Keeping Chickens Free Range

[Sylviaanne]

Loss to predators-

Can I get your all's input? I can handle and occassional loss. To me, that is manageable, expected, and a trade off between having fenced/cooped up birds and happy free rangers. But, what is a 'usual' loss to predators? What is the norm, during the day hours? What has that meant to you? One hen every 6 months? That sort of thing...I can handle an rare loss every so often, but I certainly don't want to come outside to find my flock of 8 missing in one day. I would love to hear about your experience regarding loss--frequency, amount lost.

We were losing one every 3 - 6 months and while I wasn't happy about it, it was tolerable. When the predator, who was a raccoon, decided to have a meal every other night or every night, that was too much. We started locking them up at night and making sure they were all in the coop. We caught him/her last month and haven't seen any signs of any more yet so the last 2 nights I haven't locked them up. Everyone but the ducks go in anyways and I'm happy that they do because if more start to disappear again, it will be easier to lock them down.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Where do you live? Evem folks in Alaska don't need supplemental heat. There's a really good thread on here regarding that issue.

They will pack on a fat layer and fluff up to insulate. The biggest issue is making sure it's draft-free. Wide roosts are good so they can cover their feet. And deep litter will help generate some heat. Even with all bantams, if their space is sufficiently sized and bedded, it should not be an issue. I know it's worrisome, though. I make sure they can hunker down in the bedding if they need to. Many of mine head for the rafters at night, too.

I worry more about frostbite on combs....

Southern Missouri, between Branson and Springfield but closer to Springfield.
What kind of litter do you use?
I have both hay and pine shavings.

 

[holm25]

There they are all happy and have not lost any!!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Holm25, I am so jealous of that I see in the background of your pictures!

And I love your pictures! What kind of turkey is that?

How long have you had them, any problems with them and chickens together?



I forgot to mention, I am having to put my CX"s in a fence today. My wife and I have to go way south, all the way to Iowa for a few days. I do not want the babies vulnerable to fur bearing critters while I am gone. I am putting them in a secure fence from all but birds of prey. The fence is 125x80 so it is a good size pen. It has a few trees and lots of things to play on, but it is not free range.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

OH, DULUTH, THAT IS FABULOUSLY GREAT NEWS!! I am SO happy for you! Let's hope, everyone, including dogs, learned something so that the One life is NOT IN VAIN!! *Maybe Roo is trying to tell the survivors, by sharing, he's proud they hid so well?*
In chickenese, of course!
Not sure this is the place, But once I removed all rotten eggs, Broody had been on for….6 weeks, she's back at the house and nesting in the same box!! Put my hand in to take out the usual 3 and got the scare of my life when she 'appeared' there?!!! No, broody breaking for her or me..Whew.
Tikki, have a male start peeing around the perimter. I'm NOT sure it works with Foxes, but a LOT of critters TAKE that odor as a FIRM 'It isn't wise to be here, regardless!" slap across the chops.
I am sorry to hear of your losses.
Re: Feeding other critters with chickens around- Yes, i need to stand by till my BIGGEST dog starts eating, bit of wet, water & lots of dry d food, otherwise the leghorn or Sexlink will dive right into his food, scarfing every bit of wet they can get! If i don't have Chevy, dog, start in, all 90+ lbs of him? He'll LET THEM eat his breakfast!

 

[holm25]

Holm25, I am so jealous of that I see in the background of your pictures!

And I love your pictures! What kind of turkey is that?

How long have you had them, any problems with them and chickens together?

They are Bourben Red X Royal Palm. We have had them since they were 2 weeks old they are now a couple months old and not a single problem with the chickens!!!

 

[LadyBroody]

Loss to predators-

Can I get your all's input? I can handle and occassional loss. To me, that is manageable, expected, and a trade off between having fenced/cooped up birds and happy free rangers. But, what is a 'usual' loss to predators? What is the norm, during the day hours? What has that meant to you? One hen every 6 months? That sort of thing...I can handle an rare loss every so often, but I certainly don't want to come outside to find my flock of 8 missing in one day. I would love to hear about your experience regarding loss--frequency, amount lost.

I haven't had any loss since I started keeping my own chickens a year ago.

 

[LadyBroody]

What breed is this beauty?

@holm25

 

[RoosterLew]

If you only have 8 chickens, the chances of losing a large portion in a single dog attack is pretty high. I've had on dog take 10 in a matter of minutes.

It is all really relative. Mostly dependent on your predator load, and your version of "free range". Some people consider anything not completely fenced and covered as free range. So when they let their 5 hens out of the farm store doll house coop to roam their privacy fenced back yard they call that free ranging.
Myself, I have around. 30 birds at the moment and 20 acres of pasture they are allowed on when we are here to somewhat supervise. I hate losing a single bird, but also hate seeing them caged. ...
Then there are those with triple digit #s of birds and no fence in sight...to them an acceptable loss is way different to you and I!!

I don't mean to sound as though criticizing or putting down. We all keep chickens and in the middle of winter when it's -30 windchill and 2 foot of snow and Ice, & I'm outside with a propane torch thawing out gates at 5:00 AM,
Sometimes I wish I had only 5 hens!! Lol

So...if you live in the middle of the woods, sit on your back porch watching coons, foxes, coyotes and other predators daily move through your yard...I'd be building the Fort Knox of chicken pens with an LGD on patrol 24/7.
If you live in town, with an open back yard and neighbors that let their dogs out off leash to potty...free ranging might not be a good plan!

There's a good reason that one method doesn't work for everyone. In my book, as long as your not raising battery hens your not wrong.

 

[RoosterLew]

What breed is this beauty?

@holm25

He is a Gallus Gallus Domesticus!! And a right fine example of one. Lol