Keeping Chickens Free Range

[duluthralphie]

Ah, the trails and tribulations of solar power… Will see if I can find something to make due but most roost in Tree. Some are near a window but...
NOT TOO SURE I want to let out heat on the off chance they MAY start laying again for me. Have in the past, once the 'climatize' the the cooler temps just not as regularly.
See that that sloped thing in the Upper L corner? the cabin is just above that. Roo was 'standing guard btwn the 2, solar panel and front of cabin. Funny with as much as it is open, I haven't had more aerial predators, At THIS portion of the prop. Previous photo, Behind, NNE of Cabin, backyard….

My place is a heavily wooded area compared to yours and the aerial bombers get me often enough. Maybe if you could give my Longitude and Latitude I could put an arrow on the ground pointing your direction so the Eagles can visit you too.....

I hate having my chickens in a run, but they will have to be there for a little while now. My supreme Turkey gives the predator call more often them my Rooster does. It is amazing the chickens seem to understand the turkeys.

I only got 2 eggs today. I am starting my light at 5 am so they get 12 hours of light and they pay me back with 2 measly eggs!

They are learning where the nests are finally. I have not picked one off the ground in a couple days.

 

[lazy gardener]

If I let one of my hens raise chicks in the spring the rest of the flock will accept them won't they?

I also wondered........ if one of my pullets is really a rooster then at what age will he begin acting like a rooster?

Thanks!

I've heard that if the hen hatches the eggs and takes her chicks out to range with the rest of the flock very soon after hatching... while her broody hormones are still raging (while she's a beasty b**ch) she will defend the chicks and the rest of the flock will leave them alone. But, if the hen and her chicks are kept segregated for a while, she's not as likely to defend them. The one experience I had with a broody was many years ago. The hen incubated and hatched her clutch of eggs in the coop with the rest of the flock present. She took the chicks out to range with the rest of the flock, and there were never any problems.

 

[kit carson]

I've heard that if the hen hatches the eggs and takes her chicks out to range with the rest of the flock very soon after hatching... while her broody hormones are still raging (while she's a beasty b**ch) she will defend the chicks and the rest of the flock will leave them alone.  But, if the hen and her chicks are kept segregated for a while, she's not as likely to defend them.  The one experience I had with a broody was many years ago.  The hen incubated and hatched her clutch of eggs in the coop with the rest of the flock present.  She took the chicks out to range with the rest of the flock, and there were never any problems.

 

[kit carson]

I've had three batches of chicks hatched by broody hens. The first, a batch of eight, was a total surprise. The hen took care of them outside from day one, and the flock never bothered them. I gave away four roosters, and the four girls are now good layers, integrated into the flock. (I did make a separate place for them to sleep until they were bigger). The second time , a hen started sitting, and then another hen joined her on the nest. That wasn't a good situation, because in the confusion of hatching about six chicks were smothered. Only four survived - two for each hen. These also were free range with the others from a few days old, but have chosen to roost outside close to the house, I think because Pierre, our rooster, won't let the young roos into the roost. If we can ever catch them, they will be the first of our flock to be dinner. The two young hens are just starting to lay, and I'm trying to get them comfortable going into the nest boxes. The last group was a nest out in the grass during the rainy season. At night I had my husband pick up the hen and I took all eighteen eggs in a Tupperware tub with bedding to a quiet outbuilding, where eventually fifteen chicks hatched, and are now very well integrated into the flock. Doing it this way, the chicks are not as tame, but the they learn how to catch bugs, eat grass, dust bathe, and run for cover if someone sounds an alarm, so it makes my life a lot easier. I also think the chicks feel protected and secure snuggling under mom's wings at night, and following her around during the day. My point is, I think it's far easier than introducing new individuals into the flock that don't have a mom to vouch for them.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree 100%, sometimes a chick won't make it, it is a bit more survival of the fittest. I had a clutch hatch last week, they are about 10 days old, they are much more physically active, climbing over and under stuff, they stay close to her, and the rest of the flock pretty much ignores them. It works perfectly for me, so heat lamp, no wet bedding from a spilled water, no pasty butt, and no integrations! Mine hatch in the coop, and stay right with the flock.

 

[vpatt]

Thank you all for the response. Now I have 2 hens who are broody. One I can get off the nest ....the other is really determined to stay on her nest but without a rooster it is pointless. I could get eggs for her but I also wondered about this time of year......it can get pretty chilly here in VA. The other issue is that she is on a nest in the coop......where all the girls sleep and I don't know if the hen would take chicks down the ramp to free range.......would they fall off the ramp? Or maybe I should just get her 3 or 4 eggs and see what happens? Is that enough eggs? Not a lot of room in that nest. Or should I try moving her to a more roomy nest? Sorry I am just so new to all this.

 

[btguy]

my poor girls only get to free range if I stand over em with my 22

 

[chicksurreal]

Yikes! I can see why.

 

[heiditam]

Confession time...

I did something very stupid and it cost me the life of one of my hens.... I have been raising a bunch of CX broilers. I wanted as large a bird as I can get without getting one too old. ( under 20 weeks).

I also wanted to keep 2 CX hens and one rooster to see what I would get for chicks or if I could next year. We have been processing a few CX's a day. I free range everything most of the time.

My CX's and my DP flock have been free ranging together for a couple months. The birds all know each other.

I picked two CX hens to keep for next year. These were the two hens that roamed the furthest from the brooder/tractor the CX's live in.

In the last couple weeks I started to get eggs from my young flock. I was tired of finding them everywhere and not knowing exactly how many hens were laying. My wife and I made an enclosed run 9ft by 75 ft to give the birds lots of room and still have them in a cage, until they learn where the nests are. I put the two hens into the coop with the enclosed run. There was some minor fighting when they first went in, it did not look overly vicious. A couple of roosters were trying to mate with them against their wills. I thought another rooster put a stop too it. I Was wrong. Yesterday, I saw the two new hens had bloody butts. Badly bloodied butts!

I pulled them out and put them in a safe area by themselves. I did not want to process them because of the possibility of infection. I will only process clean healthy birds. She was dead this morning from the injuries and I feel like an idiot. So stupid to lose a bird like that. I was sure because they were basically one flock roosting in different coops they would be accepted.

Now comes a quandary, I still want to keep 2 hens and a rooster CX over winter. I am afraid to add new birds to the flock in the run.

What do you think the outcome would be if I throw the roosters outside to free range and leave the hens inside? Will the CX's be ok then? The hens did not participate in this rape/beating.

If I make the roosters coop together in the CX's brooder will the CX rooster be safe?

Any suggestions?


And a warning beware when adding chickens into new areas!

I am so sorry! <3 <3 You just never know, it happens. I combined two flocks and it went well. I have one bully hen so I was worried, but we started by only combing during roost time, seperating during day, and it worked. I would lean towards seperating the bullies...

my poor girls only get to free range if I stand over em with my 22

Is that a fox?! What time of day was this?! I know we have red foxes, but I am partially comforted that they come out at night.

 

[heiditam]

I started a new thread about hawks in general but I would love to know free ranger advice...what the heck do you do? We had a serious run in with a hawk yesterday. I ONLY have a coop. No run yet. My plan was to only use coop for roosting and free range during day. So far it has worked out well, until yesterday. I need a solution fast as I cannot keep 8 girls in a 4x8 coop. What do you all do about the hawks? We have woods, lots of brush, and they took refuge there, but what else can I do? The owl decoy sure didn't work.