To free range or not?

[Mtnboomer]

It sounds wonderful where you live! Where are you located if I may ask? I'd like to google it and see!

The mountains of Southwest Virginia

 

[TOR]

I free range, I have had chickens come up missing. I think it more of a chicken getting broody and going to the woods.
I have all kinds predators.
The question to answer is how are you going to feel if all your chickens do not show up at night. What if you went out and found 1 dead from attack?
My chickens cant wait to get outside in the morning, like letting bunch kids out for recess.
Feed consumption goes down also.

 

[K0k0shka]

I know it's kind of cruel to be holding them in the run all this time

I can't keep them 'locked' forever, that would be absurd

it would be cruel to be keeping them forever.

One thing's for sure, can't keep them enclosed forever.

Wow, that is some intense run-hating there. Maybe that's the root of the problem. You're guilt-tripping yourself because for some reason you are convinced that keeping chickens in a run is horrible cruelty. Well, it's not. Not if your run is big enough (which it seems to be) and is well designed with places to scratch, roost, hide, dust-bathe etc. Seriously, it's not that bad and it's not torture. There's a whole lot of snobby shaming of people who don't free range going on in chicken groups on the internet. Comparing runs to jails, talking about freedom and rights and what not... Sounds like a lot of human baggage being hoisted onto the chickens. Is your dog being tortured by living between four walls with you until it's time to go for a walk? People don't free range their pet dogs all day (unless they live in the middle of nowhere) and yet the dogs get used to it and still have a good life. Chickens can have a good life living in a run, too, if you put some effort into it. Or free range if you want, just get off the holy free range horse and stop shaming those who don't by insisting that we are torturing our animals.

 

[TOR]

Wow, that is some intense run-hating there. Maybe that's the root of the problem. You're guilt-tripping yourself because for some reason you are convinced that keeping chickens in a run is horrible cruelty. Well, it's not. Not if your run is big enough (which it seems to be) and is well designed with places to scratch, roost, hide, dust-bathe etc. Seriously, it's not that bad and it's not torture. There's a whole lot of snobby shaming of people who don't free range going on in chicken groups on the internet. Comparing runs to jails, talking about freedom and rights and what not... Sounds like a lot of human baggage being hoisted onto the chickens. Is your dog being tortured by living between four walls with you until it's time to go for a walk? People don't free range their pet dogs all day (unless they live in the middle of nowhere) and yet the dogs get used to it and still have a good life. Chickens can have a good life living in a run, too, if you put some effort into it. Or free range if you want, just get off the holy free range horse and stop shaming those who don't by insisting that we are torturing our animals.

Don't really care to get into politics of post here, but
I do not believe the OP was shamming anyone or to have any intent of it.. Just giving opinion of free ranging his own birds.
Maybe he does not have the biggest run? Who knows.
Don't take it so personal, bad for the blood pressure.

 

[K0k0shka]

Don't really care to get into politics of post here, but
I do not believe the OP was shamming anyone or to have any intent of it.. Just giving opinion of free ranging his own birds.
Maybe he does not have the biggest run? Who knows.
Don't take it so personal, bad for the blood pressure.

I don't really care personally, but a lot of greener folks read on here and are very impressionable. They read something like this and think, "oh no, I keep my chickens in a run! I must be a terrible person!" When they're not, and their chickens are fine. There's a bigger picture here. OP didn't say it was just their opinion, they downright called the practice "cruel" and "absurd". Strong words. Thus implying that the people who do it are cruel as well. Words matter.

 

[K0k0shka]

To the OP: You don't really know what predators you have until you have free dinner running loose in your yard. Land predators are sneaky and avoid contact with people. You just don't see them frequently, and may not even realize you have them until they take your chickens. So, you might be surprised.

 

[SegiDream]

There's nothing wrong with either option there are only pros and cons and it is entirely up to what the chicken owner decides. No one shamed anyone or applied human grade baggage to animals, until just now and it wasn't the OP. It's a month old thread the OP hasn't been active since posting it and doubtful they'll be back anytime soon. You made really harsh assumptions about someone you don't even know nor could you possibly fully understand what their circumstances are, especially considering they are not from the US and possibly English may not be their first language. "words matter" But so does a conscience.

 

[K0k0shka]

There's nothing wrong with either option there are only pros and cons and it is entirely up to what the chicken owner decides. No one shamed anyone or applied human grade baggage to animals, until just now and it wasn't the OP. It's a month old thread the OP hasn't been active since posting it and doubtful they'll be back anytime soon. You made really harsh assumptions about someone you don't even know nor could you possibly fully understand what their circumstances are, especially considering they are not from the US and possibly English may not be their first language. "words matter" But so does a conscience.

They seem to know enough English to know what "cruel" and "absurd" mean. That is a bunch of assumptions in those words themselves.

 

[TOR]

They seem to know enough English to know what "cruel" and "absurd" mean. That is a bunch of assumptions in those words themselves.

Mabey the op thinks it would be cruel if he did let them out . It is how a person wants to read into it.
I'm free ranging the forum and think l will move to another pasture.
Have a good day

 

[Mark94]

They seem to know enough English to know what "cruel" and "absurd" mean. That is a bunch of assumptions in those words themselves.

I wasn't shaming anyone. My post was all about my birds and not other folks' nor birds in general... I just wanted to know what's the best thing to do in my situation therefore MY BIRDS, you've taken it way too personal. There's no need to make a hullabaloo for nothing.