Keeping Chickens Free Range

[ChickyChickens]

I free range my chickens ( I have to cause my run is too small for all 50+ chickens!) I just have chickens for the fun of them being around so I let them have their nests wherever they want! When they go broody I just leave them (they are always fine with it) and then when their chicks hatch I keep them in a smaller run where they stay until they are weaned then join the flock! I call this cage the MOTHERS ROOM........! I have 4 dogs and they are not a problem with my chickens! I got my dogs as puppies so they learnt not to do anything to the chickens!

I wish more people would come to this site so that there are a bigger group of people to discuss matters with!
I am going to post the name of this thread to all of my own threads/subscriptions so that more people will/can join!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LadyBroody]

I free range my chickens ( I have to cause my run is too small for all 50+ chickens!) I just have chickens for the fun of them being around so I let them have their nests wherever they want! When they go broody I just leave them (they are always fine with it) and then when their chicks hatch I keep them in a smaller run where they stay until they are weaned then join the flock! I call this cage the MOTHERS ROOM........! I have 4 dogs and they are not a problem with my chickens! I got my dogs as puppies so they learnt not to do anything to the chickens!

I wish more people would come to this site so that there are a bigger group of people to discuss matters with!
I am going to post the name of this thread to all of my own threads/subscriptions so that more people will/can join!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have 5 dogs and they are also fine with the chickens! It's wonderful to know that so many people free range them! It's the right way to keep chickens I believe. Thank you so much for spreading the word about this thread!!

 

[ChickyChickens]

We have 5 dogs and they are also fine with the chickens! It's wonderful to know that so many people free range them! It's the right way to keep chickens I believe. Thank you so much for spreading the word about this thread!!

Mp I hope many more people will come and join us!

 

[ChickyChickens]

So....... how many chickens do you have ladybroody??????

 

[gander007]

It took a wile but I found momma ducks egg's ....

 

[LadyBroody]

ChickyChickens - I have 5

UPDATED: My first ever chickens who might have left, which is the reason why I didn't mention them, are staying after all! 5 Brahma chicks + 11 Amber Links = 16!!

 

[SilkieHenHoney]

Mp I hope many more people will come and join us!

I love watching them look for bugs!

 

[Kassaundra]

I don't know what your definition of free range is, but my chickens have the run of a 1/3 acre yard and are shut up in a coop at night. I do feed them fermented grains most of the year, and sprouted grains in the winter.

 

[bumpercarr]

Posting to subscribe:

My last flock free ranged under supervision. Yes, they would go into the road and for some reason were particularly attracted to it. Most of the time they stayed together, although occasionally one or two would get on the other side of the fence and couldn't figure out how to get back to the flock. Yes, I fed them as I would if they didn't free range, although they seemed to eat less. I waited until I'd had them for about a month before I would let them free range so that they knew where home was, definitely waited until they were laying regularly so that they knew where their nests were. Mine laid all of their eggs in the coop, the whole flock would go back to the coop area so that the hens could lay and then they would all leave together. Moving a nest at night is preferable, but doesn't mean that the broody will be more cooperative, just increases your chances that she will be. Hopefully, this answers all of the questions asked...at least how my experience worked.

Some thoughts of my own....free ranging allows natural selection of the weakest or perhaps the not so smart so that they are not propagating those characteristics. I haven't ever free ranged any chicks or juveniles, so if you have any of those you need to make sure that the flock is a cohesive unit before starting free ranging if you want them to all stay together. I don't know how many of you have a cockerel or a cock bird, but the male was the one that always kept everyone pretty close by and moved them back to the coop at night. It is his job after all to look after the girls in his care.

My two cents worth anyway. Once I manage to build my flock back up, I'll start free ranging again. My only concern is that they don't get into the garden...I like my vegetables too much!

 

[Family Farming]

I let mine free range all day and they go back to the coop at dusk, I lock them up and let them back out in the morn. They always head to there nesting boxes to lay then back out to the field. I always keep feed available but I notice a large drop on consumption in the summer months. We are surrounded by bean fields and when the grasshoppers are at their peak my chickens don't even touch the feed. Only draw back I see with free ranging is I lost 6 pullets this spring to hungry hawks, but I have to respect the circle of life. And fortunately pullets are only a couple bucks a piece.