Keeping Chickens Free Range

[Beekissed]

I've been taken my chickens out of there area once in a while, but it makes me nerves cause they get nerves cause there out of there pen, so I think they will no go back in. but so far as long as I have treats in my hand they follow me back. not all the girls follow me out just the younger ones. I want then to be able to free range, but then it makes me nerves because I feel being out in the open is a bad thing. so I only do it for a little while then bring them back in. I am not ready to let them free range on their own, but I'm trying.

Until you are confident that you've done all you can to the range area to insure their safety, I'd not free range them...it's no good for you or for them if both parties are scared to range. They'll not range out far enough to even forage for food in that manner, so the effort is largely wasted.

Do you have good fencing and/or dogs on guard to protect them while they range? Plenty of places to duck for cover from aerial attacks? A good rooster that will call out an alarm when a raptor or other predator is spotted and before it attacks? Are your birds flighty enough or wary enough on range to run and duck for cover if they are attacked from above?

These are all questions you might want to ask before ranging your birds. If you just turn them out and hope for the best, but do not have an adequate system in place, there's a good chance your nerves and their nerves are warranted and bad things will happen out there. Last, but not least, the right attitude for ranging is needed....the attitude that you will do all you can to insure their safety, while realizing that their safety is never 100% guaranteed and that's just life...all life, not just the life of a free ranged chicken.

 

[duluthralphie]

I always thought hanging CD's was impossible and would not help with my predator problem. *knocking on wood here...


It has. Hanging them was extremely hard because I have such a large open area. I bought 500 yards of monofilament fishing line 40-50 pounds as I recall. The cheap stuff I would never use for fishing.

I hung them as high as I could in light poles, trees buildings and so forth. I even put them between fence posts in the pasture. Then I hung the CD's from drop lines with washers to hold them on and as weights. Some of the lines are 200 yards long and droop a little but it worked.

I used plastic twine on each end to keep the fishing line from the trees/poles and so on, so the line does not chaff. Also I left enough on the ends, of the twine, so I can drop the lines to change the fishing line or CD's without climbing up again.

I hung them across the garden. Everywhere I could think of. They have done wonders. Even on still cloudy days they seem to scare the birds. I did train the POB also, They do not like the retort of a rifle, so I shoot around here a lot now. Just to scare them. If fire crackers were legal here I am sure they would work. The combo of the CDs and the bangs seems to have worked.

I also denuded the woods, I hated to do it, but I brush hogged all the underbrush to my line which gave me clear shots at anything sneaking into the yard. The only negative is the chickens now range further into the woods than they did before.

A side effect of the CDs is it has cut down on deer damage in the garden. Which is good, even at night they must be able to get a glimpse of the CDs flashing.


I am at this point a believer in CD's hanging and flashing. I am going to add motion detectors with lights that shine on a CD or two and that turn on an old car radio to a talk radio station to further scare them away. I figure I will move the radio lights from time to time so they do not get use to them in the same place.



Just thought I would tell you what has helped with my BoP s.

 

[lazy gardener]

Ralph, I think you are on to something. Yesterday, I was sitting out in my yard, wondering how I could string up some more CD's in such a fashion that they wouldn't interfere with normal activities: walking in the yard, mowing the lawn, etc. I've been cautiously letting my flock out to range for a few hours here and there after having a previous season with heavy BOP predation. Put up a covered run, and my flock has for the most part been incarcerated since. I did hang several CD's, but have not put up more. Your idea of using twine at end points is genious. And, I don't know why I couldn't use a fising pole to cast the line over those high branches to get that fishing line up NICE AND HIGH. Tie a loop at intervals in the line, and hang the CD's from the loops so that (as you say) they can be changed out. I have found that over time, the silver coating on them does split and wear off. And, I could start doing some target practice as well.

I especially like the idea of rigging a light to shine on them at night. I have bought about a dozen of the little solar lights that are designed to be walkway markers. I have most of them hanging on my run. Perhaps they could be incorporated into the night time flashing.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralph, I think you are on to something. Yesterday, I was sitting out in my yard, wondering how I could string up some more CD's in such a fashion that they wouldn't interfere with normal activities: walking in the yard, mowing the lawn, etc. I've been cautiously letting my flock out to range for a few hours here and there after having a previous season with heavy BOP predation. Put up a covered run, and my flock has for the most part been incarcerated since. I did hang several CD's, but have not put up more. Your idea of using twine at end points is genious. And, I don't know why I couldn't use a fising pole to cast the line over those high branches to get that fishing line up NICE AND HIGH. Tie a loop at intervals in the line, and hang the CD's from the loops so that (as you say) they can be changed out. I have found that over time, the silver coating on them does split and wear off. And, I could start doing some target practice as well.

I especially like the idea of rigging a light to shine on them at night. I have bought about a dozen of the little solar lights that are designed to be walkway markers. I have most of them hanging on my run. Perhaps they could be incorporated into the night time flashing.

I had no more than said how good it was working and two eagles were riding the currents above my place. They were way up, but I made sure there was loud rifle retort in the area to drive them higher.

I had everything inside still so there was nothing here to see. It is clear and sunny so the CD's are flashing too. Maybe they were just riding the air currents and not hunting. No idea, but still going to get them higher.

When I shot the rifle (actually a .17, but it has a good bang to it) the dogs ran over the entire area looking for whatever I was shooting. Which surely can't help drive them up a little too.

 

[lazy gardener]

Now, come on Ralph. I expected you to say that those Eagles took one look at your CD's and boogied on out of there. Perhaps you need a clay pidgeon launcher, and start launching CD's at the BOP's.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Hey guys does anyone here free range their ducks also?

 

[spurrer]

I let my two hens out at 6:00 PM and sit and read while they run around but they don't get over 50 ft from me. Then at about 7:00 they raise their heads and look around and head for the coop just as if they had watches. It is such a nice time to spend outside with them. The moon is getting full and I am going to enjoy being outside then. The dry flies are droning and the frogs in the pond are croaking and the neighbors are talking softly on their back porch. The hens are making little contented sounds after being penned up all night and day. The two solar lit metal flowers begin to glow and change from green to red to blue. Life is good.

 

[duluthralphie]

Hey guys does anyone here free range their ducks also?

I would be afraid of ruining good pasture by having a waterfowl in it.....

I think they need to be composted before putting them on pastureland...

 

[lazy gardener]

Duck poop is not as hot as chicken poop.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I let my two hens out at 6:00 PM and sit and read while they run around but they don't get over 50 ft from me. Then at about 7:00  they raise their heads and look around and head for the coop just as if they had watches. It is such a nice time to spend outside with them. The moon is getting full and I am going to enjoy being outside then. The dry flies are droning and the frogs in the pond are croaking and the neighbors are talking softly on their back porch.  The hens are making little contented sounds after being penned up all night and day.  The two solar lit metal flowers begin to glow and change from green to red to blue. Life is good.

I'm wondering more about them eating things they are not supposed too? Will they eat loose stuff or avoid things that aren't food?

Duck poop is not as hot as chicken poop.