Minnesota!

[chickchick56]

Alot of cool ideas..I like the pvc pipes

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Alot of cool ideas..I like the pvc pipes

They work pretty good. The gravity aspect of it isn't always the greatest, but they can get in there with a bit of effort.

 

[chickchick56]

The run looks great too...my neighbors just let their chickens run free with no supervision seems crazy to me

 

[MinnesotaNice]

The run looks great too...my neighbors just let their chickens run free with no supervision seems crazy to me

We do, too, but they don't go too far. They're spoiled and well fed. We also have a marsh/pond that they venture around and eat bugs all day. If they started going too far and bugging the neighbors, I'd have to figure something else out.

 

[chickchick56]

I'm babysitting some juvenile chicks next week..any suggestions on toys I can bring?? They are out all day...I heard hanging a cabbage can be fun

 

[bantiesrule]

If they are out all day, I doubt they would be interested in cabbage or much of anything else you might bring them...too many bugs to hunt down. My chickens free range and they will come if I call them for some scratch or kitchen scraps but after eating a bit..they are off to the bug chase again. About the only thing they will stay and clean up before running away again is white bread....they love it!! They will eat wheat or multigrain but prefer white (I have to buy them their own loaf every once in awhile for a treat). They will mob me and clean up every crumb before wondering off again.

ETA: I think letting chickens run loose without supervision is fine as long as they have plenty of hiding places from hawks and other preditors. I have let mine free range for years and, yes, I have lost some but I think the benefits of them free ranging far outweigh the dangers. But everybody and every situation is different. It all depends on what preditors are around your area, what type of chickens you have and your own personal feelings. There is no right or wrong answer.

 

[chickchick56]

The juveniles seem so vulnerable and the can hide under a hydrangea bush.. irs a small part of the yard that they are in

 

[chickchick56]

You are mn nice..I forgot to say thank you for posting your pictures I appreciate it. Still worried about letting the chicks have free run when no one is there to watch them..they are right in the cities

 

[Cluckies]

So busy, haven't been on in awhile. Hi chickchick56, you can click on"My Coop" under my avatar to see my coop if you are interested.
Hope every one is making it through this heat ok. Terrible!

 

[cottonlouie]

Last night I heard momma hen screaming her head off so I ran outside and saw her out in the field chasing a hawk. She came back still screaming. Only found one of her six chicks. A bit later I heard peeping and watched a second chick run to her momma from under a bush. About an hour later three more came running out from under the deck. So we thought the hawk got her one chick....24 hours later I heard some peeping from under a bush where I had searched yesterday for chicks. A wounded little chick was there, too tired to run. I scooped her up and discovered a puncture wound on her shoulder. This is the sixth chick! That hawk got zero! Last night I thought I saw something drop from the hawk and my husband and I searched the field but saw nothing. Well, I now believe the hawk dropped this 3 week old chick and the chick made it across the field and spent the night all alone. She is currently in a kennel and has eaten, drank, pooped. She got some blue cote on her shoulder. She will spend some time in the kennel in the storage room next to the wall which divides the coop from the storage. At least she will be able to hear the flock. I hope she is warm enough tonight....