Keeping Chickens Free Range

[centrarchid]

The audience I work with makes a living off mass / high density production. Not all are in camp that production can not be made more extensive. When it comes to the amount of feed required to feed humans, in the US we already consume too much, and like most other producers we will not give even the starving food unless they pay us for it.

 

[sunshineacre]

We had ours free range for about a year but just recently penned the 5 hens and 3 pullets up in a spacious 10th of an acre or so. We were having problems with them wandering onto neighboring properties, pooping on our patio and our Easter Egger was constantly hiding eggs. They seem happy enough with the new pen....

Grace
www.sunshineacre.com

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

We had ours free range for about a year but just recently penned the 5 hens and 3 pullets up in a spacious 10th of an acre or so. We were having problems with them wandering onto neighboring properties, pooping on our patio and our Easter Egger was constantly hiding eggs. They seem happy enough with the new pen....

Grace
www.sunshineacre.com

Yeah it is always an Easter Egg hunt here too, it must be the breed...

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Well, my 11 week old, 9 weeks @ the time, pullets had a night out, a couple of weeks ago? They DID get into the Hutch, but Mommy forgot to close the door.

When I have the cover over it, they still won't jump out, I have to move the cover, in the morning. Have a couple smaller pet carriers, lined with straw that they Peek into,

Am HOPEFUL I don't need to go hiking. I DO NEED the exercise, Though....

My Mini bantam has tried to make babies with the older hen, NOT likely. So far he's only chased the Pullets. They seem to be falling into a routine; he watches, they wander. Either he doesn't bother or they don't care, but the Youngens do wander a bit far from his 'Outpost.'
Down to only one dog snagging my laying hen's eggs. I usually beat him to the box, egg.
Despite having Chicken Feed & Starter, (SAME danged thing as Chick feed!) the hen takes the feed, the Pullets, MAY wander over. HEAVEN help me if I walk out with any Bread! These are a bit lazy with the watermelon rinds... Is quite fun to find bugs in a water bucket, wind sill, etc. They seem to be catching on that the 'chick, chick, chick' call means goodies!
Hope things are good for most. I have at least one person lined up for eggs. albeit, small to begin with...

LOL

 

[BruceAZ]

Yes. One of the many reasons USDA regs are misleading. It's like slapping a "gluten free" label on celery.

The American consumer wants to believe everything is kittens and unicorns- maybe that's why so many of them get so nasty about farm raised/butchered when they think {and often say} it's cruel when people should just go to the grocery store instead.

I wish those folks would have to get schooled by Joel Salatin {and family}.

true.. many people don't know how their food got to their local supermarkets..

for livestock.. watching a video about it might turn some people into vegetarian or vegan..

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Yeppers.

As much as I like to raise my birds free range and chemical free. I am a realist and know we can not feed the billions of humans without chemical and mass production. I think on a micro basis we can all help, on a macro basis we will need factory farms for the foreseeable future. Economics dictates this I am afraid.

It goes back more than a few decades; I heard my grandfather say, 'You got to eat a speck of dirt before You die'. Same thing, different time. They had some 500 chickens, back in the day...I adore the saying, 'It's Not what you got, It's what You DO with it'

 

[duluthralphie]

It goes back more than a few decades; I heard my grandfather say, 'You got to eat a speck of dirt before You die'. Same thing, different time. They had some 500 chickens, back in the day...I adore the saying, 'It's Not what you got, It's what You DO with it'

I think I know your Grandfather he was 3 years behind me in school.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

I think I know your Grandfather he was 3 years behind me in school.

Lordy, I HOPE NOT! He's been gone since 86'

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

true.. many people don't know how their food got to their local supermarkets..

for livestock.. watching a video about it might turn some people into vegetarian or vegan..

Coincidently, got into it with one of my mother's friends, on FB, re: comm. farms. Sadly, we're a Reactive society, NOT proactive. As some say, REACTING is done with OUT Thought, while Responding has a glimmer of thought, consideration, ahead of it.

 

[lazy gardener]

It goes back more than a few decades; I heard my grandfather say, 'You got to eat a speck of dirt before You die'. Same thing, different time. They had some 500 chickens, back in the day...I adore the saying, 'It's Not what you got, It's what You DO with it'

I believe it's a PECK of dirt! If everyone who COULD grow a bit of food WOULD grow a bit of food, we'd turn the economy of this country on it's ear. People are so dependent, and they don't even know it. I asked at the local WIC office if they accepted donations of garden produce. The answer was no. Here is a government program, that is supposed to be providing assistance for better nutrition for Women, infants, and children, and they refuse free, fresh produce, while gleefully spending our tax dollars on not so fresh produce. While I was there, one of the young mothers caught my eye. She asked, "You have a garden?" I replied, "Yes I do." She then started asking questions. I spent a few minutes telling her how easy it would be to plant a few greens, and perhaps a tomato and cucumber in the flower bed in front of her apartment. Her following comment, I'll never forget as long as I live: "I'd love to do that. I've never grown anything in my life." How empowering it would be if all of these young mothers who are living with very little hope for a brighter future were able to be independent enough to grow a bit of their own food to feed their own children???