I cannot free range or can I?

[danepup]

Hi everyone,

I have six young hens (7.5 weeks old) who are living in my garage while their coop mansion is being built. Every morning, I haul them out to the front yard X-pen contraption so they can enjoy outdoors. Their coop is in the backyard which has ZERO grass. It's totally hardscaped - all river rock. Their coop is 8' x 12' and currently has a dirt floor, but I will put wood mulch down once it's complete. I have four dogs too. My thought is that I would not free range them because there's nothing for them in the backyard but rock - but maybe that's not accurate. Would it benefit them to free range on rock with ZERO grass and no way to get to the dirt or should I go with my original plan which was for them to be cooped and supplement their diet with fresh fruits/veggies, laying food, scratch, live crickets, and meal worms (all in moderation except their regular food) - plus grit and oyster shells and plenty of fresh water? I'm building them a swing and they'll have a variety of roosting options. I see how much they love the grass so it pains me to take them from it. The only other options is to figure out a way to every once in awhile enclose them in something (portable mesh coop) that's outside my fence in the grass between my neighbor's yard and mine - but not sure what that might be and it would have to be something easy to set up and tear down. I welcome any thoughts.

A.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I also have zero grass. Their run is mulch and the big yard I give them access to is all river and lava rock and dirt. They love it. Many bugs and munchies to hunt in the rocks. I’d rather do that than be totally cooped. They’ll be happier. You could always thrown in fun stuff for them to have. I use alfalfa or Timothy hay sometimes. Plus they have a ton of enrichment items. Also they will find the dirt beneath the rock, quite the diggers.

 

[danepup]

I also have zero grass. Their run is mulch and the big yard I give them access to is all river and lava rock and dirt. They love it. Many bugs and munchies to hunt in the rocks. I’d rather do that than be totally cooped. They’ll be happier. You could always thrown in fun stuff for them to have. I use alfalfa or Timothy hay sometimes. Plus they have a ton of enrichment items. Also they will find the dirt beneath the rock, quite the diggers.

Oh, this is such great news!!! I thought I simply couldn't free range them due to the ground covering. My only challenge is to let them range but go back in the coop before I let the dogs out. I let the dogs out several times during the day. Would it be better to let them range a little bit in the mornings (after dogs have gone out and done their morning routine) or in the evening closer to dusk? Also, while I do "clean up" the yard from the dogs about once per week, is this something to be concerned about with the chickens (getting into it and maybe getting sick)? What I notice now about the chickens, since they're so young and are living in two attached dog kennels in the garage and going out to two attached X pens is that if one gets out, it runs to get back into the Xpen or coop if it's scared. Having had backyard chickens before, I know my other flock (that could free range) would put themselves in their coop at dusk, which makes me wonder if that's a better option for the time of day to free range them.

When you feed alfalfa or Timothy hay - where do you get that? How often do you feed them that? Thank you!!

Alissa

 

[tlcmurphy]

Don’t worry about the chickens eating dog poop, it’s the other way around that’s the problem

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Oh, this is such great news!!! I thought I simply couldn't free range them due to the ground covering. My only challenge is to let them range but go back in the coop before I let the dogs out. I let the dogs out several times during the day. Would it be better to let them range a little bit in the mornings (after dogs have gone out and done their morning routine) or in the evening closer to dusk? Also, while I do "clean up" the yard from the dogs about once per week, is this something to be concerned about with the chickens (getting into it and maybe getting sick)? What I notice now about the chickens, since they're so young and are living in two attached dog kennels in the garage and going out to two attached X pens is that if one gets out, it runs to get back into the Xpen or coop if it's scared. Having had backyard chickens before, I know my other flock (that could free range) would put themselves in their coop at dusk, which makes me wonder if that's a better option for the time of day to free range them.

When you feed alfalfa or Timothy hay - where do you get that? How often do you feed them that? Thank you!!

Alissa

You should know I’m very new to this and can only tell you what has worked for me. Others may disagree. Do you have predators? Anything that can get through that fence you have? That’s how I’d decide the time of day. It would be easiest for you in the evenings since they may coop themselves before dark but keep in mind predators. Maybe down the line you could use some cheap welded wire and t-posts to give them a small yard within the dog yard? Also depending on your dogs desire to get to them of course. My girls are in with my pig (can get to their run/coop without him) but they eat each others poop constantly No sicknesses so far and I’m not sure about dog poo. As far as the hay, I have no room to store giant bales so I get small bags for rabbits or guinea pigs. Walmart has it as well as farm stores. I just toss a small amount once a week or so. I also SPARINGLY toss mealworms so they can find them in the rocks but we have a ton of bugs too. Some people throw in dried leaves and grass (no pesticides) or sod, no fertilizers etc.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Don’t worry about the chickens eating dog poop, it’s the other way around that’s the problem

Yep

 

[GlicksChicks]

getting into it and maybe getting sick)

While it may seem disgusting, the only time I would worry about the chickens eating the dog poop is if the dogs had worms. Same thing if the chickens had worms and your dogs ate the poop.

Farmers keep livestock guardian dogs with their chickens. And, well, a dogs gotta dook, so there is inevitably going to be dog poop around the area those chickens are at. And I doubt a farmer goes out and picks up the dog poop all the time. If that dog poop was harmful to the chickens, then I doubt people would keep the dogs and the chickens together.

 

[Finnie]

Having had backyard chickens before, I know my other flock (that could free range) would put themselves in their coop at dusk, which makes me wonder if that's a better option for the time of day to free range them.

This is what I would suggest, but you could also train them to run into their kennel (or coop or run or wherever) for treats. That way you could lock them up any time of day.

I think that kind of training works best if you yourself can walk inside their coop or pen and call them to you.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Also would love to see photos of your chicks and the set up

 

[danepup]

While it may seem disgusting, the only time I would worry about the chickens eating the dog poop is if the dogs had worms. Same thing if the chickens had worms and your dogs ate the poop.

Farmers keep livestock guardian dogs with their chickens. And, well, a dogs gotta dook, so there is inevitably going to be dog poop around the area those chickens are at. And I doubt a farmer goes out and picks up the dog poop all the time. If that dog poop was harmful to the chickens, then I doubt people would keep the dogs and the chickens together.

Good call. In the past, when I had a flock before, the dog space and chicken space was separated. This house is set up differently and I hadn't planned on free ranging the hens because of my hardscaped yard. I still may decided it doesn't work well for them since I likely need to supervise and there is not safety (bushes, etc.) to protect them from hawks. My dogs are vetted and don't hang out with other dogs so do not have worms so we should be good there. Thank you!