Predators

[Poplarville1]

Need Help. I'm new at this.
I have 18 Rhode Island Reds 1 week old. I bought to raise as pets at a country home we are gone from for weeks at a time.
Will predators get them? There are Coyotes and other common predators. I am getting different opinions. I planned on letting them free range. What can I do to protect them? Do they roost in trees at night? I am raising them in a box in my garage now, how old before let them loose?
Also the kids love them. Is it safe for the kids to handle them?
THANKS!

 

[rooster-red]

Chicken is on every predators menu.

If they are left alone outside as you described it will only be a matter of time before they are all someones dinner.

 

[Dawn419]

Hi and Welcome from TN!

I bought to raise as pets at a country home we are gone from for weeks at a time.

Do you have someone who will be caring for them when you aren't there?

Who will feed and water them?

Who will collect their eggs once they begin laying?

Will they have a secure coop and run?

Sorry for all of the questions but they will be free dinner for any predator if they are turned loose on the property with no one to supervise/care for them.

Our landlady has a mini-farm behind us but doesn't live there full time so she has her son (our neighbor) take care of her poultry, goats, cows, etc. If he's on the road and can't do it then we care for her animals for them.

I am in no way "coming down" on you, I just want to make sure that you have all of you're options covered to spare you from the heartbreak of loosing your birds.

Hope this is some help!


Dawn​