If you love your chickens, fence them in

[gritsar]

Quote:

As has been mentioned in the past, if your birds are in a pen, no matter how well built, a determined predator can get in. If the predator does get in, your birds are sitting ducks (pardon the pun). I'm thinking of the coyotes and bobcats we have when I make that statement.
My free ranging birds have at least a dozen hiding places. They know how to get to them quickly and more importantly, when. Places so tight I can hardly fit my hand in them.
Yes chickens are on alot of predator's menus as a favorite, but chickens are born knowing this and when free ranging develop the skills necessary to have a chance at survival.

 

[ivan3]

I didn't detect any sarcasm in the OP's post. Those members who've factored in losses attendant to running free ranging flocks are, I'd guess, not determining cost/benefit along a pastoral/romantic axis. More power to them and I wish them more than the usual dollop of luck.

As we have small flocks of turks and chooks and live in a predator heavy area armed free ranging is the order of the day. In economic terms it is far cheaper to order up a bucket of the Colonel's fried and spread it around the yard for the preds. Aesthetically, this is more pleasing than returning to eviscerated, beheaded, carcasses.

As it is, preemptive trapping and retirement of predators will reduce the overall frequency of predation when free ranging.

I will agree with the OP in terms of at least going into the free ranging with eyes wide open. I always wonder how many members we lose owing to their flocks being rubbed out because they didn't get past romance and understand that if there are chickens the preds will come (eventually).

We simply determined that, given our circumstances and our somewhat symbiotic relationship with our poultry (they give us eggs, enjoyment, and another reason to get out and DO. We provide them protection and a home), we'd not allow any to be served up alive and screaming at the `lope through' window.

ed:sp

 

[kcardella]

I tried free-ranging when I got chickens 5-1/2 years ago, and immediately lost one to a hawk. I built a large run, and that was the end of that - until I moved to an area with lots of low trees and bushes for them to hide under. So, I tried it again nearly a year ago, and it's been going very well, without a single loss so far (keeping my fingers crossed). I love being able to let them free-range - the eggs are better, and they just seem happier. I still worry about predators (we have two cats outside that hang out with them), but other than the occasional hawk, we have mostly night-time predators, and they are safely locked up from dusk to dawn.

I can certainly see both sides, but it depends where you live, and how willing you are to take a chance. If mine were being picked off daily, I would most certainly lock them up.

 

[sundance]

I free range mine after around noon, by that time they have laid what ever eggs I'll get for the day, and they all stand by the gate just waiting for it to be opened for them to run. I usually throw than a couple cups corn and some bread, and what ever scraps the dogs failed to eat the night before.They keep my garden area well scratched up and at bedtime I have watched Cheeto,. my roo check around outside to be sure all his ladies are inside the coop before he goes in.I have dogs I think they belong behind us on the hill, but as long as they stay on their side of the property line they are safe,cross over on my side and will get fired on( I can't hit the broad side of a barn) but it scares them enough to go home. marrie

 

[valerieb]

I agree with gritsar. My birds have a huge amount of little hiding places if they need them. I think if your birds are always locked up and happen to get out they will not know what to do. Mine are ready for anything. I may lose one some day to something but the odds are on their side if they are used to watching out for predators. It is like a child. You protect them when they are little but eventually you have to give them some freedom and hope for the best.

 

[FlockO'Sheppards]

We have a system that works well for our family. We have two small chicken coops with attached, fully enclosed runs. The coops are set apart from each other by about 50 feet and the space between them is fenced in with 5 foot high chicken wire. Our garden fence forms the backside of the main chicken run. The doors to the coop runs are opened every morning and the chickens run out into the main run---the more adventurous chickens hop out of the enclosure and free-range our pasture or hop the 6 foot tall garden fence and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I figure the ones that make it out are most likely the ones that will be quick enough and wily enough to evade a predator.

On the subject of getting "rid" of the neighbors free-range dogs:
I have chickens and I have a confirmed chicken killing dog. She's gotten out numerous times (three kids=accidental unlatched gates or doors) and she's been shot at by a farmer when she got into the coop. She survived, my other dog didn't---

I understand the rage that accompanies a loss, regardless of it's the loss of livestock or a pet (and I do consider my chickens pets). When we had the neighborhood dogs testing the strength of our coops, my husband had the brilliant idea of using a paint gun. It'll sting like heck, send the dog running and the neighbor will know what their dog was up to when it comes home with bright orange splotches on its coat. That way, we're not creating a situation where some little kid is crying their eyes out.

By the way---the paint balls have been effective with deer (trying to hop into our garden) and coyotes as well.

 

[Tala]

It is hard to make a chicken tractor human-proof

I have 4 padlocks, keyed the same that I bought to use around the house/yard so that keeping up with the keys would be easy.
For the last 2 years only one of the locks has been regularly used.
Tonight, 3 of them are in use. Darn humans!

 

[Chooksaurus]

FlockO'Sheppards :

When we had the neighborhood dogs testing the strength of our coops, my husband had the brilliant idea of using a paint gun. It'll sting like heck, send the dog running and the neighbor will know what their dog was up to when it comes home with bright orange splotches on its coat. That way, we're not creating a situation where some little kid is crying their eyes out.

By the way---the paint balls have been effective with deer (trying to hop into our garden) and coyotes as well.

I am about to buy one for myself as well. I was planning to buy a .22, but I got to thinking about how my 6yo would react if the shoes were on the other feet...regardless of whether the dog is just doing what comes to it naturally or not and the owners are irresponsible.

Do you think I can just use the paintball gun on the owners instead and tell the judge it was a better alternative than shooting their dog?

 

[Beekissed]

Okay....I confess. I don't love my chickens.

I free range. I've always free ranged. The only predation I've had was from a black snake while my birds were chicks.....in their brood PEN. As in penned and couldn't get away from the predator.

I don't love my chickens but I do, however, have a responsibility towards them to provide the most enjoyable life, in chicken terms, that is available. This is called good stewardship and I take this seriously.

Do I think that they would have an enjoyable life in a pen/run? Nope. Is this only a romantic notion? Nope. Anyone who has ever seen birds in a pen pacing the perimeter on a daily basis would know that these birds are not able to enjoy life fully while being confined to the same patch of ground for years on end.

Do I provide adequate protection for my flock while they free range. Yes! You see, there doesn't have to be this notion that free range automatically means chickens are just left out there to take their chances and people who do this are romantic fools who just like to watch chickens scattered across their lawns, no matter what the cost.

I must confess that I do indeed enjoy seeing my chickens foraging across my property, doing what God intended for them to do~just being chickens. Scratching, running, dusting and roosting in my apple trees during the day. This gives me a great contented feeling knowing that their life is as happy as one can make it for the short time they are on this Earth.

I also have the best LGDs one could imagine, adequate cover from hawk predation, a perimeter fence and a good flockmaster roo that is ever vigilant.

You CAN have the best of both worlds, you know.....and this doesn't mean your chickens mean any less than their "safely" penned counterparts.

 

[Blackbird]

I greatly enjoy and like my chickens, and I love several, but I wouldn't say that I love them all!

Our chickens are free ranged in the day time during warm months and locked up every night, to somewhat ensure safety.

But, a lot of them never go in at night, and you know what. Some die. I just lost a nice rooster two days ago to an owl actually, dropped him headless right under his roosting area. It happens. However, that rooster could have found a better place to roost where an owl could not have accessed it. So I blame it's death on the stupidity and personal preferences of the rooster.

Cold hearted? Maybe. Lol.

To what Bluey said; I'm not sure if that is true or not, but in my case, I do not post my death stories because a large dark scary blood thirsting predator did not rip and tear through my fencing and bludgeon all of my beautiful birds to pieces. It either simply swooped through the air or walked up and took a bite. I don't have any fancy or exciting stories of chicken deaths to tell, not really. They're all pretty generic.

I grew up with chickens, and chickens have been in past family generations nonstop going back over 80 years. Death happens and it often sucks, but you learn to deal with it over time.

Now loosing my goats on the other hand!