Keeping Chickens Free Range

[SmColorInDaPan]

OH, COOL, IT LOADED!!! This was last year. Wild hen and one of my PRs down by E driveway, just below the cabin.
NW corner of the back yard, behind cabin. Think my kids were under the porch, near the house at the time of pix. Yeah, that's real snow. Not sure but think in the 30's about then?? This Spring, the Wild Turkeys were Bigger!!! That tiny bit of chain link is where my garden sits, PROTECTED from the critters of ALL KINDS!

 

[duluthralphie]

WOW. Those look like my tame ones!!!


so cool.. I suppose I should try my game camera out I got a couple years ago for xmas.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

WOW. Those look like my tame ones!!!


so cool.. I suppose I should try my game camera out I got a couple years ago for xmas.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!! i think the stinkers KNOW they are being photoed. Candid would be great!!

BTW, I WAS teasing Duluth back, not being cranky as may have sounded…. Will try other more up close photo of wild hen soon.

 

[artsygirl]

Bigger falcons, Eagles and then the list goes to more questionably legal items, flares, hand grenades, rocket launchers and shotguns. All of which are illegal to use on any bird of prey...

I was told by a guy in Pa, chickens high in lead content will stop them from future killings....

Birds of prey scare the crap out of me because there is no good way to protect your chickens from them in a Free range setting..... 

my friend uses CDs hanging from fishing line in her trees and a fake owl. The chickens ignore the owl and sometimes chases true light glare from the CDs, but it seems to deter the hawks and whatnot a good deal.

 

[holm25]

I would have to kick my dogs butt for this!


Those turkeys were only 3 days from going into the coop and becoming your turkeys...

Just do not pass my advice on to your local game warden.......and if you do It came from Jessica.......or Linda... or..

HAHA!!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

my friend uses CDs hanging from fishing line in her trees and a fake owl. The chickens ignore the owl and sometimes chases true light glare from the CDs, but it seems to deter the hawks and whatnot a good deal.

I wish I had a good place to do something like that....

I am thinking of advertising on Craigslist for a trained eagle.

 

[islandgirl82]

I wish I had a good place to do something like that....

I am thinking of advertising on Craigslist for a trained eagle.

What about those shepard hooks made for hanging plants or lanterns? Could you stake some of those out with some type of deterrent like the cd's hanging from them?

 

[duluthralphie]

What about those shepard hooks made for hanging plants or lanterns? Could you stake some of those out with some type of deterrent like the cd's hanging from them?

I would need a thousand shepard hooks. It is just not feasible..

Hopefully the noisy Guineas hens and dogs will keep them away.


And to be honest, birds of prey are a bigger fear of mine than an actual threat. I think I only lost on bird to an owl, and that was a guinea that refused to go into the coop at night.

 

[islandgirl82]

I would need a thousand shepard hooks. It is just not feasible..

Hopefully the noisy Guineas hens and dogs will keep them away.

I'll take that to mean you're not running just a small hobby operation.

 

[duluthralphie]

I'll take that to mean you're not running just a small hobby operation.

I consider it a hobby, I have around 110 chickens,

14 turkeys

15 guineas and I free range them over my entire 13 acres..

I might have exaggerated the number slightly. But to cover 13 acres would cost a lot and for the few birds I have it would not make sense.

I do have "cover" items placed all over the main chicken areas for them to run under. Old Pick up toppers are cheap and make good protection from birds and rain storms.

I also have some old deck railings I have got from people that are redoing theirs. They make great protection and give the chickens something to climb on.