Keeping Chickens Free Range

[Tikkijane]

I had a dog show up last fall during hunting season. He was clearly a bird dog, so I assumed he got lost during a hunt. I kept my birds locked away and kept him and fed him while I looked for his owners. His owners turned out to be neighbors of ours who I like very much. I was happy to return him. A month later he showed back up, this time while my chickens were out and killed one of my BR. The neighbors quickly replaced her with a couple EE (like I said she is a great neighbor) and I have not seen the dog again. However if I ever do see that dog in my yard again, I will probably shoot it and bury it deep in the pasture, I can act dumb if anyone asks :/. The trouble with protecting a dog is it remembers and will come back. I have no ill will against these neighbors, but I may have to kill their dog.
I would not hesitate to kill a fox or coyote...they are not dogs, they are predators that will not only kill my chickens, but they will kill my cats, my dogs, and even a new unattended calf

Surprisingly, not a single hunting dog out here has gone after my birds. Can't tell you how many we've collected and called on. There has been a single hunting dog without a collar out here. Normally, they have radio collars with a number to call. On the rare chance it doesn't have the radio collar, they have always {except for that one, that went back home, we think} had a collar with a number to call. Folks out here are serious about their hunting dogs.

Once we got that pit off my other dog {which we later took to the shelter because it was 'dumped in the country' and killed one of my cats and then became relentless with the others,} it followed my truck a mile down the road, where I stopped at the hunting club and the guys there kept it so I could leave. I think one of the guys there took it home. Super friendly with people- just not other animals.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I don't know, maybe it's from being raised in a town and central location and not in the country or maybe it's just me personally, or that I love dogs, I don't know, but I personally don't think I could ever just shoot a dog. Even if it was a stray. Even if it was going after my chickens. Well, maybe if it was attacking my chickens it might be different but even then I don't think so. I'd probably just be like island girl and go chase the dog (s) off or physically drag them away. If me simply going out there wasn't enough then I'd start making tons of noise and acting scary. If that still wasn't enough or they turned aggressive I might get a broom or shovel or something (or my foot) and scare them some more, maybe injure them, but I don't think I could kill them. And especially with the stray thing, you don't know for sure that it's a stray. It could have simply slipped it's collar and that's why it's not wearing one or even if it's dirty and skinny maybe it's just a lost pet that's been missing a while or isn't from the area. Of course being skinny and dirty usually is a pretty good sign it's been abandoned but still. And if you know it's not a stray then I don't know, to me that's somebody's pet and even if it was attacking my chickens it's still a pet. Heck, there's people who may shoot for it just being in the yard. Not saying any of you but I've heard of people like that. That's not right to me, attacking is one thing but just being there nope for me. The way I look at it is that if my dog got loose (which he used to a lot when younger but we found a way to contain him) and somebody shot and killed him I would be devastated. Any good owner would probably be. Now, that said, you don't know if they're a good owner cause some people who's dogs get loose keep them in the backyard and don't care about them but you never know if they're that owner and a loving owner. And some owners will even feel bad their dog caused damages and offer to pay for the birds and damage! Don't know unless you ask. Heck, knowing me I'd probably even try rescuing the dogs haha dog rescues and chickens may not exactly go well together but i do wanna try it one time.

And sorry, i realize this may come off as me trying to say youre a bad person for shooting dogs or whatever but I'm not saying that at all nor am I trying to. I completely understand wanting to protect your flock. I'm just saying that for me personally I don't think I could ever shoot a dog. And then I rambled because I tend to do that haha sorry. Another reason for me is most dogs can be trained out of bad behavior and also most dogd chase and attack cause it's a big fun game. Of course some are hungry or have prey instincts but i know it's not the dogs fault i guess is what i am saying. Of course I'm not saying I'd train the dog, no way, but I'd just bring him back to his owner or the shelter and tell them to contain him better or train him. If he kept coming back I probably would jist take him to the shelter.

Anyway, i dont even think i could shoot a fox or coyote lol

I can PROMISE you- when you get a stray or some other predator tearing your babies to pieces and you hear them scream- your mindset will change. It becomes very clear where your priorities are.

And- if you are not willing to protect them free ranging, please, please rethink free ranging. If you are in the country and want to have farm animals, please rethink it entirely. I'd shoot a predator going after my cats/dogs, too. Had a stray pit bull nearly kill one of my other dogs. It took a bullet whizzing by his head to stop so we could get my dog away. Swear to the big man in the sky, that pit was trying to chew the testicles off the other dog.

I believe that when we commit to having an animal that is dependant on us in some way, that it us our duty to protect them from harm the best we can. And out in the country where I live, that includes lead. {I have kids to protect, too.}

Yes this is very true. Stray dogs, especially packs of stray dogs will not hesitate to kill you or your children. Unlike a coyote, they have no fear of humans.
My father had that happen to him once as a child (though it can still happen, we have a couple wild packs of dogs ranging to the south of us). A pack of wild dogs came into their yard, they were after the chickens, but they were going to kill whatever they could. My dad and his brothers were out there at the time and their dog fought the pack until the boys could make it safely to the house. They would have killed everything, but my father had a gun and was old enough to know how to use it. He shot one of the dogs, the rest ran away. The dog turned out to be a neighbors dog, and the neighbors were very unhappy with my dad for shooting theit precious baby, never mind what the dog was up to.
Dogs are great, I love my dog and feel safer with her here. But if my dog were to ever pack and start killing, I would blame no one for shooting her.

 

[Mccluckers]

Hi All,

A little of topic here but i am wanting to know the best breed to free range, in terms of predators. I am looks for a dual purpose breed but egg production is more important than meat.

My plant is to have them free range in the day when someone is home but have a secure pen that they can go in if we go out or on holiday.
I understand there will be some predator loses but i figured they could be minimised by an alert breed with protective cockerels and i secure run for when we leave.

Thanks!

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Hi All, 

A little of topic here but i am wanting to know the best breed to free range, in terms of predators. I am looks for a dual purpose breed but egg production is more important than meat. 

My plant is to have them free range in the day when someone is home but have a secure pen that they can go in if we go out or on holiday.
I understand there will be some predator loses but i figured they could be minimised by an alert breed with protective cockerels and i secure run for when we leave.

Thanks!

I like my Barr Rocks, they are wonderfully independent, and capable of flying even up into a tree. However if you want a wary bird you should look at the Easter Eggers. My Easter Eggers play lookout and sound an alarm. They are rather skittish...sometimes a hard gust of wind will scare them But they fit in well with the rest of my birds as the lookout.

 

[Mccluckers]

I do like barred Rocks, How good are they on lookout? I suppose it depends on what the EE are (genetically) as to wether they are skitty or not...

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I do like barred Rocks, How good are they on lookout? I suppose it depends on what the EE are (genetically) as to wether they are skitty or not...

Barr Rocks stick to the more heavily wooded areas and avoid being out in the open, but they are dead silent and do not make much noise regardless of what is about.
Most people with Easter Eggers agree with me, they are generally very skittish. And make good lookouts.
I am sure there are exceptions to that rule, as with everything.

 

[ChickenChaser9]

Quote:

Full disclosure, I raise Black Jersey Giants and am probably biased towards them. I love them as dual purpose birds and the reason they are good vs. common predators is that they are so LARGE. Hawks cannot carry them off, they weigh too much. Larger birds are simply tougher, look more intimidating where as smaller breeds look more like they cant fight back. BSJ do not hit maturity until 7 months of age and they are unaffected by any but the harshest winters and thus will continue to lay for you all winter long uninterupted. A BJG Roo can weight out to almost 13 POUNDS. Meet Colonel Cluck. He is just over 3 and a half months old in this picture, basically still a baby. He is a really great Roo, is kind to his ladies and always alert for danger.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I am just beginning my journey with the Jersey Giants, but I do like them so far.

 

[Mccluckers]

Barr Rocks stick to the more heavily wooded areas and avoid being out in the open, but they are dead silent and do not make much noise regardless of what is about.
Most people with Easter Eggers agree with me, they are generally very skittish. And make good lookouts.
I am sure there are exceptions to that rule, as with everything.

OK, Thank you, I will add them to my list of potentials!

Thanks Chicken Chaser, haven't really researched Jersey giants before but my concern is that the only real predator we have here are foxes, I don't think they are too put off my size.

 

[LittleChicken23]

I free range my flock of 13 adults and 5 chicks daily, as long as someone is around to keep an eye on them. 5 hens are Dominiques, 5 are buff orps. They have been free ranging for all of their 2 years with no predator issues. I also have a white leghorn hen and a white leghorn mix hen, as well as a golden comet/BR mix roo. They are all very aware of what's going on, but I would really recommend the orpingtons and Dominiques for free range. They are friendly, and they both lay nice light brown eggs.

The 5 chicks are mixes from what I have. They were raised under a broody and she takes them around the yard without much issue.