Giving up on free ranging chickens

[McChooky]

I feel the same. Mine are in a half acre pen in the woods with fishing line and bird scare tape. I can't bear to keep them locked up in a small barren space. I've had chickens in this manner for 40 years but now that I'm retired (thanks covid) they get to free range for an hour or so every day WHILE I AM VERY NEARBY FOR THE ENTIRE TIME. I feel better knowing I gave them as much enjoyment in life as I could. Sometimes you lose some now matter haw hard you try but at least they had a good life. Some of my bantie silkies and silkie crosses have lived 12, 13, 15, 18, years. some only 6 to 10, some less.

Yes supervised free ranging improves the quality of their lives and prevents most casualties. May you continue to give your birds the best of both lives!

 

[McChooky]

Yea I stopped free ranging and put up two sets of netting above them to be extra cautious. My chickens were escaping the netting so I had to put up another one and it stopped.
Didn’t know that about HPAI, we had a bird flu outbreak last summer in Michigan but thankfully it didn’t reach our county.

Chickens that have herbs and fresh garden produce added to heir diet have a higher immunity