is being out to roam the yard all day free ranging??

[karlamaria]

we have a run, but my girls love to roam the yard so from noon to nine at night they roam the yard instead of being in the run. my question is can I call my chickens free range chickens?

 

[angelbabyamy]

I would call it free range! My chickens are in my fenced backyard and I consider them free range!

 

[Urban Chaos]

"A behavioral definition of free range is perhaps the most useful: "chickens kept with a fence that restricts their movements very little.""

From the all knowing Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_range#Free_range_poultry

 

[annep]

I have a decent sized yard, and my girls are all over it...I dont keep them in..I could call them fr.

 

[BarefootMom]

chickens that are on grass 60% of the time are called free ranging



same with beef- 60% time on grass is considered grass fed.

 

[forstadt]

In terms of marketing eggs in the US, I believe that allowing chickens any access to the outside, no matter how small, is enough to be able to call them free range, according to USDA.

 

[free_ranger]

Yes, they're free-ranging.

After being out all day, mine put themselves up in a coop in the evening which we lock up to keep them safe.

They really need to be protected at night, when they can't see and won't run from danger. It's like the night paralyzes them.

Sounds like you're giving them the good life.

 

[feliciamckee]

Same with mine. They are out in the yard all day and go to bed on their own where they are locked up. I don't even have a fenced in yard, but they stay in the back yard only. I would never let them go down the driveway and I have never let them come into the front yard but they have never tried. They stay close to the garden and their coop.

My kids are free range too!

 

[TDM]

I consider my birds as "pasture raised" because they are rotated across a large pasture using mobile hen houses and poultry netting. I've seen people call their birds "free ranged" when in reality they are allowed access to a small dirt covered run. Personally I think those dirt covered runs are really just cage extensions.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I'd call it "fun".