Keeping Chickens Free Range

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think in the fall the young coyotes, and all young predators are setting out on their own, chickens are easy meals, I can't lock mine up, so we would go after the predator.

 

[katatonic123]

He has definitely tried. He walked his property until dark every day after he lost his chickens. He hasn't found any so far to dispose of.

 

[lindalouly]

Tha

Free ranging lost 4 of our 6 hens in broad daylight, feathers everywhere

That is aweful!!!! My pit heard a noise the other night and hurt and chased a raccoon away. I don't know if I would free range fully without my dogs.....

 

[snow5164]

Don't tar and feather me but..

I understand the romance of saying your chickens free range, but with the amount of deaths I read about here I don't get why you would do it? We saved til we could afford to build a really large run covered on top and with a skirt I don't feel like my girls are worse off because they're inclosed all day (coop door is open 24/7)...they are safe and secure and as an owner of animals shouldn't that be our number one concern???

 

[lindalouly]

Don't tar and feather me but..

I understand the romance of saying your chickens free range, but with the amount of deaths I read about here I don't get why you would do it? We saved til we could afford to build a really large run covered on top and with a skirt I don't feel like my girls are worse off because they're inclosed all day (coop door is open 24/7)...they are safe and secure and as an owner of animals shouldn't that be our number one concern???

Well I think it depends on a lot of factors... We are slim on preditors but do have precautions up just in case.... I have two chicken dogs... An enclosed coop at night a swap and high yard fence.... The neighbors also have dogs and there are seven of us living here that are in and out all day... I told myself while both training my dogs and choosing how my hens would live that there is a higher chance of death for them and made my decision... If I lived in the country.... With acres to guard I would probably have chicken tunnels through out but that isn't my case here.

 

[duluthralphie]

Don't tar and feather me but..

I understand the romance of saying your chickens free range, but with the amount of deaths I read about here I don't get why you would do it? We saved til we could afford to build a really large run covered on top and with a skirt I don't feel like my girls are worse off because they're inclosed all day (coop door is open 24/7)...they are safe and secure and as an owner of animals shouldn't that be our number one concern???

I am getting the tar warmed.....


I free range and accept the deaths, they tick me off and I do what I can to limit them. But if I was a chicken I would rather live free and take the risks live give me than be perfectly safe locked in a prison....

Matter of fact, that is exactly how I want to live my life, I want the freedom for them and me. Live free or die! I think I saw that on a flag somewhere once.,,,,hehehehehe

 

[snow5164]

I think it also depends on each individual yard set up.. We have over 10 acres but we're surrounded by farm land. That corn field is full of hungry fox, raccoons and wild dogs . I don't think my chickens having a closed in play yard are suffering .....to each their own I love my animals big or small and will protect them in every way I can.
Bye the way my dogs also sleep in kennels at night

** Warm tar might feel good on my arthritic knee

 

[dpenning]

I think it also depends on each individual yard set up.. We have over 10 acres but we're surrounded by farm land. That corn field is full of hungry fox, raccoons and wild dogs . I don't think my chickens having a closed in play yard are suffering .....to each their own I love my animals big or small and will protect them in every way I can.
Bye the way my dogs also sleep in kennels at night

** Warm tar might feel good on my arthritic knee

Snow, I agree with you. My girls have an 10 x 15 coop with locked doors at night and during the day, after losing so many I choose to keep them in a "run" that is probably 12 x 50 ish. It is an odd shape because it goes around shrubs and trees and such so they have plenty of cover but they stay within the electric fence now. I feel that is plenty of freedom for them. I do like to open the gate and watch chicken TV in the yard when I can be out there to watch but right now it is just too stinking hot here to do that.

And I just ordered a paraffin bath for my arthritic hands

 

[lindalouly]

I don't think any of us love our animals less for how we choose to raise them.

 

[thegoodwinshens]

The biggest reason we had chose to free range was cost. We are wealthy at all, and our main reason for getting chickens is the amount of eggs we go through a week. It was a cost factor to not build a run, we had plenty of protection and this was a totally random day I guess. We will probably invest in a rooster soon. Although we are building the run i hate the idea of cooping them up