Keeping Chickens Free Range

[duluthralphie]

Vpatt capture the chickens that are leaving tomorrow tonight after dark when they are on the roost. They are easier to catch just use a small flashlight..

 

[vpatt]

Vpatt capture the chickens that are leaving tomorrow tonight after dark  when they are on the roost.  They are easier to catch just use a small flashlight..

Thank you so much Ralphie! I will get them tonite.

We cut out a new chicken door today. Now I can either let them out into the pen or out into the yard. And we are going to add on to the coop very soon. We will attach the addition to the the original and it will double our coop. Plus it will have a door inside that closes so I can separate the chickens if I need to. The two cochins are in the pen with the dog box as their coop. They are so cute. I would like to free range them, too. Do you think they could run very fast if something comes after them....they are bantams and have such short little legs. I guess that is silly....but for some reason they look more fragile than the big birds.

Also,I want to build a small box or brooder for outside...no electricity involved. I wonder if I can do this myself....need directions...I've never built anything. Well, I did build a banjo once from a kit.lol....and I put together my latest spinning wheel. But a brooder or hutch will be very different.

 

[vpatt]

Vpatt capture the chickens that are leaving tomorrow tonight after dark  when they are on the roost.  They are easier to catch just use a small flashlight..

I got them without any trouble. They are in the crate and quiet. I put a quilt over them because its supposed to get down to freezing. I decided to keep the little pullet because she was on the roost with the others. Ive never seen her do that before. I was afraid the others might pick at her if she was left without her buddies. If they do I'll try her in with the cochins. If that doesn't work I'll have to make a new plan for her. She should start laying soon...she is four months old. Well, I hope soon.

Thanks for the help on how to catch them.

 

[mossyroo]

Vpatt capture the chickens that are leaving tomorrow tonight after dark when they are on the roost. They are easier to catch just use a small flashlight..

I got a head lamp at Walmart with a red light selection. It's a lot less disturbing to them on the roost than a regular flashlight and I have 2 hands to grab the chicken with. Don't remember price but not much.

 

[duluthralphie]

I got a head lamp at Walmart with a red light selection. It's a lot less disturbing to them on the roost than a regular flashlight and I have 2 hands to grab the chicken with. Don't remember price but not much.

I never thought of using a red light!! Genius...


And red does not destroy our night vision..... I should have known that. Red lights are used in cockpits for that reason duh..



When I caught mine it was a spectacle.. Me trying to hold with a mini flashlight in my mouth and the bird under my arm.... open the doors and pack them in a cage.......Not pretty but funny..

 

[Shawnee Moon]

Hopefully getting chicks today! We have a 9x7.5' chicken house, a good sized run, and 3 acres. But I'm in northern Wyoming in an agricultural area with a river nearby, so predators galore abound here. Foxes, wolves, bears, Eagles, owls, Hawks, snakes, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, the list goes on. The Yard is fenced to keep large dogs in, but chickens could probably get through it in a few places.

I'd like them to run free at least part of the time, but I'm thinking maybe it'll be my time to garden or work on my tan (ha) or something, to supervise them. As long as they go home to roost at night, I'd think they'd be okay. They'd sure have fun here on 3 acres. There's edib plants around too, like asparagus, choke cherries, etc.

 

[duluthralphie]

Hopefully getting chicks today! We have a 9x7.5' chicken house, a good sized run, and 3 acres. But I'm in northern Wyoming in an agricultural area with a river nearby, so predators galore abound here. Foxes, wolves, bears, Eagles, owls, Hawks, snakes, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, the list goes on. The Yard is fenced to keep large dogs in, but chickens could probably get through it in a few places.

I'd like them to run free at least part of the time, but I'm thinking maybe it'll be my time to garden or work on my tan (ha) or something, to supervise them. As long as they go home to roost at night, I'd think they'd be okay. They'd sure have fun here on 3 acres. There's edib plants around too, like asparagus, choke cherries, etc.

Hey Shawnee Moon,

Free ranging is great Predators are the bad part of it.

Do you have a dog that can run with the birds?

They do help with predators, of course you named predators that can eat dogs.

My dogs do wonders if I can keep the couch potato dogs outside!

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a turkey hen that is hiding a nest somewhere. I was wondering if any of you have tried one of these to find the nest? I thought I could make her a necklace with this on it..


LSD Green Smart Tag Nut Bluetooth Electronic Anti Lost Alarm For Children pet Bag Wallet Key Tracer finder Tracker Locator GPS Locator Alarm Free Shipping

by

• Function:1. Two-way anti lost. 2. A key finding things. 3. The location information. 4. The Internet search. 5. Ultra-low power consumption. 6. Multitasking management.
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• Support the Bluetooth 4.0 and Android system version 4.3 and above.
• Battery: CR2032. And you can manage 6 Nut 2 bluetooth tracking tag at the same time.
• Two mode: 1. Bluetooth anti lost: The maximum range of the device is 50m. 2. GPS anti lost: No limit

from $12.99

 

[artsygirl]

Sadly my chickens have to be in a full covered run after a fox attack. I was blessed that the chicken survived without major injuries. We have a small run right now and going to repurpose a carport into a chicken run. It scares me but I can't let the fox have my girls.

 

[mossyroo]

Leading the parade. Taking granddaughter out to meet the new horse.