Weekend free-ranging?

[EggieRowe]

We live at work, a manufacturing plant, and Monday thru Friday there are forklifts, personal vehicles, and semi's running around from 7-6. There's not a lot of grass here, but what little we do have produces a TON of wild blackberries, white mulberries, and wild persimmons.

Can I let the chickens free-range on just weekends? Will that be cruel? Opinions, thoughts, advice?

 

[HEChicken]

There are many chickens who never get a chance to free-range at all. If yours can only free-range on weekends, they are still luckier than those that are confined all the time.

 

[Natimus]

I let my girls have the run of my property on the weekends. They love it. They fuss at me Monday morning, but you can tell they appreciate it.

 

[SouthernChicka8]

That sounds like a great idea Let them party on the weekend LOL!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

There' s nothing wrong with that! You know you can let them out in the evening too for a few hours if it,s not too hectic. Bugs are usually active in the evening too.

 

[RedDrgn]

As long as they have a big enough coop/run to house them, you can choose to free range them whenever you want (and they'll love it)! In the winter time, my DH and I never get home before everyone already went to roost, so weekends are the only times we can get them out then. Even during the summer, we only get a chance to let them roam for a few hours in the evenings 2-3 nights/week. They're all fine and seem happy and we let them out for just about every hour of daylight we can on weekends.

 

[EggieRowe]

Any they'll come back every evening, right? Should I then not clip their flight feathers? Just thinking if they're out and about, being more mobile will make them less easy targets.

 

[mochichicks]

mine only gets an hour of supervised free ranging 3-5 times a week before it gets dark. They love coming out but is fine in their run since there is enough space for them in there. They will go back to their coop on their own when it starts to get dark, they can't see very well once it's fully dark.

 

[RedDrgn]

Any they'll come back every evening, right? Should I then not clip their flight feathers? Just thinking if they're out and about, being more mobile will make them less easy targets.

If they're well established in their coop/run and that's where the food/water is, then they'll come back.

No reason to clip feathers unless they're flying out of something you want to keep them in, and it will definitely give them a little more advantage should anything decide to test their meal prospects with one.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Yes, I wouldn't clip wings just for that predator issue, it makes a big difference.