I don't know how people keep poultry without free ranging them

[Shellz]

I'm a free ranger & love it! Sure we have preds, but we also have 2 very capable dogs too. This helps immensely!

 

[missnu01]

Alright! *High five*

 

[Going Quackers]

I do both, so i see both sides

I let most of the birds free range with the exception of smaller ones, it is very possible to pen chickens and not have a big mess or huge feed bill or loads of work lol. Some cannot free range birds due to regulations, for others it would be like opening a drive thru window because of predators being to prevalent.


As i said i balance both here, every situation is different, so many variables, we have to each find what works best for us in amongst those issues we face.

 

[missnu01]

Until something eats the turkey! We have far too many predators. We lost 7 of 12 in one cougar (or bobcat, still not certain) attack.

we had a raccoon kill 14 fully feathered chicks in one night. I assume raccoon because 2 were in the coop with broken necks and no other injuries while the other 12 were nowhere to be seen... but that was in the coop one night. I've had one or 2 go missing while roaming about. All my white leg horns except one committed suicide by car. No other birds hang out near the road, but my leg horns couldn't take the constant rooster raping I suppose. Apparently the huge comb is a big turn on, so even though we had more than enough hens to satisfy the roosters they were only after the leg horns and they would throw themselves into the road... sort of lol...In a morbid way. But all my colored chickens do great. White chickens not so much... so...no more white chickens. I breed what survives... obviously. And the bigger the bird the better it seems to fare here. Although all my salmon faverolles make it and I'm not sure why, they are slow and clumsy, but seem to survive just fine. That and I now keep a plethora of roosters so that keeps things out of the coop...One rooster will get me a dead rooster, 3 roosters keeps everyone alive. As for something getting the turkeys, hasn't happened so far. And they won't sleep inside. They sleep in the trees or the roof of the house or coop. But once we got the turkeys our chickens stopped disappearing. I haven't had one get gone to predators in over a year. Knock on wood, although it is part of keeping chickens. You become nature's drive thru

 

[Pinkaboo]

Mine are penned in
Its a 7 ft high run that is 20 ft long by 10 ft wide with a coop inside
I finished the roof today so hopefully safe ish!
My cats would attack them at the moment so can't free range sadly
But when they are bigger I'll let them out when I'm in the garden

For me letting them free range all the time would be worse as I'd not dare leave them alone

 

[missnu01]

I'm not against people that have to keep them penned. I just know it must be so much harder. I read on here and I just feel like I'm very lucky to be where I am

 

[Pinkaboo]

Yes it must be idyllic
I'm in a very rural area and most of the locals free range
But they are farmers and use to death of animals
I'm not,

 

[Shellz]

I've heard that about white chickens being predator bait. Was the case here too, when I had my first 6 pullets. 2 were white & the first to get taken by a fox.

I totally understand that not everyone can free range. It is nice when you can though. Hope the turkeys keep on working for you, missnu 01.