Michigan

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
Good question. The answer, I suppose, lies in the definition of "have to".

Do I, personally, have to stand watch over my flock while they free-range? No. But depending on how you define "have to", you may. I don't have to because I accept that there are risks associated with free-ranging and choose to do so despite them. I weighed the risks of free-ranging against the benefits, for my situation, and decided that even with the occasional consequence of those risks arising the benefits still far outweighed them. Your mileage however, with your specific situation, may vary. For some people the risks outweigh the benefits so they keep them on lock down. The important thing is just understanding those risks and benefits and how they fit into your situation and then making a decision you can live with.

Some questions to get you started on weighing the pros and cons:

How averse to loss are you?
What is your motivation for free-ranging?
If you weren't to free-range how would that effect your desire to keep chickens?
How would it effect the chickens' worth to you?
What is the likely magnitude of the risk for your specific situation? (Sometimes you can't determine this until you've tried it, unfortunately.)


HTH! Good luck to you.

 

[M.sue]

I'm like Olvie when my flock is free ranging. I watch them but don't stand over them the whole free ranging time. I'm outside 70 - 75% of the time when they are but I go about my business as usual, scope the land & sky periodically. They do not free range unless someone is home and our dog is usually out when they are.There have been a couple of times when mine haven't been let out because I've seen one to many hawks literally just sitting & hanging around all day.

 

[Opa]

Good morning all and welcome to all of the new folks. I'm sure you will enjoy being here and Olive Hills quick response to the free ranging question posed by dmclalin is just one example of how friendly and helpful the people on this thread are.

I can sure relate to those of you who ache after exercise. I think I have "Kelloggs syndrome". It's a condition that when you get up from a sitting or kneeling position your body sounds like a box of Rice Krispies.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Quote:

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
I was having the same problem with Blueberry getting on and off the nest. It was becuase she was getting kicked off by the other cranky girls. (See...Blueberry chose the favorite nesting box to hunker down). I had to remover her and put her in my small chicken hutch. I just let her off twice a day to poo (horrible moster poos at that).

I believe this is why my eggs all hatched late. So don't give up on them too quickly. I would give them some extra days to hatch out.

 

[RBahmer]

Good morning everyone. Yesterday was a really bad day for me. A close friend of mine, 31 years , lives in Arkansas called me crying yesterday morning. Her cancer is back. She had it a few years back and with chemo and radiation treatments she beat it. But now it is back and they believe it is in her bones. So I am making arrangements to either drive down there ( my wonderful daughter has volunteered to take time off her job and drive me) or flying down there the beginning of Feb. for a few days to see her. Couldn't come at a worse time as my sheep are due to start lambing the 1st of Feb. my wonderful husband said go and I will take care of the sheep. Might be the last time I see her. So I am working on that. Comparing the prices to drive as opposed to fly. With gas so high it might be cheaper to fly. Will do some more checking today.
Well, my hatch so far is still down to 2. Better than last time though. Last time I set 31 eggs and only 1 hatched. This time I set 24 and 2 hatched. Will figure it out someday. I do have a couple of pics of Baby Blue and it's litter mate. Need to go on computer and transfer them off my phone and then post them. Will try to do that this morning.
Welcome to the new people. Glad you could join us.

 

[Bianca67]

RBhamer, so sorry to hear about your friend, will add to my prayers.

My husband has now completed the roof of my new coop and it is like nothing I expected, he put in skylights of all things. Now he just has to finish the inside and I have to paint the boards for the siding and it should be complete, then on to the run. Can hardly wait for March to get here so I can get my chicks.

 

[1muttsfan]

Rbahmer, sorry to hear about your friend, glad you can be with her though.

I only let my hens out when I am out in the yard for a while with them, as predators are thick on the ground and in the air here. It takes too much in resources - $ and time - to raise the birds to laying age to loose one to a hungry fox, dog, coyote, bobcat, hawk, eagle, weasel - all of which I have seen in my yard, during the day (with the exception of the weasel). While I am not so much emotionally attached to my hens, I do feel the loss when they are slaughtered needlessly, so my tolerance for loss kicks in at the point where a good quality, young, healthy layer is removed from the flock and not at my choice.

My hens are laying better now than before I added some light, but still only getting about 6 eggs a day from 15 hens. The welsummers have really cut back on laying, they were doing really well then all dried up at the same time. Hopefully now the at the days are getting longer they will pick it up.

 

[taprock]

Quote:
Good question. The answer, I suppose, lies in the definition of "have to".


What is the likely magnitude of the risk for your specific situation? (Sometimes you can't determine this until you've tried it, unfortunately.)


HTH! Good luck to you.

I think Olive is right about everything.

Also from talking to people each year is going to be different. There are things you can do to minimize their risk. My birds free range but only if I am home. However I don't stand outside with them or watch them. Because I started with mainly Polish I was told I would lose a lot free range because they can't see, so I bought Guineas along with them to be my watch dogs. If I hear a ruckus I check it out. I also have an awesome pair of roosters that are always warning if they see anything in the air. We have lots of bushes and my husband parks his trailers near the coop so they have places to hide. We live in the middle of nowhere but predators and have lost over the past year, 1 to fox, 1 to hawk, and 3 to neighbors dog so it is possible. Next year.... who knows! I just love having them all show up at the house door looking for treats, don't tell hubby, he hates them on the lawn!

 

[LEEHAHA]

UGGG...had a good day yesterday 2 of my girls laided there first 2 eggs.... now this mornin one of my golden laced whys had a poppie butt and is laying down ....u think she might be getting ready to lay....i washed her butt...but she let me pick her up and she never does that so wonder if she is ok....ugggg thx for any help
worried chicken mom
lizzz