chicken question

[glen]

any of you have chickens that you just let roost in trees? If so what breed and how often do you loose chicks?

[Strummer]

chicken question

I do . Mine are barred rock and Rhode Island reds . Also have peacocks and guineas that all roost together . They take care of each other pretty good . I have only lost a few birds in 4 years and that was from stray dogs

[tex4k]

My family has all my life, you'll do ok at times, then at times some kind of critter will come through and start cleaning you out, maybe one or two at a time, or sometimes several. You just never know, guineas and peafowl will help alert you that something's going on that needs investigating. Free ranging is hard on chicks, they're just fuzzy little bait balls running around on two legs.

[Hoggslayer]

Had some free range a few years ago and a group of Redtail Hawks cleaned them out in about another. 50 chickens gone.

[Dieselman]

Hawks , yote , snake on eggs and chicks , then u have coons , opossum , and might even a skunk. Shoot forgot the owls they'll snatch them right out the trees at night. Mine cooped at night but free run during day

[JW]

Hawks , yote , snake on eggs and chicks , then u have coons , opossum , and might even a skunk. Shoot forgot the owls they'll snatch them right out the trees at night. Mine cooped at night but free run during day

Evvvverybody likes eatin yard bird.

[TX_Hoghunter]

I do and seldom have issues. The only time I have peoblems is when someone decides that they do not need to keep their dogs up. I had 28 birds, got a new neighbor and all of a suddun I had one hen and 2 roosters......I told them to keep the dog up and they, of course, said that there was no way that their dog would do that...lets just say it is no longer a problem....but the new neighbors no longer talk to me but I am good with that. I gathered some eggs from the remaining he and now have 16 1/2 grown birds growing out and I don't expect to have any more issues......

-john

[glen]

Do y'all build laying boxes or just find where each hen likes to lay

[tex4k]

Since you brought up nesting, some breeds are notorious for hiding away their nest in some deep, dark hard to find place,usually the breeds known to do well on free range. You'll be better off to build a coop, provide a couple of nesting boxes, keep the chickens in the coop for a couple of weeks to get them used to roosting and laying there before turning them out. Then pick a breed of chicken that will do well under your conditions.

[AntlerCollector]

Have several free range chickens. I have a coop most of them sleep in. A few stay in trees. The coop door is always open. I have boxes in it that the hens lay eggs in. Mine are barred rock and Rhode Island reds. Only problem I ever have is a snake or two a year and an occasional possum. When the possum gets one I don't give him a chance to get another! I set live traps in front of the coop and bait with sardines. Gets them everytime.