Putting free range chickens up at night

[centrarchid]

I lost two early on from something digging under the fence but haven't had any trouble since then. I couldn't afford to build an enclosed coop at the time. I'm hoping this summer I can update it a little.

Do you have a dog? If I did I would setup his doghouse under that eve. Otherwise cheapest option would be to fence in entire area to make a very large coop. Lower four feet I would reinforce with another type of fencing to at east slow dogs. Make so you have a live-trap out at all times for raccoons and oppossums.

 

[centrarchid]

Check out my backwoods setup. You can here the banjos just by looking at the picture. I also have perimeter fencing (electrified wire), paddocks defined by poultry netting, live-traps, and dogs as well as me running about in just my underwear with a flashlight at night. I also like my wildlife.

Your birds are more naked with respect to predators but biggest limitation I think you will have is forage.

 

[criderchick]

My dogs stay in the house but I keep them out until late at night. I think I'm going to add some tarps to keep them from flying out while I'm training them to stay in there. Also, add some nesting boxes and move the pole (it lays on the side). not in the picture over by the wall. Hopefully that will do for now.

 

[Big Bubba]

I'm the polar opposite, almost living in a city. But, critters live everywhere and you have to deal with them.

Just an idea since you are low on funds. Look into deer netting. Realistically, it will stop a deer, but not much else. However, it is cheap and might do good enough of a job to protect your girls for the time being.

Anything that will create noise if a critter is coming up will help. Throw your beer cans out there. Put lawn furniture there. Anything that creates an obstacle.

 

[criderchick]

What do you mean about the limit to forage?

 

[criderchick]

Will my 14 week chickens learn to roost at night or not? I had them a large metal pole about 2 feet off the ground but they never use it. Is it bc it's metal?

 

[pound4pound]

make it 4 feet in height. i would recommend that at night you pick them up one by one and place them in your metal roost. this way the chickens will learn that they have to go back to the roost before it gets dark.

metal is slippery, use pine wood if you can get one.

 

[centrarchid]

Will my 14 week chickens learn to roost at night or not? I had them a large metal pole about 2 feet off the ground but they never use it. Is it bc it's metal?

Forage is the food the will be able to round up on their own looking for food. If confined, they will eat all plants. If free-ranged, especially with more birds they will be going beyond areas easy to protect. Do not get too many birds and stay away from bantams, silkies and other odd looking birds. If possible get heritage birds.

Roost poles I use are always wood. I would suspend them from ceiling. Broom sticks attached to old 2 x 4's would do trick when on a budget. Having them roost at only 4 feet is OK for short-term but get them up higher to 6 feet as soon as they can muster it. Avoiding higher roost sites is for those with heavy breeds and over weight chickens. If they can fly up to it then that can fly down. Higher roost will give some insurance against raccoons that will defeat your fencing. See if you can get a baby monitor so you can hear problems at night. I got mine at dollar general for less than 10 bucks. Then have good flashlight and baseball bat at door used to check on birds. Odds are baseball bat will not be used but it gives you confidence.

This weekend I will be buiidling my own cheap roost and can provide pictures of product. I have some juveniles to roost up in garage so can collect poop.

 

[criderchick]

Thank you all for your help. I am going to work on a roost this evening when I cools down some. I have rows of pine trees so I'm going to go look for large limbs to use.

 

[Going Quackers]

I guess I could put some tarps over the top

YOu have no coop? i would recommend you bring them in somewhere at night, there is nothing predator proof there whatsoever, i would hate to see you lose your birds. While babies will learn to roost, i would not rely on that as a means of defense/protection for young birds especially.

For roosts i like 2x4's but i have wicked winters and the chickens like hunching down and covering their feet. For my young ones, most nights they are all funneling in on their own to their coop otherwise i just use my arm to gently herd them in.