Keeping Chickens Free Range

[RoosterLew]

Big Red...gets on his stump and calls the flock in every evening.

 

[RoosterLew]

Even with all of our "pure bred" roosters. This guy is still Master of the Barn Yard. A Freebie BCM mixed Rooster. He walks the proudest, Crows the Loudest and does his Job the best. He has sent young Orp cockerels twice his weight running for cover when they mis-behaved. He "tends" the ladies gently. He takes care of business and stands tall doing it.
Guess no one told him he is "just a mixed up freebie"?

 

[LanceTN]

Thanks for the answers guys.

You have done much to ease my worry about free ranging.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Can I stick in One More, Lance? My chickens are ALL free range; the best they have for cover is the tree next to the back porch/house & the kindling boxes setting ON the back porch, that are against the dbl pane windows, emiting heat during the cold months? *S cent. Mont*
Had the 2 PRs since 10 or 11??? Sexlk & lghrn since…when i got them...

It was only a couple of years ago I found Bantam Roo on CL. The thing that gets me is when he finds something, He lets out a call that brings the girls running, then lets them eat. I haven't figured out if it's HIM, BUT someone lets out a screech when danger is near. It's been close but haven't lost one to predator, cept to my own 'Oh gosh, Mom they want to play with me', KNOW BETTER NOW, dog.
Quite a bit of cover, to hide, out here btwn the pine trees, bushes, porches and sandstone cubbyholes.
What makes me nervous of late is what I think is a hawk screeching, like a young un, NNE of the cabin--Close. I've always had animals comfortable with me but this is getting a little crazy, btwn the wild Turkeys, cattle & now a momma hawk. Btwn the Roo's warning system and the dogs, the Hutch I drug out, I hope I can get breakfast thru THIS winter….

 

[holm25]

Welsummer

 

[LanceTN]

   Can I stick in One More, Lance?  My chickens are ALL free range; the best they have for cover is the tree next to the back porch/house & the kindling boxes setting ON the back porch, that are against the dbl pane windows, emiting heat during the cold months?  *S cent. Mont*
      Had the 2 PRs since 10 or 11???  Sexlk & lghrn since…when i got them...   It was only a couple of years ago I found Bantam Roo on CL.  The thing that gets me is when he finds something, He lets out a call that brings the girls running, then lets them eat.  I haven't figured out if it's HIM, BUT someone lets out a screech when danger is near. It's been close but haven't lost one to predator, cept to my own 'Oh gosh, Mom they want to play with me', KNOW BETTER [COLOR=FF0000]NOW[/COLOR], dog.   
   Quite a bit of cover, to hide, out here btwn the pine trees, bushes, porches and sandstone cubbyholes.
     What makes me nervous of late is what I think is a hawk screeching, like a young un, NNE of the cabin--Close.  I've always had animals comfortable with me but this is getting a little crazy, btwn the wild Turkeys, cattle & now a momma hawk.   Btwn the Roo's warning system and the dogs, the Hutch I drug out, I hope I can get breakfast thru THIS winter…. 

Good to hear!

Anyway the one warning them should be the Roo. It's their job in the flock to warn for predators and attempt to convince a predator to look somewhere else.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Thx, Lance. Forgot to answer One question: I collect the chicken poop from the base of the tree they roost in, soak it in water, then fertilize my garden/plants. Occasionally, I do have to pick thru and transplant, CAREFULLY, what is in my kindling boxes, Old banana boxes, so to add to the fertilizer, but usually don't have much issue with poop all over. The window sill OUTSIDE near the k boxes, etc. Rubber gloves pretty cheap these days &/or we all wash!
The leghorn, she's kind of the outcast, like the bed of the truck, for some reason….
Good Luck. Just heard I will have some help soon, so finally get a few photos of my kids on here in coming weeks? The 1 young Bantam Roo has such NICE MARKINGS!!

 

[K Epp]

Is it possible for a hawk to get a large duck. I had two go missing Sunday still no sign of them. Not a missing feather or anything. I also lost a bantam roo a week or so ago and a Welsumer roo with a bad leg was taken Friday. There were a few feathers from that one. I heard a hawk screeching, but doubt a red tailed could get the big drake. Everyone is on lockdown until I solve the mystery.

 

[lazy gardener]

Have you looked in the predator section to see if you can get a lead from the MO? Even no trace left behind will point to a particular predator.

 

[blkjak]

I wouldnt think a red tail could or would take a large duck. Do you have a coyote?