To free range or not?

[WVduckchick]

First, ducks tend to lay wherever they want to... even just walking along, out pops an egg!

But some will lay in the same spot all the time, while others won’t. I had one flock that moved locations about weekly. My call ducks usually find a new place to lay whenever I find their stash and remove the eggs. Then the hunt is on again.

Chickens- I have several different breeds, mostly confined to individual coops and runs. Plus I have some “yard birds” that always get to free range. The yard birds are usually roosters, or ones I don’t want to breed, and don’t mind to lose to predation, if it happens. Hawks are usually my worst predator, with the occasional raccoon or possum.

I would suggest, as someone else did, to determine your reason for keeping them, and decide your level of comfort with gains and losses.

To keep them from making wayward nests and increasing your population, counting birds nightly is the best bet. Even if they lay and you can’t find the eggs each day, when a hen comes up missing, you have a time to look for her and find her hidden nest, before she would be able to hatch them. Then you can dispose of those, or move her to a safe place, or whatever you choose to do.

Enjoy your new home and flocks!!

 

[Beaglegal]

Off

I'd just fence them off a chunk of land, they don't need 4 acres.
It would be much easier to control things in a smaller ranging area.

Off topic, is your picture a chicken wearing a gnome costume? Because if it is, it might be the best thing I’ve seen in awhile

 

[Beaglegal]

First, ducks tend to lay wherever they want to... even just walking along, out pops an egg!

But some will lay in the same spot all the time, while others won’t. I had one flock that moved locations about weekly. My call ducks usually find a new place to lay whenever I find their stash and remove the eggs. Then the hunt is on again.

Chickens- I have several different breeds, mostly confined to individual coops and runs. Plus I have some “yard birds” that always get to free range. The yard birds are usually roosters, or ones I don’t want to breed, and don’t mind to lose to predation, if it happens. Hawks are usually my worst predator, with the occasional raccoon or possum.

I would suggest, as someone else did, to determine your reason for keeping them, and decide your level of comfort with gains and losses.

To keep them from making wayward nests and increasing your population, counting birds nightly is the best bet. Even if they lay and you can’t find the eggs each day, when a hen comes up missing, you have a time to look for her and find her hidden nest, before she would be able to hatch them. Then you can dispose of those, or move her to a safe place, or whatever you choose to do.

Enjoy your new home and flocks!!

I like the idea of having some yard birds and separate runs for different breeds.