# Free ranging Q's



## BrandonM

If i were to free range my chickens on a 3 acre rectangle and my neighbor house is about a little over 200 feet from my on both sides, would my chicken be over at there property often? Is there a way i can train them to stay? Also alot of my property is woods, is that a problem? Not a problem with predators.


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## BrandonM

Also, the chicks i will be getting will probably be 5 barred rock, 5 dark cornish and 5 easter eggers. Any better at free ranger then others, what should i stay away from?


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## Bee

Yes, they may range over to your neighbor's property and the woods will be fine for their foraging.

Here's a few tips on free range and what it takes to make it successful.....



> You really need the right breeds/birds, the right rooster or dominant hen, the right place, the right dog, the right perimeter fencing(if in town), the right hide outs/duck and cover places and the right attitude.
> 
> *Right breeds/birds*~birds that are docile, slow moving, overly fat, used to being picked up in the daytime hours and have no quick reactions to alarm calls and aerial danger flying overhead are just sitting ducks for hawks.
> 
> Silkies, overfed BOs, Polish (they can't see overhead as well) or any other birds with a slow, friendly, docile manner that are used to shadows overhead(humans) stooping over them and picking them up. All they will do is duck down and freeze, instead of run for cover as they should be doing. You'll want flighty birds that instinctively move away from any and all potential predators..including you.
> 
> *Right rooster or flock master(can be a hen)*~ A good rooster will sound the alarm before you even see the threat and will have trained his flock to listen and act on it. He's worth his weight in gold when it comes to free range. Most will not fight a dog or other 4 legged predator, but the rare few will stand off a hawk, challenge a hawk or sacrifice himself for the flock. Mostly they will get the flock to shelter when a pred is in the area. A dominant hen can take over this role if she's the right sort.
> 
> *Right place~* Areas that have plenty of trees, fence rows, shelters, shrubs, etc. where a bird can run and duck under to avoid the stoop of a hawk.
> 
> *Right dog~ *A dog that lives outdoors all the time, is safe around the birds and sees them as living in his territory, so they are automatically protected from predator threats..even those from the sky. He is watchful all day and night and his constant vigilance lets area preds know this is a risky place for a meal. He doesn't have to cost a lot nor need some high dollar training or have to even be a LGD breed...mine have all been lab mixes that were unwanted by someone else~read FREE~and served years of unfailing, loyal service to the flocks and to the family. Loved companions, good dogs, fierce flock protection and have saved my flocks over and over. I'd never try to even have chickens~be they penned or free range~without a good dog to watch over them when I am gone all day and sleeping at night. They are indispensable to having livestock on your land....and that's just what chickens are.
> 
> *Right fence~ *The right fence can and will slow down most canine preds from doing a quick grab and snatch of your birds and also keep your birds contained. They don't usually fly over a fence, they fly to the top of a fence and drop down on the other side, so removing any surface that makes for good landing at the top of your fence is imperative~even if you have a 6 ft. high fence. You can string light wire there above the hard top of the fence/gait to discourage the hop up. Chickens, even adult ones, can regularly roost in trees and barn rafters, so a 6 ft. fence does not mean it is going to stop this behavior. Even clipping wing or wings can sometimes not deter a determined escapee.
> 
> If you have a good fence and keep your birds contained, if you get a neighbor's dog breaching those defenses, you have a leg to stand on when it comes to the legal aspects. A good looking, cheap and effective way to protect suburban birds from 4 legged preds is a simple electronet poultry fence on a solar charger...you can move it to different areas, you can put it away and use it another day, it lasts up to 10 years with good care, you can place it around your coop and not worry about *****, foxes, possums, etc at night and it will shock the vinegar out of even a black bear...and it will definitely keep the chickens in if you leave it energized.
> 
> *Right attitude~ *To free range, one has to accept the risk of possible loss. If done correctly, those losses are very few...I've lost 3 to preds in the last 10 years or more. Two of those are questionable if it was an aerial pred, as they were young and prone to wander off into the woods out of the dog's boundary of defense~we have a local grey fox. I've lost 1 bird at night because she roosted in the barn loft where the dogs could not defend her and got picked off by an owl. All of these were acceptable to me because these birds didn't heed the dangers of leaving the flock and the flock protections that are always available. In other words, they were too dumb to live and so they didn't get to do so.
> 
> *Another important attitude to have is that you are going to do everything possible to avoid predation, not just turn out your chickens to the grass with a kiss for luck~ *then cry to all and sundry when it goes wrong, telling anyone who free ranges they are putting their birds at risk and are negligent. (This happens more than you could possibly know...people try it once, the wrong way, and then announce it can't be done safely.)
> 
> Free ranging can be done and done well for many years if you have the right system in place that insures your birds are just as safe as they are in a coop and run...and many, many stories of predation start right there~in a coop and run~so these are not fail proof places to keep chickens.
> 
> There really is no such thing as a Ft. Knox coop unless it is, indeed, in the middle of a Ft. Knox gold vault. A black bear or a determined pack of dogs can show you in about 5 min. how safe your coop and runs really are. Chickens in a coop and run are like fish in a barrel to predators and there is no possible escape there...at least out on free range they have a chance to run, fly, duck and cover and you may not lose all your birds in one devastating attack .


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## BrandonM

Thanks Bee, also what breed out of mine will be the best free ranger, dark cornish, barred rock or easter egger. Also is it better to have just one breed or it doesn't matter? I have a dog that will definitely not attack any but she comes in at night. But i have a coop for the chickens, but how do i get them in the coop, food?


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## Bee

BrandonM said:


> Thanks Bee, also what breed out of mine will be the best free ranger, dark cornish, barred rock or easter egger. Also is it better to have just one breed or it doesn't matter? I have a dog that will definitely not attack any but she comes in at night. But i have a coop for the chickens, but how do i get them in the coop, food?


Those breeds will be about the same on free range, I imagine...though the EE will probably be the least productive at it, there are exceptions to any rule.

It doesn't matter how many breeds you have.

A dog that comes in at night isn't much good for chickens on free range...the presence of the dog in the area 24/7 lets the predators know your place is too risky to dare a raid. A dog that lives in that area at all times establishes a boundary they will protect...if you coop is in that boundary, your birds get protection.

A dog that lives indoors most of the time sees the house as his boundary and the yard as outside of that boundary...which is why house dogs poop just anywhere in the yard. A good dog will not poop all over his territory but will choose one corner and deposit there.

If you want true protection for the birds, keep the dog outside at all times and confined to their coop and range area. He will deter hawks, foxes, possums, ***** and other dogs from a snatch and grab.

To teach chickens where their roost is, confine them to the coop for a week until they get used to their roosts and they will return to it each night without having to be lured in with food.


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## BrandonM

Thanks, one more question if i have multiple breed should i have just one rooster for all or one for each breed?


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## Bee

Depends on your plans. If you plan on breeding each breed and reproducing them to true to breed, which I don't recommend if these are hatchery genetics, then you would need a cock from each breed. If you just want a rooster as a flock master and to reproduce mixed chicks from your current hens, then you only need one cock of the desired genetics you are wanting in your flock.


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## BrandonM

Will the rooster know that there breed is the one to breed with and will the roosters fight?


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## Bee

No, they will breed indiscriminately among all breeds of hen and, yes, they will fight. You only need one rooster for 15 pullets, so I'd advise just one rooster.


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## ReTIRED

It depends upon the Dog.
What *Bee*'s experience is....is HER experience.
I have found it to be different.

When I tell MY Boxer-Dog something ( maybe 2 or 3 times, IF a NEW experience for him)...he does it.
AND he sleeps in the house....AND he has a _particular area_ in the yard that he considers to be "HIS Latrine".

NOT all "critters" are the same.

MOST of what *Bee *said ...is accurate. 
(BUT...I would _suspect _that the *DARK Cornish* would be the best of THAT Group for "Free-Range".)

_just another "Opinion",
-ReTIRED-

_


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## Bee

Yep...I can only give advice on information I have experienced. If not, I'm relating second hand experience that I cannot attest to or do not own.


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## BrandonM

Thanks and two quick questions, what is the best breed for free ranging? And i think i am just going to get one breed to help keep it organized and simple, my favorite breed is barred rock. They should be pretty good free rangers right?


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## Bee

They would and they free range reasonably well but you might find you will gain more experience a little more quickly on chickens if you dabble in good breeds a little. BRs are a good chicken for free range and they lay well...but why not have a little diversity and color in your flock as well? 

Black Australorps are the best first chicken anyone could ever have and I fully support having some in every flock you could have...they are easily available, they have an excellent rate of lay, are hardier than the BRs, will often lay during the winter months as well and are thrifty on feed. They are friendly and quirky, have good feathering and lay for years upon years without issues.










Another breed that's an easy keeper and will make your chicken life easy is the king of breeds, the Plymouth White Rock....a different variation on your Barred Rocks. They are bigger, meatier, fuller of feather, hardy to the max, lay like a machine and are good foragers, thrifty on feed, calm and regal, good mothers, good flock birds, hardy in all weathers.










No matter what anyone tells you, having white chickens does not make them more vulnerable to predators. It's a myth and a conjecture.

Another good breed is a New Hampshire. Hardy, long and excellent laying, easy on feed, good forager and survival instincts, thrifty on feed, friendly and calm, good in all weathers.










All these breeds earn high marks in my book on chickens and on free range. I currently have all these breeds in my flock and they are still laying, still healthy and still worthy of their feed at 6 yrs of age. They've survived 6 yrs of free range in high predator areas and have withstood all weathers, cold or hot.

Each are easy to obtain, are standard size, lay large brown eggs, and are easy to keep and maintain.

That's my top picks on a good free range flock. I also have the BRs in my flock and they are consistent layers and tough birds but they aren't as old as my other breeds, so they've yet to prove themselves for the long haul.

Hope that helps....and, of course, as RT is swift to point out, this is my opinion based on my own experience, so YMMV. (your mileage may vary)


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## BrandonM

Thanks Bee, you have been really helpful. One last question, i am going to take your advice and get a couple barred rock, white rock, black australorp, new hampshire and dark cornish hens. But out of those breeds or maybe even a different breed, which should i pick as my rooster to protect the flock? I was think dark cornish as there the biggest and probably must capable of protecting the hens. But i want to know what you think.


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## Bee

That would definitely be a great choice....Cornish are a tough, rangy breed! And it will breed more meat and wild instincts into your flock. Be prepared to train him in manners in regards to humans early on so that you won't have to do it defensively later. 

This is simple...start early on making him move out of your way when you approach the flock or making him leave the feeder when they are eating. You can use a light weight, long rod for this so that you can reach him from a distance. Touching him repeatedly on the back or bottom or even on the head will get him moving...then keep him moving.

Make sure he learns to automatically give you a wide berth when you are working in the coop, run or flock. If he hesitates, stomp your feet at him and give a little lunge in his direction when he least expects it...just enough to make him jump and run.

He should always be looking over his shoulder for your approach or where you will move next...not the other way around. You won't be sorry you put in the few minutes a day it takes to effect this teaching and memory in your rooster while he is young. Be sure and reinforce it when he sexually matures so that he will know not to challenge you...ever. 

If he's smart, he will learn it and you will want a smart rooster out on that range.


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## BrandonM

Bee, sorry for all these questions but i ask alot of questions because i absolutely love learning about animals and you seem to have alot of good answers. Hope im not annoying you. How many chickens could i raise on about 5 acres of land with all their food coming from foraging? Also if i have the dark cornish rooster and it mates with the barred rock or white rock will i get the commercial cornish x rock where it will die from all sorts of complications or will they be fine living their lives normally?


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## Bee

BrandonM said:


> Bee, sorry for all these questions but i ask alot of questions because i absolutely love learning about animals and you seem to have alot of good answers. Hope im not annoying you. How many chickens could i raise on about 5 acres of land with all their food coming from foraging? Also if i have the dark cornish rooster and it mates with the barred rock or white rock will i get the commercial cornish x rock where it will die from all sorts of complications or will they be fine living their lives normally?


I can't tell you how many birds your 5 acres will support, but you can only house so many in your coop, so I'd go with your coop size. In order for them to lay well, you will have to supplement their foraging some but you can do that in the evening after they have foraged all day and filled most of their nutritional needs on forage.

Some people claim their birds get all their nutrients from forage and that could well be the case, but not many of our current breeds from hatchery stock in the US can do that and still maintain good rate of lay. I'd supplement, even if it's just a little and enough for getting their crops full one time before they go to bed.

You won't get a CX from that cross...the CX is end line breeding from more than a few crosses of Cornish and White Rocks and are selected over years of breeding for just the right genetics to produce that type of meat bird. Not many can accomplish it in their back yards, so you have no worries on that count.

You are not annoying me! I'm so glad to find someone wanting to learn and willing to ask questions before ever buying a bird. It shows you are making the right steps to provide for the animal before you ever get one and that shows wisdom. I like that....shows you will be thinking of the bird instead of yourself in your methodology and that's always the best thing for anyone going into livestock husbandry.

That's one of my pet peeves..someone who gets an animal on impulse and THEN asks basic questions about shelter, feeding, breed, and husbandry. You're on the right track!


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## BrandonM

Will a tom and a rooster fight because i am still thinking about getting a couple bourbon red turkeys and would love to have them free range also.


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## Bee

I'm not sure...ours never fought and I've not heard anyone else report such a thing, so I'm thinking not.


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## BrandonM

Thanks and perhaps a big tom can keep predators at bay a little bit easier. The only thing though is i heard diseases can be transferred between the turkey and chicken such as blackhead. Have you had any problem with diseases with these two?


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## Bee

No, and they say that it isn't common in backyard flocks, so I wouldn't worry much about that.


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## ReTIRED

I _*also*_ _THINK_ that the *Dark Cornish* would be a good choice for a Rooster.....although, I admit, I haven't HAD one.....I'm also _considering _that choice.
I presently have a *Brown Leghorn *for my MAIN Rooster. ( Another GOOD Choice *! *_and a VERY ATTRACTIVE _bird. )
-ReTIRED-


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## BrandonM

I really love the barred rock and was wondering if i were to hatch some barred x dark cornish would they carry more traits from the hen or rooster?


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## Bee

I'm not sure about that...I'm not much for being up on breeding info except just basic desirable characteristics. I could direct you to another forum where they have literally thousands of pages on breeding but I'm not sure if it's against the rules to post links to another, rival forum.

Sure would be fun to just try it on your own and see what you get, though! 

Here's a link to a YT vid on the cross...






And another...


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## BrandonM

Real quick one more question, could my runner ducks be good free rangers? They forage well, are pretty fast and stay as a group. I heard ducks are pretty easy to get pick off by predators.


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## Bee

Yep...usually ducks are the first to go unless they have a pond on which they can escape. Even then, domesticated ducks do not do well out there unless you have a good dog to protect them.


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## ReTIRED

"Runner Ducks" are _*FUNNY*_ to watch *!!!
*My neighbor with the "Game Chickens" had some for a while.
They were hilarious *!
*I've thought about getting some....BUT...
IF I get ANY ducks....
My *FIRST CHOICE *is: *http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/muscovy duck.html*
It's an _"Ugly Duckling" ....but has MANY _*POSITIVE *_ATTRIBUTES _*!!!*

But, I think it would be FUN to have a _few _"Runner-Ducks" ....who stand up straight and walk and act rather strangely for a DUCK.
*CUTE Critters !
Ha-Ha !!!
*-ReTIRED-


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## BrandonM

Ya there funny to watch and are very fast for a duck. Those moscuvy ducks make wonderful parents i heard.


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## Bee

We've had both kinds. The Scovies are great birds...quiet and hardy. The runners are cute as bugs and I love to see them also...but not much meat, don't lay as good as the Scovies and not as good on free range. 

One Scovy we had mated with our Leghorn rooster and tried to hatch a clutch. There were little bodies in those eggs but they never really formed out. We couldn't tell what features they had. She also used to roost in the trees with him...she was some duck!


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## ReTIRED

I've heard and read that Muscovies have Big CLAWS that they will use against Predators.
BUT...I dunno.

-ReTIRED-


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## camel934

ReTIRED said:


> I also THINK that the Dark Cornish would be a good choice for a Rooster.....although, I admit, I haven't HAD one.....I'm also considering that choice.
> I presently have a Brown Leghorn for my MAIN Rooster. ( Another GOOD Choice ! and a VERY ATTRACTIVE bird. )
> -ReTIRED-


I have a Brown Leghorn as my Rooster (only) too.


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## ReTIRED

_*Fancy GUY*__* !!!

*_And probably a FINE and Dominant and *PROTECTIVE *Rooster *!*

-ReTIRED-


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## ShamrockSilkies

Egyptian Fayoumis are the best free rangers!!!! Crazy fast little guys!!!! The roosters start crowing at 6 weeks and the hens lay at a super young age too. And a protective rooster is important, I gave my neighbor my Egyptian rooster a few years ago because he couldn't handle being confined in our huge coop that wraps around a few trees :/ last week my other neighbors dog was in their yard and she looked out the window and Levi (the rooster) ushered all the hens under a tree and then ran straight in front of the dog and led him in the other direction, the dog grabbed him and started shaking thankfully my neighbor got there in time and the dog spit Levi out, Levi shook himself and trotted back to the girls  this wasn't the first time he's risked himself either to save the rest.


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## BrandonM

Ya i heard the Egyptian Fayoumis is very alert and quick to react to predators. Also what is more aggressive, a tom or a rooster?


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## Bee

Depends on the birds and breeds. A rooster is quicker and can cause more damage with his lightning kicks and spurring. A tom is more blunt force and cannot jump as high nor maneuver as quickly as a cockbird. 

A tom turkey intimidates more with his size and will display, hiss, thrum and stalk you and THEN attack. A rooster just walks up and takes a notion to flog you and there are few warning signs unless you are familiar with their body language. 

I hate a tom turkey stalking around and it can be intimidating because of his size, but my money is on the rooster. That's why they have cock fights and not tom turkey fighting rings in this world.


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## ReTIRED

Bee said:


> Depends on the birds and breeds. A rooster is quicker and can cause more damage with his lightning kicks and spurring. A tom is more blunt force and cannot jump as high nor maneuver as quickly as a cockbird.
> 
> A tom turkey intimidates more with his size and will display, hiss, thrum and stalk you and THEN attack. A rooster just walks up and takes a notion to flog you and there are few warning signs unless you are familiar with their body language.
> 
> I hate a tom turkey stalking around and it can be intimidating because of his size, but my money is on the rooster. That's why they have cock fights and not tom turkey fighting rings in this world.


Having seen a few "Betting-type" *Cock-Fights*.....I would agree.
Put your "money" on the Rooster.

*Ha-Ha !!!
*-ReTIRED-


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## raiserrusty

I have 5 or 6 week old rir how long before I should let them free range


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## ReTIRED

Let them "Free-Range" when YOU are _comfortable _with the possibilty that they could be killed by a Predator.
----but---
I'd wait until they are, _at least, _able to outrun _SOMETHING.
_-ReTIRED-


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## ShamrockSilkies

ReTIRED said:


> Let them "Free-Range" when YOU are comfortable with the possibilty that they could be killed by a Predator.
> ----but---
> I'd wait until they are, at least, able to outrun SOMETHING.
> -ReTIRED-


Couldn't have said it better. They are also still pretty small too, I'd wait for at least another month.


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## Bee

raiserrusty said:


> I have 5 or 6 week old rir how long before I should let them free range


I wouldn't let a bird at any age free range unless I had prepared my system for their safety...after that, any age is appropriate. I usually start mine at 2 wks. or earlier if they are accompanied by a broody mama.


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## 2rain

I have trained mine to come when I shake food and call here chick chick chick! Some have no interest but some do and it gets others to catch on a good thing to do is buy them from someone who has taught them that it's great! A great tip is let them out a little before dark they will stay close to the coop and usually go in when it's dark and great advice you guys are some of the most knowlagable people on here henny is to!


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## Bee

I've never trained my chickens to come to calls or shaking of the feed can or scratch treats or such. I feed once a day, in the evening...they are all waiting outside the back door at the time I usually feed~calling out to me~ and follow me to the feed trough.

No need to call chick, chick, chick when the chick, chick, chicks are all waiting and calling for YOU. 

Now.._that's_ training.  They've got me trained very well now....


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## BrandonM

Two more questions, how do i get the chickens and turkeys to lay in my coop and how do i first introduce them into free ranging?


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## Bee

1. Keep them confined to the coop for up to a week at a time any time you notice they are laying out. Those who resist training to the nests are one of two kinds of birds....they will either be wily and cautious and will get by with laying out for years and will even brood out and it is a wonderful thing if you are looking for that in a bird.

Or..they will be foolish and careless in their laying out and will soon be picked off by predators. 

BUT, no one can afford a whole flock that lays out and never in the nest, because they will soon be consistently picked off by predators and you never get to eat any eggs or chickens/turkeys because the predators get them all. 

It's in their and your best interest to have the bulk of your flock laying on the nests...safer and more economical and attracts less predators to your range site.

2. Open the door, let them out. You'll have more success at getting good free rangers, on the whole, if you range as early in their life as possible. They learn better when they are young~we all do!~and it will last them a lifetime. If you keep them in the house until they are 1-2 mo. old, it's the same as not sending your kid to school until they are a teenager....those birds will struggle with the concept of the dangers of free range and losses will result.


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## BrandonM

Will the turkeys and chickens get along with my runner ducks on the range im worried about the rooster or tom and drakes fighting any problems with these?


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## Bee

Ours never did...no reason for it. The only reason they really fight is for their respective hens and they fight other cocks of their own species for these hens.


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## BrandonM

I have been letting h runner ducks free range during the day and they stay in my yard never going 50 feet away from my house. Just chase bugs and eat grass. I guess there pretty well entertained.


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