Would anyone be interested in a short survey about your backyard poultry?

[Tapioca]

For my agricultural marketing class I am required to survey 10 people about a topic of my choice. If anyone's interested, please answer the following and help me make a good grade! Thank you so much!

Survey on Free-Ranged Domestic Poultry



1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes No
2.What poultry do you have experience with?
3.How were they housed?
4.Were they allowed to free-range? Yes No Occasionally
5.If no or occasionally, how were they contained? Were they cooped? Did they have a
tractor? Did they have a yard? Please describe:

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method?

7.What are the cons?

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else?

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe:

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe:

Please answer the ones that apply to you! Thank you again!

 

[twilightgecko]

sure.. i'll add my 2 cents worth..

1. yes, i own 8 chickens. all hens.
2. i only have chickens.
3. they have a coop. it's a small hutch style coop. no run.
4. they DO free range.
5. free range, with 6 acres of woods, but they stick fairly close to the house/yard.
6. pros. great for insect control. [ticks, spiders etc]
7. cons. not predator safe
8. they are pets that give eggs.
9. i believe that free ranging does affect the eggs. makes them taste better. before i got chickens i always bought my eggs from a free range farm.
10.
11. this may just be in my head, but i think my birds are happier when they are free ranging. they love to forage and chase bugs and explore the garden. even on cold snowy days, my girls can't wait to get out of the coop. they appear to love being out and about.. they hang out on the porch and look in the windows of the house.. they come inside if the door is propped open.. so, happy hens make yummy eggs..

 

[Tapioca]

Thank you so much!! This is exactly what I need.

 

[Mylied]

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes
2.What poultry do you have experience with? Chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, turkeys
3.How were they housed? In closed runs and coops
4.Were they allowed to free-range? No, with the exception of some roosters
5.If no or occasionally, how were they contained? Were they cooped? Did they have a
tractor? Did they have a yard? Please describe: I have a turkey tractor. I have a big coop and run, completely enclosed and covered. I have an outdoor dog kennel, completely enclosed and covered with a free standing coop in it. We move the kennel and coop around. The big one is permanent.

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method?
I free ranged in the past and the chickens were happier, imo.
7.What are the cons?
Hawks and dogs
8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else? Eggs, meat, and chicks to sell

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:
I don't remember.
10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe:
We didn't raise for meat at that point.
11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: benefits them yes, but the loses were too great

 

[twilightgecko]

hope others chime in for you.. i'll be interested in what others think..

 

[Tapioca]

Thank you!!

 

[TLD77]

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them?

Yes

2.What poultry do you have experience with?

There are 43 chickens of all different varieties and ages.

3.How were they housed?

They are split up into a couple different small coops.

4.Were they allowed to free-range?

Yes, they are let out in the morning and the put themselves to bed about dark every night. Then their coops are shut up for the night.

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method?

They are extremely happy and are so excited to go out every morning. When just starting out a few years ago they weren't let out and they just weren't that happy.

7.What are the cons?

They are more vulnerable to other animals killing them and getting hit by traffic.

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else?

Eggs

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:

The eggs are so much healthier looking and taste better.

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe:

Yes, they are happier, healthier and just over better.

Please answer the ones that apply to you! Thank you again!

 

[theuglychick]

I put my answers in BOLD because I kept losing my place

Survey on Free-Ranged Domestic Poultry



1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes No
YES

2.What poultry do you have experience with?
CHICKENS

3.How were they housed?
BREEDING FLOCK IS HOUSES IN BREEDING RUNS. LAYING FLOCK IS FREE RANGE BUT COOPED AT NIGHT.

4.Were they allowed to free-range? Yes No Occasionally
YES-DAILY FOR MY MIXED LAYER FLOCK.
OCCASIONALLY FOR MY PUREBRED BREEDING FLOCKS. ALTERNATE DAYS WHEN IM HOME LETTING EACH FLOCK OUT ON 12 ACRES.

5.If no or occasionally, how were they contained? Were they cooped? Did they have a
tractor? Did they have a yard? Please describe:
THE BREEDING FLOCKS THAT ARE FREE RANGED OCCASIONALLY ARE CONTAINED IN 8X8 COVERED BREEDING PENS WITH FREE ACCESS TO EACH AN 8X20 FT GRASS RUN THAT IS COVERED WITH FLIGHT NET. I KEEP 3 BIRDS IN EACH PEN/RUN. I HAVE 4 BREEDING PENS /RUNS.

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method?
A MORE VARIED DIET FOR THE BIRDS, BETTER HEALTH, BETTER EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STRESS MANAGEMENT, FREE PEST CONTROL FOR ME!

7.What are the cons?
PREDATORS! WE HAVE HAWKS, OWLS, COYOTES, BOBCATS, DOMESTIC CATS, DOGS, POSSUMS, RACCOONS, AND SNAKES OF ALMOST EVERY KIND.

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else?
MY LAYERS (SUPER BLUE EGGERS, CREAM LEGBARS, ORPINGTONS, MARANS & MIXES) ARE RAISED FOR EGGS, BASQUES ARE DUAL-PURPOSE, AND FAVEROLLES ARE EXHIBITION/SHOW AND EGGS.

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:
IVE ONLY EVER FREE RANGED MY EGG LAYERS BUT PEOPLE TELL ME THERE IS A MARKED DIFFERENCE IN THE TASTE BETWEEN MY EGGS AND STORE BOUGHT EGGS. WE TASTE THE DIFFERENCE, TOO. OURS HAVE AN ACTUAL YASTE TO THEM, REALLY DELICIOUS!

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe:
WE ARE PRICESSING IR FIRST BIRDS IN SPRING IF 2017 SO I CANT SAY FOR SIRE RIGHT NOW. BUT WE ARE RAISING SLOW-GROWING HERITAGE BREEDS, NIT CORNISH CROSSES, SOBWE KNOW THAT OUR BIRDS ARE GOING TO BE MUCH OLDER AT THE TIME OF PROCESSING AND WITH A LOT OF FORAGING MILES, SO WE ANTICIPATE STRONGER FLAVOR AND TOUGHER MEAT.

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe:
ABSOLUITELY! IVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH STRESS OR OVERCROWDING. MY BIRDS APPEAR GENERALLY HAPPY AND HEALTHY. I DONT HAVE THE FIGHTING, MUTILATION, OR CANNIBALISM THAT CROPS UP IN CONFINED FLOCKS. I HAVE NEVER HAD BUMBLE-FOOT OR MITE INFESTATION (GRANTED, IM ALSO A STICKLER FOR HYGIENE).

Please answer the ones that apply to you! Thank you again![/QUOTE]

 

[BantyChooks]

1. Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes.

2. What poultry do you have experience with? Chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, quail.

3. How were they housed? I keep the first three species mentioned together in a large (12 x 12) coop. Quail were kept in a separate wire cage.

4. Were they allowed to free-range? Yes, except for the quail.

5. If no or occasionally, how were they contained? Were they cooped? Did they have a
tractor? Did they have a yard? Please describe: I have a run for the rare times I cannot free range. It's about 30 x 40' and not covered.

6. If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method? I have found it reduces my feed bill by letting them eat grasses and bugs. They are more active, and letting them have room to roam reduces louse and worm load.

7. What are the cons? They're more prone to being taken by predators.

8. Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else? Egg production.

9. If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe: I noticed a very definite spike in how orange the yolk was, and they seemed more flavourful rather than bland.

10. If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe: N/A

11. Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: Absolutely. Before I began free ranging my birds were bored, inactive, and roosters would fight more. I have a very large run but it's well nigh impossible to make one that keeps them occupied like free ranging does.

 

[Tapioca]

Omg thank you guys so much!! I'm getting so much info