Keeping Chickens Free Range

[lcertuche]

Good to know.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

I haven't posted her in a coon's age. Late spring storm up here, supposedly 4in. ( I haven't measured) Chickens have been out, as usual, caught this pic on the way back from Feeding the horses. Like there Isn't a thing Different! LOL

NOW, they're near to the house, reminding me it's feeding time!

 

[jolenesdad]

Hello!

I was hoping some here in the free range thread could give me a little advice!

We have 8 chicks that are a week and a half old. 4 Leghorns, non-sexed, 2 Barred Rock pullets and 2 Golden Laced Wyandotte pullets. Right now they are in a 4 foot round feed trough brooder.

I have an empty horse paddock I am hoping to convert into their home. There is a 20x15ft stall that is 15 feet tall. I am going to convert this to their coop for nighttime, and allow them to free range in the 1/2-3/4 acre field that is attached. I have two questions regarding this...


1. Trees. Is it desirable or not to have a tree in this paddock? I have a very large mesquite tree in the middle of this paddock. I thought it would be nice because it provides shade, shelter and dust bath areas, but.... it's also a large tree. I really want to keep the chickens in their coop at night. Is it fairly possible with due diligence to train the chickens to come inside at night and then as they grow and can get into the tree they will still come in? I am not climbing in a mesquite tree to get a chicken at dusk....

2. The paddock has standard three-board wood fencing. I am going to put hot wires between the rails and on the top. The fence is only 4 ft high. With this setup, would you clip the wings of your flock?


Thank you so much for the help!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think the tree is important for all the reasons you said - shade, bathing, etc. I think if it's possible to keep the chickens locked up in the stall for maybe a week or so after you move them outside then they will learn where their home is and should theoretically come back. You could also maybe try putting up some temporary fencing in the paddock so they have some room to range and see if they come back at night, you could just do it until you're sure they're trained. It should be fairly easy to train them. We have almost 3 acres, about half of which is the yard and the rest wooded, (though they mostly stay in the small backyard) and my girls have always come back home. Of course they're also a year old and I don't let them free range much, just starting to again, so they'd rather just go "home." We mostly have pine trees so not really any branches though but we also have young but still fairly big pines with branches they could get to and oaks and maples but they choose not to.

With that much room to roam, I wouldn't clip the wings as they shouldn't have a desire to escape and may even stay close to the stall. But if they do escape or you have problems then you could clip then

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh and I should add in a free range situation, I wouldn't clip unless it becomes a problem because they will need those wings to escape from predators.

They can get across the yard a lot faster. It's hilarious watching mine launch off the deck or take off towards me from where they are foraging across the yard when they see me. They lift off just a little but can get across large parts of the yard that way. Plus of course their "turbo run" too.

It might be hilarious BUT it's also important for getting away from a predator quickly.

We've had a hawk attack (no injuries thankfully) and then had coons and this one pesky fox try to get inside the run/coop several times, which is why they don't free range as much now.

 

[OKVet]

Please remember that with free ranging your chickens comes risks. I do it because I know my birds are so much happier out in the yard foraging for what they love. The birds that I absolutely do not want to lose stay in their coop.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yeah that's true too but I only have 8 and mine are pets so I couldn't stand losing them. BUT. I've also discovered that they're nowhere near as happy or healthy being stuck in the run and some of their eggs are more pale so after months of being confined, I've finally started letting them free range some again the past few days. Right now it's just for a few hours before bed so that I can watch them but eventually I'd like to make it longer and maybe all day. But even just with the few hours before bed, they are already way happier and the eggs are better. And I just love watching them run around and scratching at everything, that's how it should be and they really belong there.

Anyway, I know some of you let them free range all day or even when you're not home but I'm not to the point where I feel comfortable doing that. But someone is usually always home so I'm going to start letting them out for longer and longer.

Anyway, it's definitely a risk but they are sooo much happier which is why I've started doing it again, even briefly.

The other problem is the dog needs to go out but I might put a rope in a different part of the yard so they can both be out but not near each other and hopefully he can be trained to leave them alone too

 

[OKVet]

I know the apprehension of letting them out in the yard. I lost one a while ago while I was home. A hawk killed one of my beautiful BLRW hens. It was heart breaking for me to see a hawk standing one her. That's the risk in letting them out.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That's very true. But it would just be so sad seeing that but I guess I could get more and they are sooo much happier so I want to let them out every day or at least a few times a week.

I'm sorry you lost yours, that must have been sad

 

[dpenning]

Yeah that's true too but I only have 8 and mine are pets so I couldn't stand losing them. BUT. I've also discovered that they're nowhere near as happy or healthy being stuck in the run and some of their eggs are more pale so after months of being confined, I've finally started letting them free range some again the past few days. Right now it's just for few hours before bed so that I can watch them but eventually I'd like to make it longer and maybe all day. But even just with the few hours before bed, they are already way happier and the eggs are better. And I just love watching them run around and scratching at everything, that's how it should be and they really belong there.

Anyway, I know some of you let them free range all day or even when you're not home but I'm not to the point where I feel comfortable doing that. But someone is usually always home so I'm going to start letting them out for longer and longer.

Anyway, it's definitely a risk but they are sooo much happier which I've started doing it again, even briefly.

The other problem is the dog needs to go out but I might put a rope in a different part of the yard so they can both be out but not near each other and hopefully he can be trained to leave them alone too

My dogs are my biggest predator. My hens have a 20 x 50' open run with a 4' farm fence. They fairly regularly go over the fence and free range but can use their wings to help they hurry along when the dog spots them in the yard. The other day two of my dogs worked together and they actually got one of the girls. It is a risk for sure.