Keeping Chickens Free Range

[SmColorInDaPan]

I have decided I need to hatch more chicks next year and aim for 50 hens over winter. By doing that I might have 25 after the predators hit them.


I am not going to stop free ranging just because a few get eaten. I just wish they would eat the ones I don't care about instead of my favorites.

Camp day tomorrow here, I have 60 Free range CX hens going to camp. I am hoping I average 9 pounds a bird dressed.

GO GET 'EM!
I have been hard pressed to buy the 6 min @ my local TSC but will likely HAVE TO, next Spring. Down to one hen, Bought her as Pullet, to supplement loss, a few weeks ago...one Roo, from 6 total. Bobcat and Fox been eating well this year, DANG IT!

Still have a wild loner Turkey hen, but no place to put her...Can hear the wild Turkeys also.
Good luck with it, DuluthRalphie.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am going to keep the "babies" in covered runs longer too. They are just too tempting for the critters.

I bought a predator call the other day, sat out and used it with no response, I was on the far end of my property, just shy of a 1/4 mile from the barnyard.

I figured it was useless or I would only get special needs predators with my fancy electronic call. I could hardly hear the call 40 yards away from my blind. BUT I could hear the chickens, guineas and turkeys 1/4 mile away loud and clear.

 

[mossyroo]

It's because they are smart enough to know that eggs are gone= not safe.

After watching mine run back and forth along the fence trying to get into the coop with the pop door within about 2 feet of one end of their pacing, I don't think I would put it down to intelligence.

 

[new user]

I am not going to stop free ranging just because a few get eaten. I just wish they would eat the ones I don't care about instead of my favorites.

Same way I feel about it. The wife and I decided we just need to get more the next go around because we know we are going to loose some, and that we need to keep a better eye out.

I am picking up about 15-20 Black Orpingtons when they hatch in a few weeks from a local fella. Next year (unless I can find a local person selling these), I plan on picking up about 15-20 New Hampshire Reds to add to the flock.

Plus I have about 3 months to expand the coop, to fit everyone into them at night since they all enjoy free ranging our property.

 

[vpatt]

I completed my first year last month. I learned a little bit over the year. I like free ranging even with the problems I've had. We doubled our big coop and so far it is keeping them safe at night. I do keep my three bantams in a small pen and their own coop. I have 25 total right now. My biggest concerns are HIDDEN EGGS, AND PREDATORS. Right now I'm not having much luck finding eggs. Any tips? Predators were worst in June this year. The last predator problem the end of the summer was my fault. I allowed two hens to keep their chicks under the porch where they chose and i should have moved them where i could shut them up. I got too comfortable and thought predators would stay away just because i thought they would. My next project is enclosing an area underneath the coop to use for broodies and chicks. Even if i cannot successfully move the hen and her eggs i should be able to move the hen and chicks......at least i think so.....any tips on that? I tried moving two hens and their eggs and that was a big bust. And when they took their chicks to some of the big nest boxes that were outside the coop i secured those nests at night....but then i got lax and let them move to an area i could not secure. I hope i can use a special broody/grow out pen for them.....they could take the chicks out in the daytime and i could secure them at night without them being in the main coop with all the chicken traffic. I hope I'm making sense.

Another problem is too many roosters, but that is not really a free range issue. But they seem to get along ok except when they first go into the coop at night.

 

[slordaz]

I found a broody and eggs don't move but after they hatch you can easily move them with my flock, What we did was a smaller coop for the roosters and hens were in the hen house. That stopped most of the fighting until they all started maturing. Then we took to making them fend for themselves and just leaving the roosters loose, so far haven't lost one rooster yet. only time we have an issue is when there's feed put out for them they will get cocky at the feeding dish.

Each flock is different though so ideas can be tried and used if they work if not go on to the next idea

 

[vpatt]

I found a broody and eggs don't move but after they hatch you can easily move them with my flock, What we did was a smaller coop for the roosters and hens were in the hen house. That stopped most of the fighting until they all started maturing. Then we took to making them fend for themselves and just leaving the roosters loose, so far haven't lost one rooster yet. only time we have an issue is when there's feed put out for them they will get cocky at the feeding dish.

Each flock is different though so ideas can be tried and used if they work if not go on to the next idea

Do you mean that you leave the roosters outside at night?

 

[Attila the Hen]

I completed my first year last month. I learned a little bit over the year. I like free ranging even with the problems I've had. We doubled our big coop and so far it is keeping them safe at night. I do keep my three bantams in a small pen and their own coop. I have 25 total right now. My biggest concerns are HIDDEN EGGS, AND PREDATORS. Right now I'm not having much luck finding eggs. Any tips? Predators were worst in June this year. The last predator problem the end of the summer was my fault. I allowed two hens to keep their chicks under the porch where they chose and i should have moved them where i could shut them up. I got too comfortable and thought predators would stay away just because i thought they would. My next project is enclosing an area underneath the coop to use for broodies and chicks. Even if i cannot successfully move the hen and her eggs i should be able to move the hen and chicks......at least i think so.....any tips on that? I tried moving two hens and their eggs and that was a big bust. And when they took their chicks to some of the big nest boxes that were outside the coop i secured those nests at night....but then i got lax and let them move to an area i could not secure. I hope i can use a special broody/grow out pen for them.....they could take the chicks out in the daytime and i could secure them at night without them being in the main coop with all the chicken traffic. I hope I'm making sense.

Another problem is too many roosters, but that is not really a free range issue. But they seem to get along ok except when they first go into the coop at night.

One comment about not finding eggs right now. None of mine are laying because of molting, less light in the day etc. So, it may be a case of no eggs laid -- not predators.

 

[vpatt]

One comment about not finding eggs right now. None of mine are laying because of molting, less light in the day etc. So, it may be a case of no eggs laid -- not predators.

You could be right about that.

 

[slordaz]

Yep the 3 RIR and the Barred Rock roosters are all outside, they can fly and perch up but are really good alarms if something is amiss too as they are very protective of the hens. most times they just go bed down in the calves stall so they are close to the hens but the RIR's seem to patrol a lot to check on the hens more so than the barred rock. When they were little they were kept safe but 4 roosters even the owls stay away as the RIR's can be quite mean, the stray cats won't take on the barred rock let alone along with 3 meaner roosters. There is plenty of shelter for them to get into if needed.

My hens were locked in for 3 days to get them in the habit of laying in the hen house before turning them loose to free range and I have yet had to go out egg hunting, they leave em in the nest box and go back about their stuff. They did change from morning to afternoon now that it is starting to get colder though.