No more free range

[smgreer72]

I had a flock of 12 hens and one rooster that I was letting out of their run every day to free-range. All was going well until a preditor, I suspect a coyote, killed one so now there are 11 plus the rooster. Any suggestions on how and what to provide to supplement their regular feed and scratch now that they can no longer forage? I'm wary now about letting them out anymore and they so loved it! But it's sad to lose one. I know meal worms are great, I just have no idea how much to prove 12 birds.

 

[Winter Creek Coop]

Scrap meat is a great replacement for the bugs they get foraging. You might look into electric poultry fencing. It obviously doesnt stop hawks, but it does a lretty good job at deterring four legged predators.

 

[NatJ]

For nutrition, if they have a complete feed and a source of water, that is all they need.

If you're looking for something they like to do, you can build a compost pile inside their run--just add everything that would normally go in a compost pile, and they can scratch through it and "forage" there.

Things I would include: dead leaves in the fall, weeds in the spring/summer, bedding that you clean out of the coop, all fruit/vegetable waste from the kitchen, and so forth.

 

[featherhead007]

A good 12 gage shotgun might help!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Offer All Flock or another complete feed, free-choice oyster shell on the side for any layers that might need it, reinspect your run to ensure its predator secure, and start looking at ways to add interest/entertainment to your run, Additional perches, a "chicken swing", etc. Look at shade in the run as well, so your birds have a place to retreat if they desire when the sun is particularly punishing (obviously, not a priority today if you are in the Northern hemisphere).

 

[Callender Girl]

Sorry to hear that you lost one of your girls. When a mink got into one of my coops and killed three hens, then returned the next day to take out a runner duck drake, I got so paranoid that I was afraid not only to free range, but to even go to bed at night for fear the killer would return. I left my windows open in the dead of an Iowa winter and slept on the sofa so I could hear any disturbance.

Eventually, I started to relax more, installed a lot more hardware cloth, worked much harder NOT to forget to close every coop door every time, and started letting the poultry out to free range again. But, I am almost always at home and can see what's going on all the time. I hope you find a way for them to be safe and you to feel that they're safe again.

 

[GRB73]

You can also offer them limited free range with supervision. I do this with our girls, especially in the winter, because we have so many hawks. I walk around the yard with them and keep watch for predators. They appreciate the time out of the run even if only for an hour a day.

 

[smgreer72]

For nutrition, if they have a complete feed and a source of water, that is all they need.

If you're looking for something they like to do, you can build a compost pile inside their run--just add everything that would normally go in a compost pile, and they can scratch through it and "forage" there.

Things I would include: dead leaves in the fall, weeds in the spring/summer, bedding that you clean out of the coop, all fruit/vegetable waste from the kitchen, and so forth.

Great idea! Thanks

 

[smgreer72]

Scrap meat is a great replacement for the bugs they get foraging. You might look into electric poultry fencing. It obviously doesnt stop hawks, but it does a lretty good job at deterring four legged predators.

I might just do that. Thanks.

 

[smgreer72]

You can also offer them limited free range with supervision. I do this with our girls, especially in the winter, because we have so many hawks. I walk around the yard with them and keep watch for predators. They appreciate the time out of the run even if only for an hour a day.

I'm going to do this when the weather warms up. Thank you.