- Thread starter
- #81
X2!!
Keeping Chickens Free Range
- Thread starter LadyBroody
- Start date
X2!!
Okay I made it through all the previous post. I have 60+ chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats and a goose. All free range most of the time together in happy harmony. The LF chickens, ducks, turkeys and goats sleep in the barn. I have 4 coops of varying sizes that bantam sleep in. I also use these coops as breeding pens. In that time they do not free range. I have a few exceptions. I have a LF EE hen who thinks she is a Seabright and freaked out when I tried to move her to the barn. I have 2 bantam roos who chose to live in the barn. I have 3 acres fenced in with two creeks running through it and a small wooded area.. Everyone gets locked in at night except for my tom turkey and at 30+ lbs I got tired of herding him in at night so he sleeps in the woods. I fed a mix of crack corn and 22% laying pellet. I throw the food out on a large grass less spot. Open all the coops and the the barn. I noticed that they were picking all the corn out and leaving the laying pellets. I then switched to 3 grain scratch only. I expected a drop in egg production, but they are still laying like gang busters. Now I'm only feeding a gallon of food a day. everyone's crops are full at bed time so they are getting most of it own their own. of course in the winter I feed more feed.
"Most" of the hens return to the barn to lay. I've had 3 LF broodies hatch and raise their chicks in the barn with all the other animals with no problems. I have another on a nest of 11 EE eggs now. The bantam I move to dog kennels in my garage simply because I couldn't keep the other hens from laying in their nest. I have found covered cat litter boxes are great for this. I can just pick them up and move nest, eggs, hen and all with out disturbing her. I move them at night.
I did have a big drop in eggs and knew hey were laying in the woods. I kept the barn closed up for a few days. They hated it, but it got them to laying back were I wanted them to. I still have a couple who go out of the fenced in area and lay in the woods.
When I first got chickens some one suggested I keep them fastened up for a week or so and then start letting them out a hour or so before dark so they didn't go far. I did that and increased the time they were out. Now I open before I leave for work and lock up at dark or shortly after.
When integrating new chickens I quarantine them for a couple of weeks and make sure everyone is healthy. I then move them into the barn or coop at night. I've never had a problem doing this. When its chicks, ducklings or poults I've raised in a brooder I start out by taking them to the main bantam coop. I let them spend a few hours there and the return them to the kennel inside the garage. When they are big enough to spend the night out side they go in that bantam coop until they out grow the bantam and then they get moved into the barn at night. Sometimes that takes a few nights to get them used to going in there.
I came to this thread by invitation on another. I thinks a great place for us to talk about our yard birds.
Just a few pics. Yes that is my 10lb livestock guardian. lol
"Most" of the hens return to the barn to lay. I've had 3 LF broodies hatch and raise their chicks in the barn with all the other animals with no problems. I have another on a nest of 11 EE eggs now. The bantam I move to dog kennels in my garage simply because I couldn't keep the other hens from laying in their nest. I have found covered cat litter boxes are great for this. I can just pick them up and move nest, eggs, hen and all with out disturbing her. I move them at night.
I did have a big drop in eggs and knew hey were laying in the woods. I kept the barn closed up for a few days. They hated it, but it got them to laying back were I wanted them to. I still have a couple who go out of the fenced in area and lay in the woods.
When I first got chickens some one suggested I keep them fastened up for a week or so and then start letting them out a hour or so before dark so they didn't go far. I did that and increased the time they were out. Now I open before I leave for work and lock up at dark or shortly after.
When integrating new chickens I quarantine them for a couple of weeks and make sure everyone is healthy. I then move them into the barn or coop at night. I've never had a problem doing this. When its chicks, ducklings or poults I've raised in a brooder I start out by taking them to the main bantam coop. I let them spend a few hours there and the return them to the kennel inside the garage. When they are big enough to spend the night out side they go in that bantam coop until they out grow the bantam and then they get moved into the barn at night. Sometimes that takes a few nights to get them used to going in there.
I came to this thread by invitation on another. I thinks a great place for us to talk about our yard birds.
Just a few pics. Yes that is my 10lb livestock guardian. lol
My chickens just love free ranging and I mean LOVE it! In the afternoons I give the flick a little bit of food to peck ( if they are all out free ranging I call them and then they all come running for.....) at out the rest they get from free ranging!
My hens go broody where they want to ( **as there are no predators** ) and then when they hatch their chicks I keep them in a little run (Ok correction... I have one predator.....an eagle.... luckily it is only big enough to eat the chicks!) That's why I keep them in the Mothers Room!
SO any way I keep them in the Mother Room ( the chick run) until the mothers wean them! I also teach the chicks to come when I call and I tame them, since they are in a smaller coop so they can't run away! Its sooo cute because when I come into the Mothers Room all the chicks come running to me for a little neck scratching ( the mother hens also benefit because they get a few treats!) I let them free range under my supervision and the daddy cock ( He is the cock that stays in the mother coop to warn the mommies of any hawks when they free range. He is sooo good with the little chicks!)
Im going to post some pictures tomorrow of the chicks, the Mother Room and the cock, etc.
*****WARNING: There are going to be a lot of pictures!!*****
My hens go broody where they want to ( **as there are no predators** ) and then when they hatch their chicks I keep them in a little run (Ok correction... I have one predator.....an eagle.... luckily it is only big enough to eat the chicks!) That's why I keep them in the Mothers Room!
SO any way I keep them in the Mother Room ( the chick run) until the mothers wean them! I also teach the chicks to come when I call and I tame them, since they are in a smaller coop so they can't run away! Its sooo cute because when I come into the Mothers Room all the chicks come running to me for a little neck scratching ( the mother hens also benefit because they get a few treats!) I let them free range under my supervision and the daddy cock ( He is the cock that stays in the mother coop to warn the mommies of any hawks when they free range. He is sooo good with the little chicks!)
Im going to post some pictures tomorrow of the chicks, the Mother Room and the cock, etc.
*****WARNING: There are going to be a lot of pictures!!*****
- Thread starter
- #84
My Amber girls love greens! Their favourites are spinach and chickweed. They really enjoy it!
- Apr 26, 2014
- 31
- 3
- 84
Okay I made it through all the previous post. I have 60+ chickens, ducks, turkeys, goats and a goose. All free range most of the time together in happy harmony. The LF chickens, ducks, turkeys and goats sleep in the barn. I have 4 coops of varying sizes that bantam sleep in. I also use these coops as breeding pens. In that time they do not free range. I have a few exceptions. I have a LF EE hen who thinks she is a Seabright and freaked out when I tried to move her to the barn. I have 2 bantam roos who chose to live in the barn. I have 3 acres fenced in with two creeks running through it and a small wooded area.. Everyone gets locked in at night except for my tom turkey and at 30+ lbs I got tired of herding him in at night so he sleeps in the woods. I fed a mix of crack corn and 22% laying pellet. I throw the food out on a large grass less spot. Open all the coops and the the barn. I noticed that they were picking all the corn out and leaving the laying pellets. I then switched to 3 grain scratch only. I expected a drop in egg production, but they are still laying like gang busters. Now I'm only feeding a gallon of food a day. everyone's crops are full at bed time so they are getting most of it own their own. of course in the winter I feed more feed. "Most" of the hens return to the barn to lay. I've had 3 LF broodies hatch and raise their chicks in the barn with all the other animals with no problems. I have another on a nest of 11 EE eggs now. The bantam I move to dog kennels in my garage simply because I couldn't keep the other hens from laying in their nest. I have found covered cat litter boxes are great for this. I can just pick them up and move nest, eggs, hen and all with out disturbing her. I move them at night. I did have a big drop in eggs and knew hey were laying in the woods. I kept the barn closed up for a few days. They hated it, but it got them to laying back were I wanted them to. I still have a couple who go out of the fenced in area and lay in the woods. When I first got chickens some one suggested I keep them fastened up for a week or so and then start letting them out a hour or so before dark so they didn't go far. I did that and increased the time they were out. Now I open before I leave for work and lock up at dark or shortly after. When integrating new chickens I quarantine them for a couple of weeks and make sure everyone is healthy. I then move them into the barn or coop at night. I've never had a problem doing this. When its chicks, ducklings or poults I've raised in a brooder I start out by taking them to the main bantam coop. I let them spend a few hours there and the return them to the kennel inside the garage. When they are big enough to spend the night out side they go in that bantam coop until they out grow the bantam and then they get moved into the barn at night. Sometimes that takes a few nights to get them used to going in there. I came to this thread by invitation on another. I thinks a great place for us to talk about our yard birds.
- Apr 26, 2014
- 31
- 3
- 84
You have a beautiful flock. I with I could get polish hens. Right now I only have white silkies. My black ones died young, but I've learned a lot from them. Chickens are so fun and entertaining, and they love you sweetly.
I have a polish rooster chick!!! I hope he will pass on his "polish" genes to some of his chiks!!!
MORE POLISH!!! MORE POLISH!!! MORE POLISH!!!!
- Thread starter
- #88
I love the way that they a=walk. It looks like such a "fashionable" walk with their huge hairstyles!!!
I don't have Polish, but was at a farm that had them last week. Very entertaining indeed.I agree. Out of all my pets, they are the most entertaining.
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