Keeping Chickens Free Range

[slordaz]

I was satisfied with my winter loss, it was not overly bad. I would have lost none, had the rooster not been so stupid. I was taking him out of the bachelor pad and moving him to a breeding pen and he escaped. I tried to catch him for over and hour. I went into the house to warm up and give him a chance to find a sleeping place. I went out about 45 minutes later and found him dead with these wing marks in the snow:






He was lying where the feathers are. The owl wing marks are pretty obvious. He was too stupid to reproduce. Darwin's law took him out of the breeding pool.

ouch, ours free range 24/7 for a year now, 3 protectors for the hens watch over the them. So they are always together with their perspective hens. we have a BR, RIR and a blue Swedish Drake that protect our girls and they are really good at team work red stays with hens moving them while the BR goes for blood and the drake helps which ever needs it the most. That's for night time, during the day they got a guard boxer too

 

[potterycat]

Thank you everyone for the input! I'm getting chicks tomorrow. I've clean out the coop and have some repairs to do while the chicks grow. I think a run is in my future for times when we leave for a couple days. I'm so excited!

 

[hellbender]

I lose way more during spring and fall than I do in winter.

I only lost one rooster to an owl that I recall this winter.

Fortunately we lost NOT a single bird this past winter. The biggest threat to them is actually my large pack of 'night dogs' that roam the farm (200 plus or minus acres), is fenced with HOT high tensile fence, more to keep the dogs on the property since our farm is quite remote.

The dogs are loosed when the chickens are locked up tight and the day-time dogs are kenneled for their safety.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

A firefighter I know responded to 2 Fires recently. One was caused by a heat lamp falling from where it was hung, the other oily rags left in barn. TREMENDOUS loss.
PLEASE, be CAREFUL out there!!

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

A firefighter I know responded to 2 Fires recently. One was caused by a heat lamp falling from where it was hung, the other oily rags left in barn. TREMENDOUS loss.
  PLEASE, be CAREFUL out there!!
      :cd       

I realize this does not help much. But just letting you see a newer idea that is growing
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/956958

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Thank You. I didn't experience a fire, though. My daughter Knew Both families that have lost horses, chickens, sheep, to a fire, she responded to as a firefighter. She is also a Vet Tech, Registered AI.

Thank you for your concern. The shock of the loss is huge, for them. Wanted to encourage others to Double Check, their surrounding so not to add to carnage.

 

[vpatt]

I havent posted in a while, but I'm still keeping chickens and they are still free ranging. It has been one and a half years since i got my first chickens. I started with 11 and i dont have many of those original birds left. I bought more chicks and some hatching eggs and right now i have twenty chickens. I let them raise chicks when they want.....i mostly make sure they are not sitting on more than six eggs just so i am not overwhelmed with high numbers of chickens. I keep my two bantam Cochin birds in a pen so that i know what the babies are. The others are locked up at night and run all day and they have babies that are a mix. Five or six of those birds died at different times from non predator reasons. I dont know what happened to them, but it was not anything that spread through the flock. I suspect that a few were old. I didnt always buy just babies. I like to have grannies in the flock, too. ;0)

The little frizzle Cochin had been sitting on thirteen eggs. I couldnt reach her nest easily to take eggs out so i let her keep them. I counted yesterday and she is down to seven eggs. I have used a dipper to reach in and scoop them out as she pushed them out of the nest. I think they should be hatching yesterday or today and i havent seen any chicks yet. Sigh. I am going to the swap next week and see if i can get a couple that might be more inclined to go broody. None of my except the Cochin want to raise babies. And maybe I'll get another red sexlink. Sassy has survived from the beginning and has laid an egg most days.

We are halfway in the woods with a field on either side and the National Forest bordering the back. So we have predators of all kinds. Well, i havent seen any alligators here in the Blue Ridge....but just about everything else. Sadly, we recently lost Big Dog so i dont know what impact that will have on the chicken population. So far none, but i believe May to June was predator heavy last year so we will see. They have the trees and brush and a big front and back porch for hiding under. And i have six roosters......yes i cant give them away and cant bring myself to do away with them. Right down to the little silkie pullet that is now crowing and chasing hens.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

I havent posted in a while, but I'm still keeping chickens and they are still free ranging. It has been one and a half years since i got my first chickens. I started with 11 and i dont have many of those original birds left. I bought more chicks and some hatching eggs and right now i have twenty chickens. I let them raise chicks when they want.....i mostly make sure they are not sitting on more than six eggs just so i am not overwhelmed with high numbers of chickens. I keep my two bantam Cochin birds in a pen so that i know what the babies are. The others are locked up at night and run all day and they have babies that are a mix. Five or six of those birds died at different times from non predator reasons. I dont know what happened to them, but it was not anything that spread through the flock. I suspect that a few were old. I didnt always buy just babies. I like to have grannies in the flock, too. ;0)

The little frizzle Cochin had been sitting on thirteen eggs. I couldnt reach her nest easily to take eggs out so i let her keep them. I counted yesterday and she is down to seven eggs. I have used a dipper to reach in and scoop them out as she pushed them out of the nest. I think they should be hatching yesterday or today and i havent seen any chicks yet. Sigh. I am going to the swap next week and see if i can get a couple that might be more inclined to go broody. None of my except the Cochin want to raise babies. And maybe I'll get another red sexlink. Sassy has survived from the beginning and has laid an egg most days.

We are halfway in the woods with a field on either side and the National Forest bordering the back. So we have predators of all kinds. Well, i havent seen any alligators here in the Blue Ridge....but just about everything else. Sadly, we recently lost Big Dog so i dont know what impact that will have on the chicken population. So far none, but i believe May to June was predator heavy last year so we will see. They have the trees and brush and a big front and back porch for hiding under. And i have six roosters......yes i cant give them away and cant bring myself to do away with them. Right down to the little silkie pullet that is now crowing and chasing hens.

LOVE your post, V, I am one of the same. Have 4-6 week old chicks in hutch now, SUNSHINE!! Last year, lost 4 out of 5, adopted one seriously caged, gave her free range, she lays about that same as your Sexlink, Looking much better than she did. Bantam Roo all I have left for now.
Wish You the Best in your flock.

 

[vpatt]

LOVE your post, V, I am one of the same. Have 4-6 week old chicks in hutch now, SUNSHINE!!  Last year, lost 4 out of 5, adopted one seriously caged, gave her free range, she lays about that same as your Sexlink, Looking much better than she did. Bantam Roo all I have left for now. 
Wish You the Best in your flock.    :yiipchick

Thanks.
I should have said that i had three or four broodies this time last year. My first chicks hatched during a nasty cold spell. If i dont see anything interesting at the swap i know some people just a few miles away with dominekkers. I love them my rooster Joe is a Dominique. I think i saw a picture of your chicken that had been caged....what a difference it makes to see them living naturally.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Thanks, V, She has made tremendous progress, seems so much happier.

I have a community question: I have 5 chicks, About a month old now. They've been enjoying the 4 hen hutch during the daytime. When do you think Is a good age to let them OUT To play?
I free range FULLY, NO coop for my older 2. Opinions? Ralph? I'm working on getting them to come when called. Older hen does, they will likely follow suit, she seems smitten on them...But...