troy4's thread-why do us farmers free range are chickens

[troy4]

well i can sorta see why in then again not really i mean they can stay in a pin all day

 

[Ridgerunner]

When they free range, they find their own food. If they are in a pen you have to spend money to buy them food.

Follow the money!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Well, we are farmers and we do not free range! If I did my good laying hens would be lunch for the local predators as well as roaming dogs, I'd be out of chickens in no time flat. However, my birds are not cooped either. They have what I consider the best of both worlds. They do have solid coops with large runs in case I need to contain them but the coops open into my goat barn and adjoining pasture. So the birds are let out every morning and get to forage in the pasture to their hearts content. My rooster keeps an eye out for hawks, the fence and hot wire keeps dogs etc. out. I haven't lost a chicken to predators in years.