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- #11
I agree. Sorry, I posted in several different places about this and didn't include all the details in this post. I only free range them when I am right there with them and never let them out of my sight and I am on hawk-watch the entire time. This happened when I walked about 75 feet away to shoo a couple of them back closer to the coop. I was in direct line of sight of the attack and it happened anyway. It also came out of nowhere and while my birds usually run for cover when they see anything flying overhead - hawk, airplane, geese, etc, this was SO SILENT and unexpected that none of us heard or saw anything until it was already on the ground and I'm still the only one that noticed... the rest of the flock was only feet away and they just kept on grazing like nothing happened. So, now I am paranoid and looking into getting another animal to help watch them even when I'm there.
I am ranging them this young (again, only for short periods and only when I am with them) because I have read in many places that the younger they do it, the better they are at it. If they stay only inside for many weeks or months, then they are less-inclined to want to forage. As it is, I had to wait until 4 weeks to do it for the first time (due to weather), and I have about 4-5 out 15 birds that basically stay in the coop/run even though they could come out with the others. Everyone else is crazy in love with ranging.
I am ranging them this young (again, only for short periods and only when I am with them) because I have read in many places that the younger they do it, the better they are at it. If they stay only inside for many weeks or months, then they are less-inclined to want to forage. As it is, I had to wait until 4 weeks to do it for the first time (due to weather), and I have about 4-5 out 15 birds that basically stay in the coop/run even though they could come out with the others. Everyone else is crazy in love with ranging.
