indiana was different? This was in the early '90s. There were articles in the newspaper that DNR would be releasing coyotes to thin out the deer population. Of course that backfired.

 

[theuglyduckling]

How do people get the chickens back in the coop if you have them out for only a couple hours? Do you let them out before it's time for them to roost at night or do you bribe them with treats?

 

[Trish1974]

How do people get the chickens back in the coop if you have them out for only a couple hours? Do you let them out before it's time for them to roost at night or do you bribe them with treats?

They are really easy to bribe with treats. Associate a certain sound with treats, or shake the cup (that's what I do) and when it clicks to them that sound is associated with treats you will see obedience at its finest!

 

[theuglyduckling]

Is there a specific treat yours like the most? Mine aren't to crazy about corn so that probably won't work

 

[Trish1974]

Is there a specific treat yours like the most? Mine aren't to crazy about corn so that probably won't work

Mealworms and sunflower seeds.