Is it cruel to have chickens if they can't free range?

[Desirai]

thanks for everyone's opinion.

Don't worry, I plan on pretty much having my own living quarters out there haha!! I intend to have a place for me to be out there so that I can always be with them when able.

And I do intend to allow supervised free ranging time, but I work 1pm to 10pm, so it can only be on days I know I'm off work.

I also plan on never leaving them without toys and treats!

 

[ChickiKat]

And bannies have cute little eggs...

 

[farmerinKC]

You have been given lots of good advice already. I would just add that when you position your coop and run you will have to consider shade for the summer and sun for the winter. I know that when it's chilly and the sunshine is in their run, my chickens seem very happy to be sunbathing/dustbathing.

My chickens are in their coop and run most of the time during the week-on the weekends we let them out for a few hours, when we can be around to supervise them. They seem to be pretty happy chickens.

 

[loveacatahoula]

I tried free ranging with my last flock, but they got killed while we were out by a stray dog, so I am nervous about free ranging again. My current flock of 4 have a fairly large coop and seem perfectly fine. I just try to feed them treats, meal worms and crickets and they seem happy.

 

[clucksbc]

Even though...I do have a huge unique yard...there is just too much undergrown and not adiquately fenced...that...i would deam it unsafe to free range...sometimes I feel bad...but they have a chicken pallace...and one roofed run...so they can be out with freash air...and not worry about the silkie getting wet...and Just because I love them and they love sunshine...we extended it with a largeish run...no it isn't as high...as the rest...but they seem very happy...I do give them a lot of greens and weeds from the property...so I feel..becose they are getting pritty much the same nutrition and food as free range...it is comparable...and they are spoiled and compared to many many chickens have a very good chicken life...
so don't worry about it...
enjoy your chickens and they will enjoy theire lives.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

We have a 5/8 acre yard, and I have lots of flowerbeds, they like to kick the bark all over the place to find bugs and if I let them free range I go around with a leaf rake and get all the bark back where it belongs. Somedays it is too much work, I often let them out to run around and hour before bedtime, then I do not have to chase them around to get them back in because they wander back at dusk...plus they are not as active and do not destroy the flowerbeds as quickly. I have noticed that the longer I leave them in the run the less they seem to want out, but after a good day in the yard they run around the run along the fence like a zoo animal waiting to get out and I feel sorry for them

 

[allpeepedout]

My chickens seem happy, with the joy of a purpose-driven life, if they have an important task to do, like hunting for tidbits or dissembling a flake of alfalfa hay, or excavating a corner of the run. Basking and grooming are nice, too. Your plans for treats and toys sound good.

 

[simplynewt]

I havent started letting mine free range yet. To busy going to work and school. The weekend thing would be better right now. I do have gats though, three of them and it would be interesting how the hens interact with the goats. Then I can throw in a Golden Retriever and a Toy Poodle and really watch them go.

 

[Ole rooster]

No they won't be happy. When you ain't looking they'll have a picture of you in the coop and throw darts at it. They'll also make friends with a skunk to spray you when you come outside. How do I know? Well, I don't, but if I wuz a chicked that's what I'd do.

 

[Beekissed]

I always feel sorry for chickens in bare-nekked runs that are packed and slimey...but I've never once noticed a chicken in a run moping around and feeling sorry for itself. If I were a chicken, I'm sure I would enjoy free ranging more than run life, but chickens~blessedly~cannot feel regret over their circumstances. They just eat, poop, drink, poop, scratch and peck, poop...well, you get the picture.

If I had to confine mine to a run, I'd just make sure they have plenty of shade in the summer, a windblock in the winter, dry ground underfoot, a place to dust and a place to hide, plenty of interesting things to eat.