Keeping Chickens Free Range

[SmColorInDaPan]

I put some chicken feed into a large water dish for my birds. It works great because they cannot kick it out and this way I know exactly how much they eat, low waste. I just put the feed pan by the water pan and if they want to little feed they have access. My cats eat it more then my chickens do

Cats Eat Chicken feed, scratch? I'll Give you My loose horses will make quick work of it, but CATS???


Yes, glass dishes are GREAT to keep them from tipping the whole thing over!

 

[gander007]

Thought I'd jump in here. I've recently been forced to let my hens full time free range:



They've done exceptionally well, and my feed bill has basically gone down to zero. The only reason it's not is because I insist on offering them some feed every day, apparently because I like watching them leave it on the ground and waste it.

I just finished demolishing the old coop, and I will be building the new coop with free ranging in mind. It will still have a pen, as I have two chicken eating dogs, so I need to be able to separate the creatures. I tested them with my one non-chicken eater, and they really don't try hard to get away from him. Boo. Oh well.

My one other worry was hawks, but we have witnessed them successfully take cover from one overhead. Yay!

So once the coop is built, I will be penning them up for a few days to get them laying in the house again (I can't for the life of me find my leghorn's nest). And then my plan is to shut them in at bed time, and then let them out after the dogs have been put up after morning chores. I'm pretty pleased with how the new set up will run!

Waiting on the new coop to be built:

Good luck with the new coop

 

[gander007]

A new free ranging chick hatcher today

 

[ottbmom]

A new free ranging chick hatcher today

Cute lil booger!

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Thank you

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I put some chicken feed into a large water dish for my birds. It works great because they cannot kick it out and this way I know exactly how much they eat, low waste. I just put the feed pan by the water pan and if they want to little feed they have access. My cats eat it more then my chickens do :/

Cats Eat Chicken feed, scratch? I'll Give you My loose horses will make quick work of it, but CATS??? Yes, glass dishes are GREAT to keep them from tipping the whole thing over!

I do not feed scratch, it is an organic feed I buy from a our seed guy. But yes the cats eat it. They even ate the pellet stuff I brought before i found this other feed. Mind you they are farm cats, and always hungry (because I want them hunting)

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

A new free ranging chick hatcher today

HI, Lil one!! Welcome to the world! Mom's a BYC person so pretty sure you've got it made... Keep Growing!

 

[vpatt]

Oh that little chick is the cutest!

I had a dog that loved chicken feed!

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Well, I turned the chicks out before I had my coffee, My error. Couple of hours later, brought in 3 that made their way into the hutch, indication the wind was too cool for them. The other 2 wouldn't have anything of it.

i started to doze off, heard 'help me' chirping. Kitten brought one chick into the house, via the basement stairs, was watching to see if it would move, 'play' with him. My big dog watched, concerned. I think he knows, should by now, to be very careful with them. I Scooped up the chick, NOT A THING WRONG with her!! Tried again to get the last one outside, caught & inside. Grown hen & Roo out, so left chick to them. Sure enough, when I woke up later, chick was just inside my hen's nesting box, cat carrier lined with stray. Once they were all together, broke out bologna, cheese, bits & pieces. Surprised they all made it but maybe not. Rooster has been assertive with me lately, knows he will have more ladies? Hound dog has quite a nose so Any predator smell sets her off. Maybe the local Fox knows better? Will keep them in next few cool days but Even more convinced they are not as helpless as some say & I am blessed.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Well, I turned the chicks out before I had my coffee, My error. Couple of hours later, brought in 3 that made their way into the hutch, indication the wind was too cool for them. The other 2 wouldn't have anything of it. i started to doze off, heard 'help me' chirping. Kitten brought one chick into the house, via the basement stairs, was watching to see if it would move, 'play' with him. My big dog watched, concerned. I think he knows, should by now, to be very careful with them. I Scooped up the chick, NOT A THING WRONG with her!! Tried again to get the last one outside, caught & inside. Grown hen & Roo out, so left chick to them. Sure enough, when I woke up later, chick was just inside my hen's nesting box, cat carrier lined with stray. Once they were all together, broke out bologna, cheese, bits & pieces. Surprised they all made it but maybe not. Rooster has been assertive with me lately, knows he will have more ladies? Hound dog has quite a nose so Any predator smell sets her off. Maybe the local Fox knows better? Will keep them in next few cool days but Even more convinced they are not as helpless as some say & I am blessed.

Just be warned I lost most of my flock to my cats. They were too young and I have mean cats. My dogs never touch them, my cats are brutal. Now full grown the cats keep a wide berth, but until grown they were easy pickings.