Keeping Chickens Free Range

[3chickchicks]

Well yes and no, lol..
Yes 5 acres will support 20 chickens.
Yes 20 layers will more than give enough eggs for 2 people, even in winter.
No..having bigger breeds will not cut losses from predators like Coyotes. You should not have a problem with your cat or hawks with all but bantam breeds.
I would not count on them foraging for their entire diet, you will still need to feed them.
Being in the woods I would also think you'd have more predator problems such as raccoons, skunks, etc.
wooded areas are predator areas, plain and simple.
Free ranging is an "accepted loss" way of raising chickens. Unless you stand gaurd, sooner or later you will lose some. We lost 10 in one day to small domestic dogs..so imagine what a coyote could do, or worse a pack of them?
If all your after is Egg production, I would not be looking to heritage or designer breeds but rather some of the purpose needs egg producers. I believe the "freedom Rangers" are the ones bred to be good foragers as well as producers. Production bred birds will have a better conversion than heritage or designer bred birds.

Another note on predators. You might also consider smaller birds of a dark or partridge color that can hide better than large colorful breeds.

I thought the Freedom Rangers were meat birds?

There's a brown Leghorn that might be able to hide better than the white ones. Red stars and Rhode Island Reds are supposed to be great producers. AFAIK, Leghorns have the best feed to egg conversion though.
I agree, with higher production birds you'll need to feed them. Wild chickens did not lay as often and did not need as much nutrition. Most birds you buy today have been bred for production which requires more nutrition.
I think getting larger birds won't decrease the odds of a predator attack. It may even worsen the odds since the larger breeds won't be as agile or able to fly away from problems.
You'll certainly need a good coop. Seems most people lose birds to predators at night.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a question. I'm about to move onto five acres of mostly wooded land in the Pacific Northwest (south end of Camano Island - about half as much rain as Seattle but still pretty green). I want chickens only for eggs and I want to free-range as much as possible for two reasons: taste and feed cost. I'm guessing I'll have to feed them in the winter but in the warmer months it'd be great if they could live entirely or nearly entirely off the land. I plan to cull my hens at 2-3 years of age to increase overall production. I'm thinking of trying out Hamburgs, Leghorns, and Easter Eggers to see who can produce the most with the fewest losses to predators (hawks, coyotes, our own cat). I may have to resort to larger hens, not sure. My question is, how many chickens can my five acres support that way? It's just me and my husband but we eat a lot of eggs, therefore I'd like to keep about 20 layers so there's enough eggs even in winter (I plan to put a light in the coop). There won't be any other livestock grazing. Is this realistic?

I agree with everything roosterLew told you. I do not have Dominques, everything I read about them is good. They are a "smaller" bird lay a good size egg and are suppose to be good foragers.


They are barred and everything I read says they are good at hiding from predators. I looked for some this spring with no luck. I will be buying some getting some eggs to hatch next year, to add into my flock.....



..Dear Wife, If you are reading this. I would not really get more chickens next year,,,Relax.. trust me. ..

 

[holm25]

..Dear Wife, If you are reading this. I would not really get more chickens next year,,,Relax.. trust me. ..

HAHA!!!

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Thanks for the advice, folks! I'm not set on any particular breed or breeds. My thought was that heritage breeds may be better at evading predators and at foraging than production breeds. Definitely wasn't planning on getting any colorful or white birds because they're too visible. I understand there will be occasional predator losses but I'm just looking for something that's sustainable. And, uh, yeah, of course I'm going to build a secure coop, LOL.

 

[RoosterLew]

Yes, freedom rangers are meat birds...lol oops!!
What are the layers that were bred to be good foragers...I can't remember everything!! Lol

Brown Leghorns would be a good choice I think.

 

[holm25]

Yes, freedom rangers are meat birds...lol oops!!
What are the layers that were bred to be good foragers...I can't remember everything!! Lol

Brown Leghorns would be a good choice I think.

Welsummers to .

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Welsummers to .

I've had one Welsummer hen before and she was super smart. She was just a hatchery bird but she's the only chicken I've ever had that felt like a pet. She was this wonderful combination of flighty and friendly at the same time. In fact, she's the one in my profile pic. Not much of a layer, though.

 

[holm25]

I've had one Welsummer hen before and she was super smart. She was just a hatchery bird but she's the only chicken I've ever had that felt like a pet. She was this wonderful combination of flighty and friendly at the same time. In fact, she's the one in my profile pic. Not much of a layer, though.

We have Welsummers to they are great foragers .

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

I have a question. I'm about to move onto five acres of mostly wooded land in the Pacific Northwest (south end of Camano Island - about half as much rain as Seattle but still pretty green). I want chickens only for eggs and I want to free-range as much as possible for two reasons: taste and feed cost. I'm guessing I'll have to feed them in the winter but in the warmer months it'd be great if they could live entirely or nearly entirely off the land. I plan to cull my hens at 2-3 years of age to increase overall production. I'm thinking of trying out Hamburgs, Leghorns, and Easter Eggers to see who can produce the most with the fewest losses to predators (hawks, coyotes, our own cat). I may have to resort to larger hens, not sure. My question is, how many chickens can my five acres support that way? It's just me and my husband but we eat a lot of eggs, therefore I'd like to keep about 20 layers so there's enough eggs even in winter (I plan to put a light in the coop). There won't be any other livestock grazing. Is this realistic?

From what I gather, it would be wise to supplement what they get off the land, with Grain. Like humans need tatters and breads to add to all meat or veggie diets?
If the area is mostly wooded, than ground predators will likely be the worst, since lots of area they can hide.. GOOD news, as long as chickens's wings aren't clipped, lots of trees to sit/escape in. They can move pretty danged fast if they need to!!

From what I HAVE HEARD, it's the HEAT that proves fatal the chickens most of the time. Look up and keep a thermometer w/ the Ideal temp in the hen house? There should be somewhere online, a place you can find the usual temps for your future area, thus be able to accomadate? Even with below 0 wind chills, 0 temps, this last winter, I only lost a comb on my Bantam roo. A few nights, I tucked them into a wood box, due to windchill, but they were okay. I soaked bread in warm water, with scratch & then added a hot rock to the water dish, as needed. More work but what I need to do in my situation. Had to buy eggs once but a bad winter for Montana.
Common sense and a bit of research and I bet you do a great job! With as many as you plan to have, bet you can shave off feed cost , with eggs sales, pretty quick too!

 

[UrbanEnthusiast]

Yes, I do plan to provide quality feed year-round I'm just hoping they won't eat much of it, haha. And hopefully our cat will keep the rodents off of it without killing any hens. That's why i think I need some FAST little birds!