ok, first actual post on here, a couple questions...

[amandamcgrady]

Ive been reading on this site for many months, Im moving to the country in The summer (a few months) so I am planning all of this. My first question is

1. Can you just build a chicken coop and let the chickens out into the yard/forest in the mornings to be free? Why does everyone keep them inside of fence? Are there daytime predators that will hurt the chickens when the sun is up?

2. I read that they 'put themselves to bed at night" So they would just come out of the forest late afternoon and go back into the coop correct??

3. last question. Ive been reading all about what to feed and water them and what to use for treats, etc. But the catalogue I recieved mentions buying vaccinations for the baby chickens. Im curious besides food and water what kind of medical care do they need? How often are those vaccinations needed and do you really need them in a small at-home flock?

4. Also If anyone is in the Greenville S,C. Area I was wondering if you had any recommendations for local places to buy chicken coops, rather than buy online and have them mailed. And also if there are any local meat processers that accept chickens? and how does that work?


Thanks for any advice, I am moving from the suburbs of a the biggest city in my State (charleston, S.C) where everything is hotels and fine dining to the country/mountians of Greenville S.C. so I am going to be doing a lot of self suffiency type things,such as gardening (already experienced in this) and see how much space I have for animals in addition to chickens.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

Chickens can free range during the day and they will naturally head back to their coop at sundown. I'd say letting them walk into the forest to free range will drastically up the odds that they'l get picked off by a predator. You're better off having some type of perimeter fencing to keep them contained. Make this as big or small as you want. You can buy chicks that are already vaccinated, or not, and you can decide to feed medicated chick feed, or not. It's really up to you.

 

[tweetysvoice]

Ive been reading on this site for many months, Im moving to the country in The summer (a few months) so I am planning all of this. My first question is

1. Can you just build a chicken coop and let the chickens out into the yard/forest in the mornings to be free? Why does everyone keep them inside of fence? Are there daytime predators that will hurt the chickens when the sun is up?

You can do this, and many do, but the problem with letting them free range are that there ARE daytime predators - with the most prolific being a Hawk. They can spot a chicken from miles away and will carry it off. Another issue with letting them free roam all the time is that a chicken will find it's own nest and you will be Easter egg hunting all the time to collect eggs.

2. I read that they 'put themselves to bed at night" So they would just come out of the forest late afternoon and go back into the coop correct??

The will put themselves to bed as long as they know that it's home. You have to keep them locked up for about 3 days before they realize that it's home and sometimes a chicken will find a tree that they'd prefer to roost in other than the coop. I've read tons of stories where chickens find somewhere else to call home, such as a barn, under a porch, etc. Some chickens actually have to be taught to roost in their coop as well.

3. last question. Ive been reading all about what to feed and water them and what to use for treats, etc. But the catalogue I received mentions buying vaccinations for the baby chickens. I'm curious besides food and water what kind of medical care do they need? How often are those vaccinations needed and do you really need them in a small at-home flock?

I would recommend you have the nursery vaccinate for Merrick's disease when you order your chicks, but other than that the other medical care that will be needed (as it arises) is de-worming, injury care, and other illnesses that may come up.

 

[amandamcgrady]

Ok, so they do not only lay eggs at night then?? I figured if they were indoors from sun down until sun up then they would lay the eggs in the coop. I did not realize they lay eggs during the day.

 

[amandamcgrady]

Ok from what you guys said about the hawks I think i will probabally just make a really large enclosure,one that me and the kids can play inside of. I just liked the idea of them having the fresh grass. it looks like they destroy the grass in there cage and figured that they would not have access to bugs after the grass was gone. Maybe i will get them a moveable cage for the daytime so they can play in the grass.

Once you let them out of there run in the daytime is it hard to get them back into it or do you have to wait for nightime??LOL.

 

[amandamcgrady]

Do they have to be dewormed regularly like a dog every month? how mcuh does that generally cost?

 

[bj taylor]

Ive been reading on this site for many months, Im moving to the country in The summer (a few months) so I am planning all of this. My first question is

1. Can you just build a chicken coop and let the chickens out into the yard/forest in the mornings to be free? Why does everyone keep them inside of fence? Are there daytime predators that will hurt the chickens when the sun is up? from what i've read here the daytime predators can include cats (maybe bobcats in your case), dogs (coyotes here, don't know about there), and some report raccoons too as well as the ubiquitous hawks.

2. I read that they 'put themselves to bed at night" So they would just come out of the forest late afternoon and go back into the coop correct??

3. last question. Ive been reading all about what to feed and water them and what to use for treats, etc. But the catalogue I recieved mentions buying vaccinations for the baby chickens. Im curious besides food and water what kind of medical care do they need? How often are those vaccinations needed and do you really need them in a small at-home flock? i ordered from a hatchery & have been feeding my chicks medicated feed. to date, my flock (14 birds) have been remarkably healthy.

4. Also If anyone is in the Greenville S,C. Area I was wondering if you had any recommendations for local places to buy chicken coops, rather than buy online and have them mailed. And also if there are any local meat processers that accept chickens? and how does that work?


Thanks for any advice, I am moving from the suburbs of a the biggest city in my State (charleston, S.C) where everything is hotels and fine dining to the country/mountians of Greenville S.C. so I am going to be doing a lot of self suffiency type things,such as gardening (already experienced in this) and see how much space I have for animals in addition to chickens. sounds like you're going to have fun in a beautiful place. enjoy

 

[gryeyes]

Chickens lay their eggs in the daytime, not at night. Generally, most hens are done laying around 11 a.m., but it takes about 26 hours to "build" an egg, so they sometimes lay later (usually a couple of hours later each day until about 3 p.m.). Freely ranging chickens who have been laying eggs in the coop nest boxes USUALLY come back to the coop to lay their eggs, even if they have been out of the coop since sun up.

I have just under two-thirds of an acre and mine come out of the coop (through an automatic chicken door which closes just after dark starts and opens just after dawn) to range the fenced property. I only keep feed IN the coop, so they come back to eat and to lay eggs or just to go into the coop for whatever reason. They go in and out all day long.

My property has a lot of cover for them, so they can hide if there are hawks about. The coop locks up after sunset, so they are safe at night.

Keep them in the coop for about a week; that teaches them they are safe in there (and keeping food in it helps) and they will naturally return to the coop every night.

People who routinely worm their flock do it twice a year. Or annually. Some don't worm them unless they see evidence of worms in their droppings.

Welcome to BYC and good luck in your future flock plans!!!

 

[bj taylor]

gryeyes; by using an automatic door, are you ever concerned about a predator getting in & locking it up with the chickens or a bird lagging & getting locked out at night? i can see what a convenience an automatic door would be, but concerned it would lock out a bird or lock in a predator. what is your opinion?

 

[gryeyes]

gryeyes; by using an automatic door, are you ever concerned about a predator getting in & locking it up with the chickens or a bird lagging & getting locked out at night? i can see what a convenience an automatic door would be, but concerned it would lock out a bird or lock in a predator. what is your opinion?

I've only had a couple of hens get locked out in the two years I've used auto doors. I just reset the door to close a tad bit later. (Oh, and I opened the people door to shoo the laggards inside the coop.)

My property is fenced with 5 foot tall "no climb" fencing for the daytime predators on foot. Plus I have a pair of geese who alarm at everything suspicious, as well as the roosters who call out the alarm for overhead, flying predators. Never had a hawk fly through the chicken door. At dusk, when other predators are afoot, that fence keeps 'em out PLUS I also use "Nite Guard" lights on the exterior of the coop and on the perimeter fence. They are solar charged and blink red light to deter predators.

Most chickens are in the coop at dusk. Well before dark. (My two laggards were youngsters just staying out late like kids do...

Neither one ever did it again.)