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

[The Angry Hen]

Hello,

I hope I am doing this correctly... Good idea, hope you get very good grades!

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

2. What poultry do you have experience with? Chicken and Guineafowl.

3.How were they housed? In a garage with plenty of space and different coops for certain flocks. My Guineafowl roam free around the garage.

4.Were they allowed to free-range? Occasionally (due to predators and housing).

6. If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method? The pros are at a minimum. Yes, there are a few good pros... But personally it is a dangerous habit.

7. What are the cons? Way too many predators, they are not watched nor do they stay close. There are more possibilities of germs... (I know germs are possible non-free-ranged too, but more with free ranged).

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

9. If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe: It can be helpful, but also dropped since mine don;t lay in a continual spot.

11. Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: There are a few amount of benefits for free range... But very few.

 

[Tapioca]

Thank you!! You have a different opinion than a lot of other people I've surveyed! It's great. Thank you!

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes No
Yes
2.What poultry do you have experience with?
Chickens and Ducks
3.How were they housed?
With a large house and run.
4.Were they allowed to free-range? Yes No Occasionally
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:
They have a fair sized coop, but plan on extending, and a very large run, which is still expanding.
6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method?
The pros?Well, if free rang all the time, you don't have to build a run, costs less on feed, is much healthier for them.
7.What are the cons?
The cons?You loose to predators a lot, like, a lot.And your flower beds and garden get ripped apart, they may eat something they aren't supposed to.
8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else?
Started out as eggs, and turned to pets.
9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:
Yes, yes it did.They seemed richer, and, slightly darker yolks.
10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe:
I didn't do meat.
11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe:
Yes, personally I Belive free ranging benefits us and them.Between costs of a run and feed.And for them, they get to find and eat so much.

 

[Molpet]

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes
2.What poultry do you have experience with? Chickens and Turkeys
3.How were they housed? 3 cattle panel hoop coops
4.Were they allowed to free-range? Yes then 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: They were running free on 10 acres but kept going to the neighbors... and coyotes started showing up again.. now they are in 3 yards.. each yard is at least 50x50' and I let them free range when I can watch for coyotes

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method? bug control, happier birds, better eggs

7.What are the cons? visiting the neighbors and predators

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

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

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe: since they have big yards it's about the same.. they are active

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: happier more enriched lives, wider range of food types

 

[Smuvers Farm]

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? I had no prior experience with them when I started raising them in Feb 2017.

2.What poultry do you have experience with? 13 pullets currently, all started from 1 day old.

3.How were they housed? Brooder/MHP in garage until they were old enough. 2 separate coops with a 20'x20' run. Allowed to free range in the evenings.

4.Were they allowed to free-range? 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: 2 separate coops with a 20'x20' run. Allowed to free range in the evenings.

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method? Them getting extra protein from bugs and extra vitamins from grass and weeds.

7.What are the cons? Unless a lot of space is available, they can tear up a yard quickly.

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else? A mix of both. Eggs and meat

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe: I'm not sure the quality of the eggs have been effected by free ranging, as I ferment feed my flocks... which I DO think has an effect on their eggs.

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe: N/A as I've not culled any chickens yet.

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: I believe it is beneficial, as it is more natural for them to scratch and scrounge for food, rather than roost all day feeding on food provided by their human keepers.

Hope this helps!!!

 

[millietime]

Sure I like surveys..

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them? Yes
2.What poultry do you have experience with?
Laying hens
3.How were they housed?
Coop/henhouse with attached run
4.Were they allowed to free-range? 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: there is a run built onto the side of the coop/house

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method? More space, digging, scratching, jumping, climbing, exploring, physical and mental stimulation, varied foods (bugs, plants), they seem happier, which in turn makes me happy and I'm sure it is stress reducing for all of us (me and those girls)

7.What are the cons? Predators, eating things they should not, hopping the fence, possibly more at risk of getting worms or other parasites (not sure if this is increased with free ranging but it seems like it might be)

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else? Originally for eggs, now more so for pets

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe: it seems like the yolks are darker when they free range but I also do not give them much greens in the coop; snacks, greens, and treats are outside

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: yes, see above under pros. Ultimately happier/calm birds= healthier birds= higher production... same as with people

 

[Tapioca]

Wow! Thank you guys! This is a lot more information than I expected! I'm so happy and I'm learning a lot from y'all. Thank you again. My teacher should be happy with the huge amount of responses!

 

[N F C]

These are my answers. The flock I had in FL was raised somewhat differently than the flock I now have in WY...part of that is due to our living conditions (we now are in company housing) and me working a lot and part of that is due to all the predators in this area.

Survey on Free-Ranged Domestic Poultry



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

2.What poultry do you have experience with? chickens

3.How were they housed? In a coop wth a run

4.Were they allowed to free-range? My old flock in FL was allowed to free range with supervision. My new flock here in WY does not free range.

5.If no or occasionally, how were they contained? Were they cooped? Did they have a
tractor? Did they have a yard? Please describe: My WY flock has a good sized run. We don't have a real yard here, it's all sage brush and scrub.

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method?
Chicken tv was way more fun when my FL flock could free range!

7.What are the cons? Here in WY we have a lot of predators...everything from eagles, hawks, rattlesnakes to badgers. I only have 5 birds and don't want to risk losing any.

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

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe: I have not noticed any difference in the egg quality between the birds I used to free range and the ones I have now that are in a coop/run.

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe: Not applicable

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: Perhaps it does benefit them to a certain extent, but I'd rather keep them safe than lose them.

 

[wyoDreamer]

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

2.What poultry do you have experience with? Chickens and Guinea Hens

3.How were they housed? chickens have a coop and fenced run, Guinea's have a coop and free-range

4.Were they allowed to free-range? Occasionally free-range the chickens, Guineas are total free-range

5.If no or occasionally, how were they contained? Please describe: To free-range the chickens, I just open the door to the run and prop it open. Sprinkle a little sunflower seed in the run and they go back in. They only get out for about an hour, so they never go too far from the run.

6.If free-ranging was allowed, what do you consider the pros of this method? Free-ranging will reduce the amount of feed that they eat, adds variety to the diet and keeps the birds busy and happy. It also reduces the number of insects. With complete free-ranging the guinea's are not fed at all during the summer. And they keep the insect/woodtick population down, my dogs have had 1 woodtick all year.

7.What are the cons? Predation - I started with 8 guineas and am down to 4. My guineas like to visit the neighbors house - she puts out sunflower seed for them.

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else? I processed the roosters when they were big enough and will probably process the old hens when the time comes, I have 6 replacements growing right now. I also have 4 meat chicks as a first attempt at raising these.

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:
The eggs have a much darker, more intense color whenever the chickens are allowed to free-range. Even friends will notice the color. My husband has commented on the better tasting yolks also. Except for the one time they got into the fish cleanings and we got fishy tasting eggs for a couple of days - not so good, the dogs got fed a lot of eggs. it took me a couple of days to figure out where the taste come from.

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe:
My parents love the taste of the roosters - they fill the role of stewing hens very nicely.

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe: Yes, my chickens are very happy when they get to free-range. I find they have a lot more energy and are more active when given the opportunity to do so on a regular basis. They also settle down better at night - not as much pecking order at roosting time. The egg production goes up a little bit also - maybe 5% at most though. The shells are harder too. My chickens have not been able to free-range as much, and even though I have oyster-shell out for them and they get layer feed the shells have been a little thin.

 

[BW56]

1.Do you own poultry or have experience with them?
Yes. I'm learning they are not that hard to keep.

2.What poultry do you have experience with?
Chickens, 5 Hens and a rooster until he crows himself out of a place to live.
3.How were they housed?
In a coop on skids that on a good day I can move by myself if needed.

4.Were they allowed to free-range?
Yes, They have my whole fenced backyard to run. Approximately 75' X 40'

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?
Pros- They get plenty of exercise running across the yard for treats and bugs, They cleared a bunch of tasty weeds, We interact with each other, Yes we talk back and forth. The grand kids love them.

7.What are the cons?
Cons- I have had two "Mouthed" hard by family dogs visiting. Cats don't go near them. Hawks or owls in the city are a remote possibility. Chicken poop on the back porch near the door (they gather there wanting treats when they see us).

8.Were the poultry raised for egg production, meat production, or something else?
Pet Recycling centers that turn kitchen scraps into eggs and entertain with all those true chicken proverbs.

9.If for egg production, did free-ranging affect the quality of the egg? Please describe:
I believe If I controlled them in every way, egg production would go up and be more like store bought eggs, not the dark yolk prefered from free ranging and foraging. I'm one of the few that doesn't really taste a difference between "homemade" and store bought.

10.If for meat production, did free-ranging affect the meat? Please describe:
I haven't tried them for meat, yet. Hear that rooster?

11.Overall, do you believe free-ranging benefits the birds? Please describe:
When they run to you and talk to you they seem happy with their life. They are happy being able to wander around exploring everything in their safe little world.