To ensure chickens can safely eat peonies, it is essential to rinse the petals and remove the stamen and pistil from the center of the flower. Overfeeding can lead to digestive issues, so it is recommended to consult with a vet if in doubt. Toxic foods are marked with an* and can be fatal to birds. Chickens usually avoid toxic perennials such as peonies and lilies, fragrant perennials like geraniums, or leafy plants like hostas.
To prevent health issues and death, it is important to know what not to feed your birds from the garden, kitchen, and yard. There are 14 plants that can be harmful or fatal to chickens, including beans, potatoes, chocolate, avocado, and more. Chickens should avoid consuming any part of the peony plant, including the flowers, leaves, stems, and roots.
There are many plants considered toxic to chickens, but most hens know not to eat them. Some common ornamental plants that are potentially toxic to chickens include bluegreen algae, black laurel, andromeda and azalea, poison IVY, boxwood, hypotrope, poison beetle, and brecken. Solanine is shown to act as a toxin in chickens, so it may be best to avoid feeding parts of the plant and immature, unripe fruits.
In summary, chickens can safely eat peonies, but it is crucial to avoid toxic plants and foods from the garden, kitchen, and yard. It is also important to keep chickens away from certain plants and avoid feeding them parts of the plant until more information is known.
📹 Chicken MITES and LICE! 😭😱 The BEST Natural Treatments ❤️🐔
Henlo! I am The President of Chickenlandia and I want to welcome you to Chickenlandia, a magical place where my pet chickens …
What plants are poisonous to chickens?
The list of plants that are poisonous to chickens is incomplete and may include daffodils, foxglove, morning glory, yew, jimson weed, tulips, lily of the valley, azaleas, rhododendron, mountain laurel, monkshood, amaryllis, castor bean, trumpet vine, nightshade, nicotiana, and tansy. However, it is important to be extra cautious when adding plants to areas where chickens access, as detailed information about the plant can help identify potential problems.
Is Peony poisonous?
Common Peony is a popular garden plant, but its safety around children is a concern due to its concentration of paeonol, a compound found in all parts of the plant. Although not highly toxic, it is best to keep these blooms out of reach of children. If a child eats a peony petal, they should remove any plant remnants and rinse their mouth with water. They should watch for symptoms like nausea or diarrhea, which are usually mild. If the child seems distressed or has eaten a lot, seek medical attention immediately.
Peonies are more likely to cause stomachaches than emergency room visits. Handling Common Peony can sometimes lead to skin irritation, with sensitive skin individuals noticing redness or itching. Gloves are a good precaution.
Are peonies poisonous to animals?
Peonies, a common selection for birthday floral arrangements, are toxic to cats and dogs due to the presence of paeonol, a harmful toxin. Ingestion can result in mild to moderate poisoning, which may present as gastrointestinal distress, emesis, and diarrhea. Despite their aesthetic appeal, peonies are toxic to cats, which presents a potential hazard for both gardeners and pet owners.
Are peonies food safe?
Peonies, known for their beauty and scent, are edible as well. Originally grown for medicinal purposes, they can be used in home gardens and bouquets. After their short bloom season, peonies can be used to create syrups, jams, and cookies. Farmers share family recipes celebrating the flavor of peonies long after their blooms fade. Pink peonies, particularly fragrant ones like the ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ variety, are ideal for jelly and syrup.
To process large quantities, gather and separate peony blooms, separate petals from stems and greenery, rinse them in a colander, place them in a stock pot, cover with boiling water, and let steep for 12 hours.
Strain the petals and reserve 3 to 3 ½ cups liquid per batch of jelly or syrup. The infused peony liquid can be frozen for later use. Ensure to use all natural peonies grown without pesticides when making consumable products from peonies.
What is the most common killer of chickens?
Chickens are primarily preyed upon by dogs, hawks, and occasionally by mice, foxes, weasels, raccoons, opossums, and skunks. To reduce predation, a run should be confined with a sturdy fence, preventing heavy chicken breeds from flying over it and excluding dogs and foxes. Light breed chickens may require a six or eight-foot-tall fence. Overhead protection, such as wire mesh or a roof, can also help prevent raptors from snatching occasional chickens.
Are rhubarb leaves toxic to animals?
It is inadvisable for canines to consume rhubarb, as the presence of oxalic acid in the plant can cause a detrimental reaction in dogs, rendering it poisonous. The plant, including the stalk and leaves, is toxic to canines due to its sour taste.
What is highly toxic to chickens?
Green potatoes and tomatoes are toxic to chickens due to their high concentration of solanine and chaconine, which are found in the peels, eyes, and green parts of the potato. Sweet potatoes are safe to give to chickens, as they are not part of the nightshade family. Green tomatoes should also be avoided as they contain solanine until they ripen. Apple seeds and cherry pits contain cyanide, which can be fatal for chickens, cutting off oxygen to cells and leading to discolored combs and breathing difficulties.
Feeding bread occasionally isn’t harmful, but it can form a ball in the crop, leading to catastrophic blockages. Chickens’ gizzards are not designed for large amounts of bread, and it has very little nutritional value and can cause a sour crop. Moderation is crucial when consuming these foods.
Is rhubarb safe for chickens?
Rhhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which is toxic to hens and humans. They are not used for making umbrellas or as a pan cleaner, as it can cause liver damage. Azaleas and rhododendron are toxic plants, especially in acid soil, causing digestive problems. Lobelia and lupines contain pyridine alkaloids, which can cause a lack of cooridination and quinolizidine alkaloids, which can cause fits. Trailing lobelia can be grown for small amounts without harm.
What are the dangers of peony?
Peony is potentially safe for oral consumption for up to 12 months, but it can cause stomach upset in some individuals. Long-term use is uncertain due to the lack of reliable information. Additionally, peony can cause rash in some individuals when applied to the skin. Despite these potential risks, peony is considered potentially safe for oral consumption and skin application, but its long-term safety remains uncertain due to the lack of reliable information.
Is lilac safe for chickens?
Lilacs are edible flowers that have been demonstrated to aid digestion. They can be processed into a variety of products, including jelly and homemade soap. Additionally, apple blossoms, which are rich in antioxidants, are consumed by chickens. Other edible flowers that are particularly appealing to chickens include lilacs, apple blossoms, and other flowers such as lilies, which are also beneficial for their health.
Do peonies like chicken manure?
To start a peony plant, dig a hole twice as wide as the plant and add organic matter like compost, well-rotted manure, or chicken-manure pellets. If planting a potted peony, gently tease the plant from its pot, loosen the roots, and place the crown slightly above the soil surface. Peonies prefer planting slightly above the surface, so backfill the edges with soil and firm around the base before watering in well. Peonies can also be grown in pots of peat-free compost or soil, but thrive in open ground.
📹 FREE RANGING CHICKENS 101 | How To Train Backyard Poultry | PROS & CONS | Caring For Egg Laying Hens
We’ve been free ranging chickens for years now, so here is some of what we’ve learned along the way. Are free range hens the …
Henlo all! I’d like to clarify something: I mention in this article that ivermectin may carry a greater risk for chickens than diatomaceous earth. Ivermectin is a relatively benign medication that has been around for a long time. With birds, the risk comes with injecting it. There is also the risk of over-medicating them if you don’t have the correct oral or topical dose. I recommend working with a veterinarian (if possible) if you wish to use ivermectin for your flock.
I know this article is 2 years old BUT I just wanted to say that DE has been such a blessing and a Godsend for us. I couldn’t agree with you more! The misinformation out there to steer people away from truly good products is (or should be) so obvious now with everything going on in the past few years. I’m not new to chicken keeping but I haven’t had them for years and I am starting again with my little flock of 8. Loved a few of your articles so far and look forward to perusal many more. Thankyou!
I had a nasty infestation a few weeks ago when my broody hen sat for 3 weeks and didn’t bathe. When she finally vacated the nest I went to clean it all out and I was covered in mites. 3 days later, I was covered in extremely itchy mite bites! Imagine how it is for our girls? My solution when cleaning out the nesting box was to spray eucalyptus and let it evaporate (very strong not good in large doses) I then put lots of wormwood, tansy and lavender in the boxes and there hutch. The coup has lemon balm, wormwood and tansy growing so they are walking through that all the time. mites don’t like strong smells. I also add apple cider vinegar and garlic to their water. She’s all better now and my bites have gone.
Here’s another affordable natural option which has definitely dealt with the issue for me. Having a contained suburban run mixed with the humid weather in my location, it’s a very common problem for most chicken owners around here. Into a spray bottle, mix 1 part vegetable oil (or other edible oil) to 2 parts water. Add a very small squirt of dishwash liquid (just enough to emulsify the mix when shaken) and a few drops of essential oil if you have them (lemongrass, lavender etc). This mixture can be spayed directly on the birds feet and any coop surfaces such as the roosts that you find mites – both as treatment and deterrent. Dust baths are a must and if you can afford it, adding DE / dried herbs from someones garden to the coop bedding has completely eliminated the problems. This spray was a game changer for me. Great website BTW!
DE – wonderful stuff!! My son infected the guest room with bed bugs from his luggage after he came back from Dubai. I dusted the mattress, the pillows, the plinths and rugs etc etc and no more bedbugs! Ants in the kitchen? Easy peasy – DE along their walking paths. I rub DE in the cracks of the chicken coop and like you, add it to their dust bath and nesting boxes. Happy chickens! Kids arguing over the TV remote? I dust them with DE and the little pests just melt away! Just kidding. So glad I found your website. Learning a lot, thanks!
I’ve always used FGDE with my chickens, never had any issues with it harming them, us nor our dogs. Now that we have a pellet stove, I’ll add the wood ash. I also much prefer natural treatments to chemical ones and feed my flock organic feed, it’s healthier for them and for us…after all, whatever they eat goes into their eggs, and we eat their eggs. ❤️💛💜
Great vid!. Had a new girl come into my flock from unknown farm . Adopted her because the rooster almost fully pecked her eye out 😥 she was starting to do much better with us and her eye was healing nice . Then came out one morning and she wouldn’t come out . Checked on her and she wasnt hardly moving. Looked closer and she was covered in red mites!! Got her out of the coop and they were all over “her” nesting box. Unfortunately she did not recover from the infestation. That day built new coop for the rest of the flock and burned the other one haha now i use ash for there baths and sprinkle around the cracks of the coop when cleaning . Mites cant breath in fire place ash 😊
I have owned dogs for 36 years and in that time we have had a mild outbreak of fleas twice in really bad seasons. I used diatomaceous earth on my dogs after bathing and drying. As well, using and extra fine sieve, I sprinkled diatomaceous earth throughout the house and have had no problems and used no harsh chemicals.
I screamed YES! when you raved about D.E. That stuff is my best friend and I put it everywhere. 3 days after I brought my chickens home, I got up to see how they were doing and I was HORRIFIED to see billions of tiny ants. They were EVERYWHERE!!!! I have a good friend who raises chickens and I’m crying and sobbing on the phone to her and sniveling so bad, she said “Who IS this?” She told me to run down to Tractor Supply and get the biggest bag of food-grade D.E. they have and sprinkle it lightly in all the places they’re crawling and put a little in their food. Literally, the next morning there were ant carcasses all over the place but, not a single live ant! Overnight! When I clean out the coop, chicken run and especially the beginning of spring, I sprinkle it all over. Plus, I mix a small amount in their food and sprinkle it around the perimeter of their chicken run and even my house, cuz they were coming in my house, too. Eeeuuww!
Saw you post in the backyard chickens group on Facebook. You are such a joy to watch and I’m learning so much already. I just watched a few of your articles and if it wasn’t way past my bedtime I would watch many more! I’m so inspired to really do so much more for my girls. I love the little xylophone you have in the coop! I also think your birds are beautiful. Looks like you have some serma bantams which I want so badly. We are first time chicken owners and have 18. We recently lost one because she was a runt and another because of a hawk. We are working on trying to secure our yard, but it’s large and they beg us daily to get out of the run. They love free ranging. I work from home so sometimes I go outside to babysit them with my laptop! Ha anyway, thank you for putting out such great quality content for us crazy chicken people! 💕
Dear chickenlandia I owe this information to you and your followers because i like this website a lot. So i’ve been raising chickens for ten years now and I can assure you that if you apply olive oil onto the treating areas (under wings, vent, back, neck) the parasites drown in the oil. You can immediately see the dead mites and lice as you apply it.The oil remains on the chickens and spreads evenly on the whole body for about 2 to 3 days ( depending on the quantity you used) and functions as a trap for the mites that climb on the chickens during the night. I highly recommend that you try it and share the results with the community. Note that I have also tried sunflower oil and didn’t work. It kinda dried out and ruined the feathers. Good luck, greetings from Greece.
Hi,love your article and have found it very useful.I must confess my chickens did get mites,what a nightmare,we had a infestation.The worst thing was I got the mites and at night I could not stop itching,the mites where so so tiny you could hardly see them .We had to burn the coop down as we tried everything to get rid of them,lucky the chickens survived .Never again,so I do most of what you say .What herbs do you put in the dust bath?I love your idea of the dust bath in winter and the cider vinigar!thanks you are articles are informational and inspiring!
I also wanted to tell you that my son and I love and respect you!!! You’re the best resource we have to raise healthy happy chickens ! BTW we will never eat these chickens! We got them for their eggs! My son wants to get ducks and quails. I’m so glad he’s a great engineer,builder etc!! He went to college for welding and ended up learning engineering etc. bless you my new friend and mentor!!
We have recently discovered that our beloved birdie girls have lice and mites. YIPES!! We ordered Elector PSP to treat the girls and their coop, egg boxes, etc. We cleaned out the egg boxes and put diatomaceous earth in the coop, egg boxes, and our birds. Today we got the Elector PSP and plan to treat everything this weekend. Any thoughts? Thanks for all you do Madam President!
There’s Food grade D. Earth and its amazing!! It was the only thing that got rid of carpet Beatles. They came into my house through hand me down clothes. For 6 years I couldn’t completely get rid of these things. Within about two days of Putting the power In Just the corners of cabinets… they were dead and never came back. Amazing! Just don’t breathe it in the powder is bad for your lungs
I have a young chicken in my “chicken rehab” I have set up in the basement. I brought her in after finding her on the ground in the coup not moving. It appeared she got picked on pretty bad by one of the other guys. My poor little Freya…she’s one of my favorites. She was very alert, but couldn’t stand. I couldn’t find any broken bones. After lots of research, I found a good recipe to get nutrition back into her system, the “Rickets Diet”. She’s been inside for two weeks now, and doing so much better. However, as I was sitting on the floor with her on my lap giving her light strokes on her neck, I noticed little tan things crawling on my leg. Well….being new to this, you can image how I freaked out. I put her back in her crate, removed all of my clothes, threw them in the washer, ran upstairs buck naked (thank god no one was home!) and jumped in the shower. After much research, I believed it to be lice. Googling how to get rid of…. I found you. You don’t know how happy I found you!! I can tell I am going to learn so much. Thankfully I have DE powder. Had the husband pick it up the other day. I always like to have it on hand. Thank you for your very informative article. I’m looking forward to watch more!
I just got a rooster that I’ve kept in quarantine and right when we got him his legs looked off….raised scales near his feet and his feet and legs were abnormally red. I’ve been treating is as scaly leg mites and as opposed to Vaseline I read some sources say to use castor oil. It’s taken almost a month but I’m finally noticing improvement. Legs aren’t as red and scales don’t look as raised.
Thank you so much for this educative yet profoundly simple and very interesting article. I just began a small chicken keeping project here in Africa, Kenya – of about 50 one-month-old chicken, and am learning a lot as a brand new chicken farmer, hoping to one day go big commercially in well kept and healthy chicken. You are such an inspiration. Thank you so much..!
All 80 of my chickens have mites. Its a constant battle. The mites attach to the quill at the skin and eat the chicken till the feather is weak and blood leaks into the feather quill and becomes like a feeding tube for the mites. I think cleaning the coop where they sleep with a torch of some kind. Like sweeping it out with a flame. Of course you dont let the coop catch on fire but just running the flame around so the heat can get into the nooks and crannies.
Thank you so much! I had no idea those products (Elector PSP & Permethrin) are harmful to bees, aquatic life, and cats! I also didn’t know the differences between the two types of diatomaceous earth. Wow! I always learn something important when I watch your articles. Also, I loved that conversation between the ducks! I could have watched more of that! Haha!
Girl. I want to have a conversation with you. DE saved my chickens from mites. I regularly use it with ash in their dust bath area. Just not on a windy day. Lol! I’m south of Houston, so not a lot of cold weather. Bugs are a regular thing. I put it in the nesting boxes, bc I know they’re going to get that little chicken butt in there. Your thoughts? Btw, I don’t know how you can handle your chickens. Mine run from me unless I have treats. Lol! I could never dust bathe them by hand.
I have a deep litter method, but also use diatomaceous dust in one corner of the run. Should I stop using it, Madame President? Also, I have three pullets that are 4 months old and one hen. Should I put out oyster shell at this time or wait for them to grow to 6 months? This is my first time raising chickens. My run is about 150 square feet but I cannot free range as I live next to a redwood forest in the countryside. Too many predators. Kit Fox, bobcat, weasels, and even a few mt lions spotted up the way. We made sure to triple predator proof the run as a result. So far, no predators, but I know it’s only a matter of time.
We’ve tried lots of things. Then, a couple of weeks ago I had a brainwave – I wrapped sicky face up duct tape at each end of the perch. I sealed the edges with the same tape, sticky side down to prevent them crawling underneath. The result was outstanding – many thousands caught every night. Thing is, most seem to be freshy fed mites returning to their lair but scratching my head (sometimes literally, lolz) – not sure how they reached the hens overnight, even the unfed ones.
Great article, tons of great info! We have had chickens for 5 years now. We live in a rural area and the chickens are all over our pasture, free to do whatever. The have two large coops that they are secured in at night. We also have a livestock guardian dog Heidi that helps keep the chickens safe. We just added a Black copper Maran hen a year ago. She has the strange habit of molting in the spring. No other hen does this now I think it could be mites. Thanks to your article. I believe in diatomaceous earth 100%. So going to give that a try and see if this stops the feather loss. Thanks.
My son and myself live together because I have Multiple Sclerosis and he’s been so great to take care of me!! And the state pays him to take care of me which he would do freely anyways! I’ll be telling you a bit about our little family because I believe we will be turning to you a lot for Chilcken wisdom!! My son has wanted to get chickens for the past 3 yrs. We love all animals,we own 2 chihuahuas. Both are females my dog has been with me since she was able to leave momma. She is 9 1/2 yrs. Old and ornery as ever, her name is Curlyfry because she had a tight curl to her tail when she was born . 5:05 My sons chihuahua is 4 yrs old and has had since a puppy like mine. Her dad is a Pitbull!! The breed was first made in Europe (England) she is called a Chipit and her name is Brandie! She is the best dog ever!! We also have a cat that adopted us 21/2 years ago that had to live outside. My dog detests cats!! He has a great set up on our front porch though! His name is Simba. The neighbor lady named her. Anyways, after all of this chatter I will tell you that I gave in to my son under the condition that he would clean the backyard and garage real good!! Since we live in the desert in Taft,Ca. My son did some research to find the right chickens to be able to be comfortable in this environment! He decided on the beautiful Welsummer laying hens! When we got them (there was supposed to be ten but we received 11!) they were so adorable and I instantly fell in love!! They started out in a galvanized large tub with all the proper items to keep them comfortable and happy!
What most people (even poultry fanciers) don’t know is that “Where did chickens originally come from?” was a question that went unanswered for ages until quite recently (SE Asia is the answer, fwiw.) The reason why nobody knew is that keeping chickens was such a good idea that they virtually showed up everywhere “overnight” in the archaeological record. Just an FYI I thought you might enjoy…
I have an old soft cosmetic brush that I brush the food grade DE onto my hens,I buy the food grade DE 10 pound bags,dip the old fluffy cosmetic brush in the tin and brush it on deep into their feathers and important little. places,I do it in morning so they have time so shake and dust bath too,the old fluffy cosmetics brush works brilliantly, they dig their own dust baths,there are dust holes all over the place,so hard to add Food grade DE to all of them . love to you Madam President and your family and flock .
I purchased some grit and I put some in a bowl and I’m not sure if they are even eating it. Every once and a while I notice the bowl is knocked over and the grit has spilled onto the ground. If they aren’t eating the grit, does that mean they don’t need it? Or do you think they are eating it a little bit and I’m just not noticing?
Husband got me 3 baby bird guineas. Had in cage on porch. I thought they were alien birds or something when I moved up here and went to an auction with my bf.. Husband! I kept saying.. Look at These!!! He’s like ya.. I said What Are They. All kids played outside of auction or teens and teen 5 kids. Never Seen heard of and I Watched Steve Erwin.. the Erwin’s when daughter was born with my kids little every Day after school and work!!! I was Devastated🙏❤️ They grew up Amazing Bindi and Robert. I see occasional now! Anyway Guineas at about a month went in coop cage. Top is squares bigger then chicken wire. A hawk flew right in and was getting the last one. Gone within a Day or 2!!! That Fast.. I live in wooded Springs Area.. diving capital on 5 acres❣️ Little River Spring I’ve seen on tv🥰. It Hurts My Feelings.. after losing Dogs old age one hit up here at age 7 only. I can’t do that Anymore 💕 Last Chicken is going to friends.. hopefully. DK where she is today. The bugs got on me from porch. I’m getting gold fish❣️ Thank You.. ❤️💯
Extremely helpful, thanks. We only have four chickens and while they started laying two to three eggs a day from last spring (NZ spring), they’ve laid barely an egg a day for the last few months (it’s at the end of our winter), so do you think some of the issues you’ve mentioned might be contributing to the problem. They look healthy and roam freely where there are lots of places to scratch and dust bathe.
My birds seem fine! and they have all their feathers: the problem was that the mites were crawling on my hands when I went to clean them out and hubby was finding them in my hair! I will start the cider vinegar as i trailed this off. They all dustbathe outside as they free range from midday. I do use DT anyway so it hasn’t worked!! I have a cat that loves to frolik everywhere what about neem oil or other oils like eucalyptus used in a spray?
Have been using DE for years, but sorry to say it’s time to ditch that. I’m at the point where I want the mites G.O.N.E. Tired of the battle that’s been taking place for years. Scaly mites included. Going for the pyrethrin poultry dust now. Also got the 10% liquid to dilute and spray ceiling, walls/cracks/flooring in the coop. I’m glad you at least mentioned the poultry dust, because it will work. I’m like you w/DE 1st, but I can’t say it’s ever stopped them. The other product you mentioned, yes, way too expensive when Pyrethrin is effective and much less costly. I’m leery of new chemicals. Thanks for the vid. Well done.
I’m currently dealing with mites, I just noticed it a couple days ago because I’ve got beaten really badly😢I went to a chicken farm to get de the next day and used on my quails also sprinkled a fair amount on the bedding and all the places they having dust bath, I also caught a mite alive and put it into a container with some de to see how long does it take to kill the mite, today is the second day and the mite is still looking good no signs of any effect on it, also I can still see mites crawling on them😢and I still getting bites, I’m thinking to get a spray or chemicals because I’m not sure what to do now, I don’t want them to suffer 😞
I’m feeling super stressed! I started my first flock this spring. I ended up with six cockerels and four pullets. I was able to re-home three of the cockerels and the lady had some pullets available for trade and agreed to give me one in the trade. She had an irritated eye but the lady said she was recouping from an upper respiratory infection. I’ve now had her for around a month and the eye/upper respiratory infection has seemed to come and go… And I just discovered she has what appears to be poultry lice. I treated her yesterday for the first time with DE. I just don’t have the money for anything else. Financially, it’s truly the worst time for this to be happening 😢 I’ve been giving her garlic and ACV for the infection and flushing her eye with saline and applying antibiotic ointment. She’s covered in the external parasite and seems lethargic today… Up to now she really hasn’t “acted sick”. I’m really worried that she has gotten too bad. Is there anything else I can be doing?
OMG! i was cuddling my rooster and i was holding him and i saw what i thought was a scab on his comb, but then the scab started MOVING . It was a mite! i few day before this happened i started getting random bites on my body, and lemme tell you i was freaking out when i saw fleas and mites. thank you for you FIY you really calmed me down. XD
I thought I could do that!! I went in from chicken on porch.. cat.. had 5! The poor last chicken wouldn’t go in their cage.. traumatized I’m sure from perusal sisters. Cage/coop at night. Open in day! Had some Great Brown Eggs for a few months❣️ I felt itchy after I sat in my cloth recliner.. very sensitive skin! I live in Nth FL, 5 acres. 15 yrs.. 2x trying chickens. We lost the others years ago when we left for 3 days after one game hen was sitting on hidden eggs and had 11 out of 12 hatch❤️ I was ecstatic.. So Happy❣️ they were a few days old. Got back to momma and babies gone😟 The laying hens at that time 3 I think. I heard a raccoon our neighbor perusal our house probably. But we lost one at a time within a week till One Left Also.. Same!! It stayed by door but we felt bad and she went to farm down road with lots of animals❤️ Tried again.. I’m So Sad that Happened!! We Caught a Cat in the Yard.. but No to Leaving.. hubby shot by it and it didn’t scare it Lost 2 more. Now I say in my Cloth Recliner and was itching and I have stood by the chicken talking to her and nothing?! Today.. I did thought mites! Didn’t know if.. the bed also LOL!? I RUSHED IN SHOWER but it made me afraid they will spread in house?? No dogs or cats Anymore I’m allergic to almost all animals💔 I Had an Iguana in 20s with my children small that reached 4 foot. 2 Dobermans. Outside cat. Fish.. in the City in Clearwater FL. No chickens till Nth FL. THANK YOU SO MUCH❣️ Bless You.. Hee. Cute how You Said That.
My girls will not use The roost I put in for them. They insist upon roosting in the rafters of thier house. No I have a problem on where to put your indoor dustpan for winter. I Always use hardwood ash for the dust baths. I will put in a cup litter pan of DE. The balance is usually sand. After make a dust spa for them. Somehow figure out a cover so that they don’t get poop all over it, from the rafters. My idea is to make an outside semiprotected run, where I can put their dust bath. I need to restrict your movement anyway. So I can let them out into the yard to free range when I’m able to watch them.
Hi, I have a 2 yr old rhode island red girl who has become very bloated. I can feel her tummy is soft and over sized compared to her sisters. She’s eating very little. I’ve soaked her in soapy water and cleaned her rear end, actually felt inside and I don’t detect an egg or blockage. I’ve tried giving her honey, oil, pumpkin. Nothing seems to help my poor girl. Any ideas? She’s been feeling poorly for about a week now. Thanks!
Great article! Glad you touched on DE. Food grade diatomaceous earth is one of the best things on the planet! I use it in the coop and it’s also mixed in their food. I also take it internally and have done so for years in my smoothies. If you are reading this and it sounds crazy, you probably just need to do more research and join a group that discusses its benefits from people who’ve been using it for years. Best cheapest thing ever! Big pharma hates stuff like this, so you know it’s good.
I recently had a red mite infestation. It killed 3 birds before I was able to find something to kill them. Diatomaceous earth failed as well as permethrin. Finally I had to use 7 dust. I know its a natural but i was close to losing them all. One is still a little anemic. I guess the location was a bad one. Anyways I’ve built a new coop and run in a sunnier area and it will eventually be a much bigger run. The coop is much better planned raised and brought in lots of sand for the bottom. Im hoping this will fix it but im definitely looking for a more natural solution. Ill be trying your suggestions. Thanks. For whatever reason diatomaceous earth did nothing to these red mites. They always had a dustbath box with diatomaceous earth sand and ash. I cleaned their coop once a week with a hose. I really dont know why they were so bad there. I had issues with fire ants so i also used permethrin.
Revolution kitten is gentle enough for even rabbits so should be fine with chickens to kill any mite in 24hours & eggs. I have used it . I love natural but sometimes it just doesn’t work fast enough. Poor babes must have been pretty stressed. Glad you took them, hope they don’t cause issues w/your babies.
I brought my rooster in a few weeks ago after his comb got frostbite. Weel, I forgot to do a head to toe on him before I brought him due to having to go to work. I regret it!! About 2 or 3 days later I noticed bites on my abdomen ..very itchy. Thought oh..maybe the car had a few fleas. Happens..so I just watched. Next day a few more. I’ve been sleeping in couch lately so I mixed up some essential oils for bugs and sprayed my couch. Next day…a few more bites. Hmm…took diatomaceous earth and threw it in the cracks of sofa and all over my hardwood floor that night. Xome home next morning and pick a pillow off the clean area of floor and noticed tiny little flecks moving. Ick! Got siem tape to trap that bugger.. blew up the pic and freaked out. .what was it? I’m a psych nurse and although we take precautions I freaked out about bed bugs. I sent a pic to an exterminator and he contacted me back stating it was bed bugs. I freaked…my head instantly went in a tizzy..I cant have anyonenovee or go anywhere for risk of contaminating someone…I felt dirty ..ashamed and thought my landlords would hate me cuz now their house was infested. In the drama I decided to take my roo back outside as it was nice day and his comb had healed. While out ther I did my check and guess what I saw…a see of moving bugs! Put him down…run in house grab the tape and glue those little bugger…photo and zoom…breathe…same bugs!!! Northern Fowl mites!!! I didn’t know whether to cry or dance for joy or both.
I have one pet chicken and she was broddy (i think thats how its spelled) for about 3 weeks and now has mites. Im freaking out because i have definitely brought them inside the house. I have washed everything and clean pretty much all day. I avoid going into the back yard, but my girl still has them💔
I lost a girl to (I suspect mites). Her flock mate who was also lethargic was full of them. I’m bringing her back but it’s a slow process. She was really sick. I pulled out all the stops to save her this time but for her further recovery, do you have any homeopathic remedies that can support her at this point? I can’t believe it happened. I treated everyone but the rest seem fine. How does one die and others not seem phased 😞 I’m really sad and frustrated.
I put some de on my chickens yesterday (not thinking they had mites, just as preventative) and went this morning to collect eggs and their nest and coop was CRAWLING with them (I think they’ve left the chickens because I covered them) now I’m so stressed on how to kill all of them. Has anyone dealt with an infestation like this?
I have a brood of chicks living in my dinning room .. I have one chick named Red I don’t think they have them… Red loves to put his head over my neck and sleep there … Does the pine wood carry mites? I have one with a broken beak.. What do I do? I thought it was twisted but I had a man come and check him and yes BB’s beak is broke, but I feed him mash. Mine came in a box 11/17/21 so they are 5 weeks old.. HELP
I add diatomaceous earth with their feed, so far no mites. I have a silkie that is laying around, head down tail up… she goes out in the morning and in the afternoon, she stays in, she is giving an egg every other day…. I switched from Organic Layer Feed to a non-gmo brand, but if that is causing it, she’s the only one out of 8 that is being affected…. gave her Colloidal Silver tonight, hopefully that will cure her… can anyone suggest what could possibly be wrong
Hello, I’m new to your website and I noticed a couple of my hens are shaking their heads a lot. Ear mites? The ear canals look clean though. They have no other lice or mites. They have no other symptoms just shaking their heads as if trying to shake something off. Any ideas? I do have ear mite drops for my dogs, can I use that?
We had a bad infestation and if we walked in the chicken coop we would be covered ourselves because the mites were on the roof of the shed what we found is if we walked in the shed in the evening the mites were getting ready to feed and they would just fall off the shed roof down onto the chickens or you if you were in there it was like raining mites chickens wouldn’t go to roost they started staying outside we had to catch them and put them in then we realised what the problem was we tried a few treatments but nothing was working there was virtually millions of mites being desperate I bought some ant powder sprinkled it all along the perchs and around the edges of the floor so the mites couldn’t crawl back up the walls to the roof without going through it it worked perfectly within a three weeks there was no mites in the shed at all and that was last year we got no mites in the shed now. So it only cost £4 two get rid of them we put some more around the edges of the walls for a couple of months just to make sure they didn’t come back
Freakin out because it’s dead winter and the whole flock is infested with one down in quarantine. She’s sick but she’s been eating and drinking and pooping. Her poop isn’t good looking. Very watery and gross.. but she’s been having issues awhile I guess. I’m temporary not living near the chickens (they’re my dads actually) but I still take care of them when I’m visiting and right now it’s all on me to help them. Thank you for this article. Tomorrow we’re going to clean out the whole ass coop and whey chicken is getting a bath with the dust. Just don’t know where to do it
We have a brodie that is sitting on 15 eggs. 5 hatched and we get a new hatch about every day. She is still sitting on about 10 eggs. Every time a new baby arrives we move it into out incubator in the house to keep them warm and safe. They all have what lookes like lice the day there born. They are white bugs that you can see move mostly on the head of the babies. Does anyone know what we should do to take care of this?
🎉 I Love Foodgrade D.E.! I use it for general health and pest control! I also make dry shampoo for both pets & humans with a touch of DE😊 Adding 2% ratio (D.E.) to the total weight of pet/livestock food/feed keeps it moisture and bug free. I’ve watched ants walk up and then turn away from my dry cat food! FOODGRADE DE is also safe for humans who should be de-worming at least 1-2 times a year). With an infestation, you can drink DE with water at the 2% ratio ❤. 1-2 teaspoons per 8oz h20 for 2weeks (stay extra hydrated!!) Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet also includes pumpkin seed and coconut oil as some of the most effective ingredients that aid in removing parasitic worms. (Safe for most pets) Too much ingested, can cause irritation in the gut. Breathing excessive amounts can irritate lungs. (😂me sweeping the entire barn floor with DE & no mask). I’ve noticed that it keeps the cement barn floor stay drier and •Lightens up those concrete stains •Dries up the chickpoo really fast! It’s pretty shocking at how many people don’t know, believe in or🎉 try to see that nature is the The base ingredient. On the flip, it is great to witness that mindset changing, as our access to info and communication are more instantly available. The more I know, the more I care, share and…no longer a passive pet owner am I. ♼✿ꨄ Thanks for this vid! Oregon in the house!!
Hi there. I live in New Zealand and just found you today. Sooo sooo happy to find your website. I purchased my very first flock 5 months ago from a Commercial chicken guy as I really know nothing about chickens. But, I love them and want to have happy healthy chickens, so your knowledge and information is an absolute gem. My kids love perusal you too!!
one of the best if not the best is sulfur dust-add it to the dust bath, it works in around 3 weeks to get rid of the mites, this is per researchers as mites have sometimes become resistant to permethrin, etc. Some people believe that when sulfur becomes hydrogen sulfide on the chicken it becomes effective, the rotten egg smell of Hydrogen sulfide develops because of body heat, this might mean that sulfur when heated a little when added to some oil can be more effective against mites in case of scabies, mange, etc. Regular applications on affected area is key. NOTE-chicken or other birds like sparrow infesting mites can infest humans, especially those that are found at the cloacal lips or vent of the birds, but prefer infesting birds. The idea that they don’t survive on humans is totally wrong. Diatomaceous earth does not work very effectively if the insects are tiny as the target insects need to be big enough to rub against the DE to get cut and thereby become dried out and die. DE is great for certain kinds of insects that can rub against it, not all insects.
This isn’t accurate. It can definitely bite humans snd live on your skin snd bedding. They’re nocturnal so it’s when your sleeping that they get you snd you wake up with several itchy bites that take FOREVER to heal. Speaking from experience abd based off my research to learn how to get rid of them in the home, not just the coop.
No! parasites are Godless killing creatures, they should all die!! Die ticks! Die fleas! Die scabies! Die head lice! Die bedbugs! . Any creature that sucks the blood of an animal or human for survival and is very small can die and I think the ecosystem would be just fine. Great article though thanks for all your advice girl! Hey, keep rocking the 80s. There used to be this stuff called music that consisted of a drummer, a guitar player or 2-3, a bass player, and a professional vocalist. Today’s music is called karaoke. Nothing wrong with being a solo artist, especially if you don’t work well with others, but that’s not being a band; 80s rock/metal will live forever so rock on!
Great content. I have free free range chickens and turkeys. I am on a farm. Your comment about roosters is right on. The roosters are always perusal over the hens and will defend them or distract a predator. The eagles could be an issue in the spring but they don’t seem to mess with the bigger chickens. The turkeys are great protectors too. The turkeys and Guineas are very vocal and will sound the alarm if anything is not right, and then the enforcers (the dogs) come running. One of the strangest things I noticed about my Great Pyrenees is they watch the sky for predators, at least mine do. We have turkey buzzards (which are not a threat to chickens) and whenever they are flying overhead, the Great Pyrenees start barking at them giving the alarm. Anyway, great piece. It’s amazing how all of the animals on a farm can work together once they get use to each other.
Such good information for those trying to figure out what to do with their backyard chicks. We ended up free ranging by accident. 😄 The coop door got propped open by one of the kids a few months ago – I woke up the next day and saw the chickens out scratching around in the garden. At first I worried, but they did so well. So now, I let them out every day. And we immediately started seeing an increase in egg production. We only have 5, so every egg counts! We bought our property and the previous owners didn’t want to take the chickens so they offered them to us. It was my dream to have chickens, so we kept them! They really are so very happy now. And so social! They like to sit on the back patio steps and tap the glass door in the morning while I make my coffee. (But it does mean I’m cleaning poop up more often 🥴) I just absolutely love them though.
I used to free range my backyard chickens and I have now confined them to one corner of the yard with a short fence purely because we didn’t like stepping in poop all the time. Poop was EVERYWHERE! It got to the point where the kids didn’t want to go outside and play which was a deal breaker. Also, the poop on the concrete patio leaves stains if you don’t have a power washer.
You could probably do a whole article on breed choice when it comes to free-ranging. Some have more streets smarts and are more well-behaved than others. We keep two free-range flocks: one roams in the woods near our house and the other stays near a large fenced-in pond. Our neighbor complained about our chickens coming into her yard and congregating/pooping on her steps and porches. I observed that the Rhode Island Reds and Red Sexlinks were leading the way. So I moved them to the other coop where they had more space, and the rest of the girls stopped visiting my neighbor. If you are free-ranging chickens, be aware that some breeds are “aggressive foragers” and are more likely to push their boundaries, jump fences, etc. Also, avoid breeds that are prone to broodiness, because they may make a nest away from the coop and become easy prey for a predator. Thanks for the great article!
I kind of prefer the pasture rotation method, myself, having the chickens in a large fenced-in area, and then move them every so often to a new area. It’s basically free range but ground predators are presumably kept at bay. I trust my birds to keep an eye on the sky and I like many of the larger, darker birds that maybe aerial predators won’t try to pick off as much. There’s goats and a livestock guardian dog around anyway, which hopefully acts as more of a deterrent. Keeping chickens fenced, and then rotating them to a new pasture periodically also cuts down on some of the other cons. Their waste doesn’t build up too much before they’re moved. They can do less damage as well. It’s also more of a natural way for them to live. In the wild, their ancestor the red junglefowl didn’t just stay in one area forever, but moved around as they ran low on food in a particular spot, and the land had time to heal and their manure had time to break down and feed new plants. Breed really matters. Not just for color, but for good chicken instincts. Heritage breeds that do better at foraging anyway are better at keeping themselves safe from predators, too. I find the heritage breeds are just smarter all around, more social, and I enjoy perusal them more.
Free ranging for life! 😆 my hens and 1 roo are so happy and healthy that it’s worth the risk to me. Yes over the last 4 years we have lost a hand full…3 to a dog, 1 to a eagle, 4 to a fox and 1 just dropped dead in the winter 🤷♀️ This year we even hatched chicks and it’s been the best to watch the little babes run around.
I’ve had a backyard urban flock now for about 4 years and have always free ranged them. Starting this year I am only keeping them in the run for the winter due to two separate hawk attacks, one in January and one in November. Hawk attacks in urban areas increase during the winter months due to scarcity of food. Both times my little ladies were extremely lucky in that they survived the attack. Hawks will typically dive bomb a target, use one or both feet/talons to “snatch” the hen on the back, then use their beak to cut their throats. The first attack opened up the throat area completely but did not damage the muscle. The second attack stripped all the flesh away in the tail feather area and rear right flank. Believe it or not but she is recovering well but still has a way to go. In both instances I separated the wounded birds from the rest of the flock since the other birds will zero in on the wound and peck it till it becomes infected and eventually kill the bird. Things to do to help mitigate hawk/owl attacks are to put up decoy birds (they don’t like what they perceive to be competition), preferably one with a spring loaded head that moves in the wind. Second would be to put up sparkly diversions that reflect sunlight since hawks have such keen eyes, it messes with them. And lastly, if in a confined run or small back yard, install twine in uneven, criss-crossed patterns over the run/yard since the hawk needs open space to make his attack and to make off with his prey and the twine is an obstacle to that and they will look for easier pickings elsewhere.
I lost a chicken to a hawk, one to a neighbors dog, and (when they refused to roost in their coop at night) lost a couple to raccoons and a coyote. (They loved roosting in my apple trees.). After those nights, I went to more effort to get them cooped at night. Sadly, I had a raccoon fall through the roof of the coop (from an adjoining roof), and he decimated my flock. (And I learned that corrugated plastic can get brittle quickly in sunlight.)
We free range in a subdivision in NH that is rated for agriculture. We are secluded enough not to bother neighbors. We typically let them out at lunch time and they go in by themselves at dusk. The chicken poop in the yard is a bit of a pain, but typically the rain breaks it down and hey free fertilizer! We let them out at lunch time so that egg laying is done first. We let them free range because they are so happy to have freedom. And frankly they are relaxing to watch roam the yard.
Spot on when you said they take chunks out of your crops LOL. I yell at my chickens all the time when I find one bite taken out of a brand new tomato. Just eat the whole thing!!! Lol. They get it anyway. Maybe they know. Another predator prevention tip- Our turkey chased off a falcon yesterday. Turkeys for the win.
We used to free range but because of predators, the chicken poop on our porch and because they destroy our veg garden we built a very large pen around our coop. They are under trees for protection from full sun and we provide kitchen scraps, grass clippings and weeds that they love. They are safer from predators, don’t destroy our garden and still give us delicious eggs.
Very informative article. Learnt so much. I have 180 hens and 23 roosters. I love when I free range them and some of them are always roaming around me asking to feed some thing tasty (spinach/ breads etc) other than commercial feed they eat in coop. Though you have smaller in number but You are a very good observer of their behaviours. Best wishes for your coop and lovely guest coming to giggle with hens 😊
I’ve been lucky with predators so I’m loving free range. The girls love it. They mainly do bugs working constantly. They do the neighbor’s yard too along with free feed in the winter. The difference in flies and mosquitoes around the barn is astounding. Love the birds. Barred rock chickens best workers I’ve ever seen.
I don’t free range mine, that said I have a snow fence that I move every so often so they have more room to be free. The main reason for not free ranging is my neighbor is very close to the coop and I have corn fields the other sides of the lot. Thank you for sharing your experience. I live in Wisconsin and love my chickens very much.
Congratulations on your Baby! Great resource for us chicken folk! My experience living with a small flock in predator country is to make a really large covered run by using portable carports( those structures with the aluminum poles). Instead of using the tarps, cover the entire thing with poultry netting and bury some in the ground. Then you make some kind of secure door. ( My door was hokey looking but worked for 15 years). This whole structure then attached ( more poultry netting) to the henhouse so they come and go at will. You can still let the chickens out sometimes, and also control the areas that get too trampled. Not quite as good as free-range but successful especially for people gone all day at work.
I just got started. They are still in cages waiting for the coop to get here. An enclosed pen and possible free range or a larger fences area. There are those portable pens, not tractors. I have several thAt seem to come up to me. And one that likes to bite me. Or peck me. I keep moving them cause first the heat, then they get too big for the space. so much poop but they would jump on each other. They are now in two extra big big crates. And the Guinea at in the rabbit hutch. 6 per container, and they are 5 weeks now. Lots of feathers but small. I got Orpington and austrolorps and guineas. I don’t know what kind of guineas but they are wild. I’m going to leave the door open when the coop comes and I move the chickens. They are all still alive, that surprised me. They are supposed to be black. One has mottled feathers like the Guinness, the others black with white marks on the head, but again, they are only 5 weeks. They do go thru the food. I’m looking forward to them getting free food. I have lots of grass. A pasture that’s got no herbivores. So I’m mowing that so that will be interesting. The coop is going on the barn apron. Think prefab buildings. I made a apron with railroad ties secured with rebar. Stone dust to make it level and horse mats on top. I can put bedding down and it will all cleanup easily. I’m worried about colder temps and what they do in winter. One day at a time! The whole thing is on a hillside. The worst land that couldn’t be easily farmed. That’s the field.
Fact, free range backyard chickens have the tastiest eggs to eat.. Thankyou. And the meat is way better when you get it fresh. HANDS DOWN. THE very best fried chicken is a fresh kill then clean prep & seasoning & fry.. First dip in Budweiser beer and flour, fry 8 mins, 2nd dip in butter milk then roll in a mix of flour & crushed saltine crackers, then finish frying till golden brown. Thankyou, from a real baker & pastry maker from the back country farm. Go ahead and add a little salt & table pepper to flour mix in both dips.
I am a total novice – just exploring the idea of raising hens in my backyard to improve my garden (hooray for free uncontaminated manure!) and as hen-laying pets. But I grew up in a rural town and I recall the locals keeping geese (large, territorial, and very aggressive) to ward off the hawks. I would think that still works.
I free range part of the time we have a lot of predators.we had a big problem with Coyotes.we now have a few mini horses they chase them out of of the pasture . The raccoons are bad here in Oklahoma. So next week we are moving our large coop closer to the house so they can free range in the day, and at night let our dogs in the fenced in yard at night that will keep all the night predators from trying to get them.
Mine are pasture raised 99.99% of the year. The first year I experienced a sky hit. Since constructing a scarecrow, I’ve had no sky hits. The backyard is secure, but they do hop the fence on occasion. My neighbors do not mind them feasting on bugs in their yards. I live on the edge of a small town and many here understand the benefits of my visiting flock. On a more rare occasion, they will go into the thicket across the street and have a feast. Usually once spring has really sprung and again near fall before the leaves fall. Chickens aren’t as dumb as one might think…infact, mine have learned to come back over without any issue. (But I do get the fence issue, they were at first confused how to come back over).They have routines throughout their day. Mine have what I call- a natural run. I keep the border of my fence over grown (pokeweed, beautyberry, wild vines of various kinds, muscadine grape) boxwood hedges- all here when I purchased my house. They have plenty of spots to dust bathe- usually under the canopy of my huge pine tree. Some may get mad, but I’d rather take a risk of losing a chicken to a sky hit or other animal, than have an undetected illness that makes them suffer- especially since some diseases aren’t easily detected). Jmho. Loved the article.
Yes. I’ve lost a flock (8 birds) to a raccoon. Yes, I’ve lost 2 chicks to hawks. I have lost one to a car when she got in the road. I’ve had a coyote attack, the hen got away. They are much happier free ranging, but I had to limit their time because left to their own devices they would go to the neighbors and the neighbors are not happy with dust bath creation in their lawn next to their porch. I have noticed egg production goes up and down depending on their time out of the coop and run, they are definitely happier out and about. I agree about feeding costs go down when they are out free ranging, also coop stays cleaner longer. I am putting up a 100′ fence to discourage them visiting the neighbor, I hope that works and they will get more time hunting outside.
I lost my 1 of my easter egger, my sussex, and my road island red to a racoon recently… I was sad, but it has also showed me that we didn’t have it as secure as we though we did. Lesson learned. I now have two Guinea’s that I can’t wait to get bigger as they make good alarm systems as anything they don’t like gets anywhere near them, they sound the alarm. Now I am on the hunt to get the same type of chickens I lost as those where the chickens we bought for my daughter. This article is very helpful in helping me know to keep an eye on my light colored chickens if we do decide to start free ranging the ducks and chickens.
Pretty exhaustive and detailed one on the pros and cons of free range chicken. We lost more than 20 chicken including 17 chics to dogs( including our dogs). Luckily we have one dog who keeps the others away and don’t attack the chicken. So the latest few chics are surviving till now. I can relate to many things you said especially about places that have vast areas of farms or forests. We have wildlife around including elephants, mongoose, civet cat etc. but they don’t trouble us much. In fact our chicken live on the trees in our coffee estate and we have not lost any chicken to any predators on the trees. We have only one small coop for the small ones. The big ones all live on the trees and free range during the day. So we are hoping things would get better if we’re able to contain the dogs. Thank you for the article, extremely good one.
I love your articles. I started perusal them after I got chickens myself. Thank you for all the great info. We live on a farm and we free range our chickens. I think you forgot one con, and it probably because you haven’t experienced it yet. I have two little kiddos, 3&2, and we hatched our first chickens this last spring for Easter. We ended up with a few cockerels, 5 of 23 which is really good percentage wise. We re-homed two so far, still have 3 (one is a bantam). They haven’t been aggressive yet, but now that they are reaching maturity I’m losing my mind keeping my kids away from them. I’m scared of those roosters and even a few chickens who are not the nicest. It’s sad because they Roos I’m now nervous around we’re my kids favorite to cuddle when they were little chicks. With the free ranging I feel less connected to them than when we had them confined because they have massive acres to roam if they want. They feel more wild and that’s fine, except suddenly I am nervous when my kids are outside. So that would be my probably one and only con to free ranging…. less connection and loss of control, possibly leading to aggression. Best of luck to you with your baby! Being a mother is life changing! You will do great!
I’ve built a set up for my chickens I call the Fort Knox, it’s a large fenced enclosure with an fenced in chicken run and coop, Russian Doll of fencing. Had someone come by to fix something inside and he left the gate open for a couple hours, my chickens never left even though they had the ability to. Tried to give them a free range chance before, they don’t seem interested. They’re Rhode Island Reds, I’ve been wondering if they’re more nervous than other chickens breeds? My neighbor free ranges, 5 have been killed within 2 weeks, she doesn’t lock her free ranging chickens at night. Finding headless chickens I loved so much, who hung out with us in the garage and chatted on the other side of the fence to my chickens has me kinda happy my chickens don’t have an interest in it. Mine are pets though, my neighbors roamers were food, so the loss would be different. Those chickens were beautiful and seemed so happy, I know at least a little time free ranging is good for them, healthier, and would give a break to cleaning and the costs, so what do you do if the chickens don’t want to leave for even 5 minutes? I would be there and watch them during the recess from Fort Knox, these chickens are afraid of everything though. Glad you said they aren’t the smartest animals, I kept reading how smart they are, but mine still get confused on how to get out/in their coop. That they live in. For months.
Our four hens, all new layers as they approach 6 months old, have about 80sf of run and a nice sized coop with three nest boxes. They really prefer to get out into the full back yard as often as possible, though, and seem much happier when they’re not cooped up. It’s a suburban back yard in Seattle, and even though it’s fully fenced, they could get out if they were so inclined. One hen decided to go over the shorter back fence into the neighbor’s yard once, and was probably over there for a short while before we went looking and found her under a fern. I do worry about raccoons, or the outdoor cat(s) some neighbors have. NE Seattle does sometimes get coyotes, but I don’t think they often show up in fully fenced back yards. We get Merlin falcons in the spring, and I don’t know if they’re a real danger. Or the occasional Barred Owl. Anyway, five+ months in so far, and we haven’t lost one yet. But they do seem happier being able to tear up the back yard, the raised beds, even the planter pots. When we go away for a few days and leave them in the run/coop structure, they’re fine (I put a webcam on while away). But always eager to get out and about. No bullying or feather picking yet, either. They seem pretty okay being around each other. And humans.
We surrounded our run and coop with crushed stone over the predator skirt. I noticed the stone also had chunks of shredded plastic in it. I take out what I can find but they are much better at finding it than I am! It has been a challenge to keep the girls from scarfing down the plastic chunks when they are outside of the run free ranging. They have chaperoned free range time because of stuff like this. Letting them out is easy. Getting them back in the run is work!
Question…We have roughly 1 acre that is fenced in with 5′ fence, we have 2 armenian gamprs to protect from predators be it 4 legged and flying kind. The dogs are combined 300lbs of amazing guards. The property has weeds, lots of scrub oak, (cover) and some grass. We recently got 6 chicks (they are still inside now 4 weeks) My question is I know they can fly over a 5′ fence, I don’t know if they would or not, the fence has hot wire on top so dogs can’t get over but would they be prone to fly over the fence? The other side of the fence has a road, mountain lion, bear, and fox. I just dont know if they would just hang out in the yard or be prone to fly over the fence. Is it a better idea to proactively clip the wings? Raven and crows are common up here so we don’t get allot of hawks, and our dogs are constantly perusal the sky, its cool to see.
I have 6 polish chickens and I trim their crest. Some have smaller crests so I don’t worry about them, they do just fine. I trim the crests every few weeks sometimes I’m lazy an it’s a month. They are a flighty breed, so I have to bring treats to give them feather cuts. Furthermore, when they got older about 5 months old they got better about where the coop/safety was, and more importantly the door to the coop. Also, I only partially free range my chickens when I’m gardening or putzing around the yard they’re out roaming. They love it so I go outside a lot to let them out for a few hours each day about twice a day. I do this so my garden isn’t completely decimated.
Very interesting about the light colored chickens possibly being more at risk to air predators. We do free range our chickens but only when we are outside with them. We added an electric fence but they need to get to the whole yard to be happy. Interestingly we had a very large gathering and they were very good and friendly guests.
I free range them because I haven’t built a run so I take them out. I did this because I felt it made them happy 😊 and my 3 girls appreciate it I hope lol. But yes I spend at least an hour fixing my yard…covering their holes and everything else they destroy lol, but to me it’s worth it. All 3 lay small to medium eggs and that helps us to not buy any more eggs. They are my sweet girls. Great article thank you so much!!
I have semi free-range birds (chicken and duck). We’re urban but have a big yard. Basically if I’m home they’re out. My biggest issue outside of flying preds is the chicken going over/under the fences. Which then there are cars, cats, dogs, coyotes…. Which is why I only let them out supervised. I have noticed though a big reduction in feed and waste.
Raise them in there run where their coop is. They will naturally come home at night. Or work with then when they are small, and help them understand their surroundings. That’s what I do. I have 3 coops within 1 big run and 20 chickens, 3 Guinea fowl and 2 roosters. They work it out, but start really young.