Free range chickens?

KONY · Dec 6, 2017

What an adventure these birds :peacock:

have become.

After raising them from day olds and watching them do their thing, it's funny so many people are okay with keeping them caged or in small coops/runs their whole life. I understand the ones that have lost whole flocks to predators, but don't understand the ones that are lazy and are trying to use the chickens to their maximum benefit without caring about the chickens welfare.

These animals are meant to wander free. It's amazing how efficient they are at finding their own food and how non interested in grain - even scratch grain when they can wander. In 10 minutes they cover either 1/8 acre if their is abundant resources (summer), or 5 acres this time of year at the start of winter

I can't blame them, I wouldnt eat mcdonalds every day if I could have fresh wild organic food.

I should mention I don't think it should be illegal, or is even wrong to keep them caged, I just would never do that or support caged birds after seeing them in their natural habitat.

Borderliner · Dec 6, 2017

birds know what they need as for people agree shame they are not given the best environment to live

CosmicGiggle · Dec 6, 2017

luckily for the caged birds they don't live that long. :tiphat:

growingcrazy · Dec 6, 2017

Also the best way to bring soil back to life on your property. We have a flock of 55 that run free year round.

Lester Beans · Dec 6, 2017

Do you fence of a large section of property? How do you keep predators out?

I have many fox, mink, coyote around all the time. I'm not sure how I would keep them out yet maintain free range.

dragongrower · Dec 6, 2017

got pics??

Borderliner · Dec 6, 2017

yotes come in at times on my street but does keep the dogs off the street

Green Squall · Dec 6, 2017

Lester Beans said:
Do you fence of a large section of property? How do you keep predators out?

I have many fox, mink, coyote around all the time. I'm not sure how I would keep them out yet maintain free range.

I was wondering the same thing. We have an abnormally large coyote population. There's a house that has a real nice setup down the street from me. The chickens spend their days roaming a fenced in yard, guarded by two dogs, and spend the night in a chicken coop, also fenced off.

growingcrazy · Dec 6, 2017

We have a pretty good population of coyote and some fox...

My main deterrent daily are my dogs... 3 of them. A 90 lb Aussie, 120lb lab/dane and a golden. The Aussie will put a 600lb hog where he wants them, so coyotes really aren't a big deal.

A dead coyote in front of the coop door for a few days will also make them stay away.

No light colored birds also helps. I made the mistake of letting 3 white ducks out to range...found them gutted...

We have 10 acres of well covered/protected wetlands on the property, so the birds prefer the natural protein over grain. As well as the egg customers preferring the yolk quality.

Borderliner · Dec 6, 2017

yotes will gang up on a dog if they are hungry

Borderliner · Dec 6, 2017

heard 4 yotes treed a guy up a water tower and they just waited until he got some help

420somewhere · Dec 6, 2017

Home home on the range...

I thought Free Range chickens were kinda like Buffalo in the old days.

Imagine it, Free Range Chickens as far as the eye could see.

:party:

Stoner4Life · Dec 6, 2017

Borderliner said:
yotes will gang up on a dog if they are hungry

any predator entering my yard while I'm up n' about is usually killed by me, I don't pussyfoot around with regulations, fuck 'em! I'm handicapped but always armed & my miniature dachshund couldn't possibly fend for herself.

I've killed 6 coyotes in about 9-10 attempts over a 20 year period on this property, all in the dark, all were pack hunting. They're probably more interested in my deer & rabbit but I'm not interested in that, in my yard they just make fun targets.

Borderliner · Dec 7, 2017

dropped yote few years back when carried rifle in the truck

Green Squall · Dec 7, 2017

Borderliner said:
yotes will gang up on a dog if they are hungry

Not saying they won't, but it would be incredibly rare for them to go after large dogs, especially if they're on the lookout.

The only dog fatality in this county by coyote was one of those miniature toy dogs that the owner left out on a lead at night. She then proceeded to call all of the news stations, act like it was Armageddon and the town was being infiltrated by blood thirsty coyotes :noway:

If you see one on your property, just make a shitload of noise and scare them off. No need to kill it unless you have no choice.

I've wanted chickens for years but haven't made the leap yet. My yard is too big to fence in, so I'd have to construct some kind of enclosure. Maybe this spring!

Borderliner · Dec 7, 2017

yotes are predators controlling rabbit and rodent populations mountain cats control yotes. When yotes are so over populated they roam the town streets well that's why there is an open season on them.

Jhhnn · Dec 7, 2017

Free range chickens & gardens aren't really compatible unless you can keep the chickens out. Some long ago friends raised 'em that way on their place near Canon city. There was an egg farm nearby that would give them all the rooster chicks they wanted. There are apparently ways to tell that are beyond the ken of non-chicken people. They fed 'em in the coop until they were big enough to fend in the yard & then out into the field.
they conditioned the chickens to come home to the coop to roost at night with grains & greens, locked 'em in, let 'em out the next morning until they were big enough to slaughter. Their problem was hawks & golden eagles.

It's a trip the way chickens scare up grasshoppers & pluck 'em right out of the air...

yesum · Dec 7, 2017

I will not buy eggs unless they come from free range chickens. There are some companies or were, that fudged the way they were wording 'free range'. A little hole in the wall that the chickens would never go out.

I know the difference and get the real free range eggs. They do cost more. Most things worth having do. I worked around a coop many years back so I know what being caged does to the birds. Not pretty.

Stoner4Life · Dec 7, 2017

yesum said:
I will not buy eggs unless they come from free range chickens. There are some companies or were, that fudged the way they were wording 'free range'. A little hole in the wall that the chickens would never go out.

I know the difference and get the real free range eggs. They do cost more. Most things worth having do. I worked around a coop many years back so I know what being caged does to the birds. Not pretty.

I like the Amish brown eggs, they cost twice what store bought eggs do, but are much better quality; stronger shells, a yolk that's tough to break when cooking, and better flavor. My neighbors raise free range chicken, much tastier again than anything store or butcher shop bought.

Best free range chicken I'd ever eaten came from a little kosher deli & butcher shop in New Rochelle NY, I kept going back thinking it was a fluke, but no, every damn day the tastiest bird imaginable.

and their cole slaw? it ran a close 2nd to KFC.......

kaochiu · Dec 7, 2017

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_the_Headless_Chicken

I wonder what Mike thought of all this.
I've only got seven hens and Tejero, the cock. No coyotes round here, just foxes, weasels, the odd snake, rats, eagles, stray dogs and cats and even a suspicious 12yo gypsy kid. But i've lost zero in the last three years, only a few eggs to rats and snakes.
Their enclosure is large enough for them to wander, like 250sqm plus a 40sqm henhouse, and the fence is 2m, but not particularly secure. My cat sometimes sleeps with them in rainy nights. Two little dogs patrolling the area, that's all. Managed to hunt a few rats with the airgun, but i don't have fun killing any living thing. I don't eat eggs so i give them away. The chickens i eat i buy them from a neighbour, free range too, clean and ready for the oven. Mine die of old age.

Free range chickens?

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