YO GEORGIANS! :)

[PapaChaz]

I personally like stationary coops, I free range my birds and they go in at night to bed and anytime during the day they feel they need to go home, the only time I lock the door is at bed time, I'm lucky that I have not had too many predators, tho I did forget to lock the door and a fox had free chicken dinners. They also have a tree line they go into for shade and protection, I put out water in different locations, so my birds can just be chickens.

^^this^^

pretty much what I was going to say, if you're comfortable enough to let them free range during the day, or have plenty of room to build a big run go with a stationary coop

 

[carcar80]

Just got home.. 6/9 lav orps are pipped with one starting to zip!!

 

[Coach C]

I have room, but opossums, foxes, and hawks are bad around here. With me being gone all day (work) would you still recommend free ranging completely without being in a run during the day?

 

[carcar80]

I have room, but opossums, foxes, and hawks are bad around here. With me being gone all day (work) would you still recommend free ranging completely without being in a run during the day?

Personally, I used to free range while I was at work. Went well for almost a year, then I came home to a massacre and one remaining hen.

Now I only free range when I'm home.. Preferably actually outside, but at least my dog outside so I'll hear her bark at anything off.

Just my experience.

 

[PapaChaz]

I have room, but opossums, foxes, and hawks are bad around here. With me being gone all day (work) would you still recommend free ranging completely without being in a run during the day?

nope, build a big secure run (actually what I did and I'm on an acre and a half in the country) and just not worry about it. I leave my pop doors open all the time now that it's warm and they come and go as they please.

I actually saw a hawk swoop in and take a dove in flight about 15 yards from my run. The neighbors dogs have figured out they can't get in the run, so they don't even go around there anymore. The neighbor on the other side of us has a cat that no longer even looks at the coop/run when it's on it's way over to leave footprints all over my truck.......grrrrrrrr.............

I haven't seen any coons, but we do have opossums, I had one walk out of the scrub tree line by the coop and walk almost right to me, one of the few times I was outside without one of my pistols on my side or it would have gone down. It was pretty bold, I wondered if it was rapid and yes I would have shot it if I'd had any one of the pistols with me at the time

 

[carcar80]

Yes I wish I could build a big, secure run! Someday... Mine aren't too terrible though, I'm just really big on everyone having plenty of room so I probably put fewer than some might.

 

[katsdar]

I have room, but opossums, foxes, and hawks are bad around here. With me being gone all day (work) would you still recommend free ranging completely without being in a run during the day?

I'm at home all the time so free ranging all day works for me, but I'd build a large run and let them out when you are home and all day on the weekends. and I go out several times a day to check on my girls. You could let them out for a while when you get home, they know when it is time to go to bed, do you have chickens now? If not they have to stay in their new home a few days without going out to get acclimated. Otherwise your going to be playing chicken roundup for a long time

nope, build a big secure run (actually what I did and I'm on an acre and a half in the country) and just not worry about it. I leave my pop doors open all the time now that it's warm and they come and go as they please.

I actually saw a hawk swoop in and take a dove in flight about 15 yards from my run. The neighbors dogs have figured out they can't get in the run, so they don't even go around there anymore. The neighbor on the other side of us has a cat that no longer even looks at the coop/run when it's on it's way over to leave footprints all over my truck.......grrrrrrrr.............

I haven't seen any coons, but we do have opossums, I had one walk out of the scrub tree line by the coop and walk almost right to me, one of the few times I was outside without one of my pistols on my side or it would have gone down. It was pretty bold, I wondered if it was rapid and yes I would have shot it if I'd had any one of the pistols with me at the time

my opossums seem to try and do walk-bys at night, but my dogs alert me to their presence so my gun is now handy at the back door. Don't know how they know but at 2 am they wake me up.

 

[carcar80]

Y'all I lost TWO juvenile Brahmas today. Anf I have NO idea why. These are my "prized" ones too.. The shipped eggs I hatched. One cockerel and one pullet. They were so beautiful. Just gone.

I couldn't find a mark on them (aside from the normal light pecking chickens do to dead stuff) and the others are absolutely fine. No bugs, no wounds, respiratory rate totally normal. Not even panting like they're overheated. They are in my most shaded (all-day shade) coop. Two full waterers

Sooo mad!

 

[katiedarling]

Y'all I lost TWO juvenile Brahmas today.

Anf I have NO idea why. These are my "prized" ones too.. The shipped eggs I hatched. One cockerel and one pullet. They were so beautiful. Just gone.

I couldn't find a mark on them (aside from the normal light pecking chickens do to dead stuff) and the others are absolutely fine. No bugs, no wounds, respiratory rate totally normal. Not even panting like they're overheated. They are in my most shaded (all-day shade) coop. Two full waterers

Sooo mad!

oh nooo!

 

[rossfam06]

Y'all I lost TWO juvenile Brahmas today.

Anf I have NO idea why. These are my "prized" ones too.. The shipped eggs I hatched. One cockerel and one pullet. They were so beautiful. Just gone.

I couldn't find a mark on them (aside from the normal light pecking chickens do to dead stuff) and the others are absolutely fine. No bugs, no wounds, respiratory rate totally normal. Not even panting like they're overheated. They are in my most shaded (all-day shade) coop. Two full waterers

Sooo mad!

So Sorry!!!!! I would take them to have them tested!!! Where did the shipped eggs come from?