You want to know what's inhumane? Those egg factories where the hens don't have enough space to even turn around or stretch their wings. Your flock is looking great. They have room to move and they're safe.
Yeah I saw a video about that and the guy was saying how happy the chickens were in his egg factory it was bullshit. th-cam.com/video/M6iUN1mBzd0/w-d-xo.html This is not humane. At the same time if there was that many predators I would let the chickens out with me there watching them holding a gun.
@@xonnadarkangel That is sad. If people actually knew or experienced first hand the conditions these animals were in, the chicken industry would collapse.
After watching the video advert i was still skeptical. But when i finally downloaded the plans th-cam.com/users/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG i was very impressed. The whole plan was just as you said in the video. Thank you very much. I now have a large and valuable collection for my woodworks. This is great!
@@hasnainawan9080 1or 2 Roosters do not do anything but Die noble with pack of Coyotes passing through,and they grab them and right back into the thickens in ten seconds.. My two Barred Rocks are Formidable and fight but do not look up in sky .. My Roosters pick nightwalkers and lay them at the hens feet they are so attentive,but they can only do so much..My other neighbor farmer got put out of business with the predators here. Who wants their Roosters killed? Every range is different...
@@aldenunion barred rocks well yeah they ain't gonna do nothing my gamefowl is much more agreesive he attacks my family just not me if you don't believe me search up aseel murgha fights dog
@@hasnainawan9080 You must be reading off the web (people who sell them). I said they do not look up for hawks in the sky,not they do nothing. My one is so Aggressive people won't walk past my yard. He ruled a entire family and with running start can reach my head and I am 6ft 5- 260... He has huge spurs and I flap slap him steadily with my cap flicking my wrist to keep from getting inside on me and now he swings his head letting me know he wants to Rumble.. When I first got them,I read how nice!!! BULL!!!! READ in depth,Barred Rock Roosters are Vicious.lol,. Many predators here but they do not look up,they were free range and are alive and PREDATOR A PLENTY HERE.. Bobcats, Bear,Coyote huge,Raccoons,skunk, Opposum,Hawks,Eagles,Fox,everything huge here. The Coyotes live on property. Respectfully,do not go by the liar posts who sell them,read in depth.. People try to find behaved ones but most are AGGRESSIVE... Both mine are Aggressive but the one is extra crazy with long spurs like a turkey. Mine "Elvis" is like a Bantum temperament. Just no experience at the sky.. A RED TAILED HAWK or EAGLE will KILL ANY rooster on impact,they're talon's puncture lungs... People are full of squat and dreaming thinking they're Rooster will defeat a Hawk or an Eagle.
It is sad that you were compelled to explain yourself when it is in fact apparent that you have kept your chickens healthy, safe, and yes, happy. I admire the efforts that you make to take good care of your chickens.
Richard Fernandez the critics were more likely idiot conservatives like yourself who think everything is done by liberals. It's liberal to farm and raise animals in the first place. Stop being stupid.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading I've never lived on a farm in my life or known anybody in my family except my great grandmother that owned a farm . But just ask them how would you feel if you saw you're 1 thousand dollars getting their guts torn out by a hawk
@@petebeasttexashomesteading I understand why you made the video but wish you hadn't. You play into their woke hands when you feel you need to explain yourself. You do you (like most of us). Other than THIS video, great work, thanks for sharing and all success. Please in future just ignore the detractors...they don't deserve your time. The online world is nuts-especially TH-cam, facebook, twitter etc....don't fall for the propaganda B.S. Appreciate your tips/ideas..keep them coming.
I’m a first time chicken owner and wanted to free range our chickens. 3 weeks in everything’s going great… until it wasn’t. Coyotes got 2 out of our 6 chickens, 1 recovered. I felt terrible for not protecting my girls properly. Thank you for your video. I’m rethinking my free range approach. I also wanted to commend you for the way you went about your video, very gentle toward those who disagree, which can be quite difficult. 🤘
@@mrniusi11 It’s also full of dumb people that try to look smart by correcting mistakes in other people's grammar. It doesn't make them look smart. It makes them look like assholes.
Art, this guy is doing great. My daughter's name is Karen and she hates how that name is used for mean women. I this case, she loves the guy's coop, and how nice his chicks look.
@@artmartin1913 Oh, I was not offended, in fact it is kind of funny. Every time my sweet Karen hear about other Karen(s) she says: poor me. Well, we know there are so many females with that name . No worries, Art.
Technically they are free range according to the fda..... if they’re allowed to be outside (even in an enclosure) for at least 30% of their life. It is free range. Your chickens, by fda definitions, are free range.
Idk that! Awesome! Technically mine's are free range hahah.. I have 6 so far but ordered 11 more on its way. Total 16 hens 1 rooster. Lucky rooster hahaha
FDA standards😂 well according to the FDA his chickens cause cancer in the state of California! Thankfully he lives in Texas, you know, where everything that exists does NOT mysteriously cause cancer lending one to consider maybe it’s just the state causing cancer🤔😂
Raccoons ripped the side of my coop out last summer. I lost more than 30 birds to raccoons, coyotes and skunks. They will take several chickens in one night and learn very fast the weakness in coop structure. You have a very good coop for your birds. Don’t apologize for being a good caretaker with Texas wildlife waiting for a meal. Fellow Texan.
I’ve had two hen houses in a large coop (30’ X 9’) of chicken wire on t-posts surrounding my fruit trees for more than five years. The chickens loved roosting in the trees and running around. I’ve never had a problem with predators getting them if they stayed inside the coop. A few times I’ve lost a chicken because she would get high enough in the trees to fly over. Usually I would get them back but sometimes I wouldn’t. We have bobcats, cougars, and hawks in the area. This past summer my flock had grown to 20 chickens. I lost 10 in a about a month. Two in one night. It was horrible to come out and find bloody feathers in the back yard or have a neighbor call and let me know they found a mess in their yard. I ended up locking them all in the hen houses, cutting down one of my trees and building a new chain link coop with 1/4” metal field cloth on the outside and a top. They now love their new area. They may miss the trees but they are safe. I may pit in some swings like you have. Chickens are domesticated animals that haven’t had to fend for themselves for thousands of years. It is irresponsible not to protect them when they can’t do it themselves.
Wow! Thank you for your comment. It's very sad to see chickens being attacked! I cleaned up a few dead ones from my neighbor's yard before their children got home from school after a dog attack! I just got a rooster and 2 small hens. I love living in the country!
Awesome comment - yes simply yes chickens are domesticated animals just like your dogs or cat - of course they will be eaten one day, but until then they need the same love and care as your other animals
There are all kinds of things you can put in their run to keep them occupied and happy - runs and roost and hanging a cabbage, etc etc. A chicken tractor will give them the benefits of free ranging.
I can't keep chickens outside my chicken run . The foxes love them and they will kill them all in a short while and bury their bodies in leaves to keep them for the winter. Raccoons and opossums are a nightmare. My dogs have to run out and are sometimes busy all night keeping them in trees until the morning. What a nightmare! I had chickens in a cage with chicken wire and a flightless owl killed so many of my chickens overnight, it was terrible! I did take the owl to the vets and left it for their raptor program.
Hey Pete, BTW according to the USDA.... “Free Range” is regulated by the USDA for use on poultry, only, (not eggs) and the USDA requires that birds have been given access to the outdoors but for an undetermined period each day." So you actually are free ranging your birds!
The term free range is in fact used by the USDA for eggs (egg farmer here!) And is just given to chickens that have access to outside area but don't actually have to go outside. Cage free and free range are stupid terms used by our government to make consumers think they are buying eggs from animals in good conditions.
That sounds like the regulations for someone to call their food organic. It's so loose that anything on the market can claim organic or free range and it is purely for marketing purposes.
This guy cares more about his chickens and dogs by keeping them healthy and safe than most people care about humanity in general! He's AWESOME! I wish I had a chicken coop that nice!!!! It's a chicken resort!!!! LOL!
After a predator attack we don't free-range our chickens either. We want them to live long, healthy, safe, and comfortable lives. We spoil them with treats and fun things to play with. They are happy.
When I first moved to our farm I free ranged as well. Then the foxes killed every single chicken I had. It was horrible, dead birds with missing heads all over the place. Now I have them in a secure pen. I’d prefer that to the horrible death their forefathers suffered.
I agree 100%. The only thing you didn’t mention was neighbors dogs. I lost my whole flock in one day from a dog when I free ranged. I’ve lost a lot from raccoons, coyotes and possums over the years.
Yeah, possums are an extremely common menace that most don't realize are everpresent in urban areas in America. The thing most important to notice, here in South America is the misunderstanding about other tropical "vermins": capuchin monkeys, coati, tarantulas, scolopendra, marine toads, all kind snakes, tegus (down to Argentina and El Chaco), and fucking cats and canids including weasels .... It's not just falcons people.
@@gq_aquatics I'm in the middle of building my coop/run for my eight black Australorps and never even thought about the fact that I often will find my neighbor's cats on my property, just checking the place out. I've heard too many stories of people losing their flock when they tried to free range and made the decision that I wasn't going that route. I never even thought about the cat issue. It's yet another reason not to free range. I guess you can let them step out if you're there, but that's it.
An open air outdoor coop and run is "free range" . Sunlight each day and room to move is all that's required to qualify as "free range". Non free range are indoor facilities where the birds are tightly packed and don't see the sun. People see "free range" and think it means the birds can go where ever they want, but how does that work? No fences or nothing the birds will be everywhere in no time and gone. Most outdoor enclosures are "free range" the one in this video certainly is.
In North Central Florida you are lucky if your birds last the week without shelter. I have even seen critters dig down several feet under the buried wire to get the birds. We ended up getting some birds that were mixed with some more wild type of bird and they could roost far up in the trees. They were eventually eaten too. We learned our lesson and only let them out to graze on insects under supervision. I think it was raccoons or coyote getting them but I never caught them.
My wife " rescues " chickens from a battery , they are only kept for a year before being sold to Campbell's , so she buys whatever she can and keeps them . They are so sad when she brings them home , can't see in the daylight , toes so overgrown they can't walk , no feathers , scared of everything that moves , pale overgrown combs . The egg yolks are just pale yellow . After a few week they start looking better , scratching for food , going for walks to the garden to catch grasshoppers.
I have too many predators to keep my chickens free-range. They have a beautiful coop and run, and I will let them out only if I am out there. I've lost countless of chickens to predators (fox, fisher cat, coyotes, bob cat, many hawks), and it's a very sad sight. The chickens are truly traumatized when they witness the massacre. You have to protect their little lives.
I've heard people say hawks grabbed their chickens out of their arms so stick to your guns and don't turn your back on a hawk. They're federally protected and people aren't supposed to kill them. It helps to know what you're up against raising your flock.
My two collies took care of any predators that came around. They even took on a bear stayed between bear and hens yard. I fired a gun into the air it left. The big bad looking husky just ran for the house.
Dont listen to the turkeys! LOL! Your run is amazing and about 5 times bigger than mine! Yours have tons of space and a nice coop. The ones making those comments dont know what they are talking about. :) Peace!
Pete B., Nice coop, looks like lots of room in the run... but did I count 13 chickens coming out of the coop? Is there a video showing how you made it? I'd like to see inside.
I'm not a subber but I grew up with chickens around and the chickens my granny use to keep free range lived absolute miserable lives until she got them a caged in coop. Possums,fox,cyote,weesel,raccoon and HAWKS...God dont get me started on hawks.... People...a safe chicken is a happy chicken. They are quiet content living in the coops as long as you give them what they need these chicken have MANY nice things he didn't have to build or give them but he did. That there tells me enough that he cares.
I can tell the comments bothered you, and you shouldn't have to defend your reasons for keeping your flock safe. But I'm glad you did. You obviously take great care and pride in your animals. I thought letting my chickens roam in my fenced front yard was good for them. Until a Hawk attacked them in the middle of the day with me 50 feet away!! Thank God I drove it away. Now my chickens stay safe in their coop and run. You're doing the right thing.
I just started watching your channel and I absolutely love it. You are so honest and humble and have certainly done lots of research. Don’t let the idiots bring you down.
Loved the video it is obvious you keep your chickens happy healthy and well taken care of and safe let the idiots bellyache it's plain to see they don't know what they are talking about keep up the good care
Your chickens have informed me that they are having a hard time getting a reliable Wi-Fi connection especially when they are screen casting to their wide screen TV.
Aw! Thank you for sharing this video. I had big dreams of letting our chickens free range this summer. I LOVED having them in the yard. Seeing my ladies come running when I called them was such a joy. Sadly our first week in we had a fox snatch our favourite hen. In the middle of the day!!! Tears were shed. My ladies deserve better than that and that is why we no longer free range. Short lived. I so wish we could let them. Exactly like you said “I care for my chickens” to much to let the fox enjoy them!
Your run is beautiful! I would love to model mine, similarly, but these lumber prices right now...oi. Anyway, I've learned my lesson the hard way, with free ranging my own chickens. Even with living in a "perfect" area, where 95% of the time, nothing happens, all it takes is 1 time for something to decide your chickens are on the menu. And you can bet that whatever it is, it won't only take one bird. You're going to lose several, per hit. If letting chickens be eaten by predators is more humane than providing them with secure housing and steady meals, I guess we're doing it wrong.
I free range here in Pennsylvania. However I just started having a hawk problem. The chickens were in the coop. I left the door open as I got their water. About 100 ft away. Yep the hawk fly in the coop and killed 3 hens in maybe 2 minute. So your set up is what we will be doing in spring.
Here in west Texas we have a gray about the size of a5 month old A aggressive like that one that got. Well I could help you with a Gadget but it ilegal to bother them. Good luck 👍
As a fellow chicken keeper from the UK I can see those are healthy and happy chickens. I have a similar set up myself and personally I believe this is way better than a chicken being cooped up in a cage.
The entire time I watched your video, your chickens were so happy, so relaxed, so enjoying themselves the entire time. Your setup is so beautiful. I would like to sit in that chair you're sitting in every afternoon just to relax. I would just delete any negative commentary, and enjoy that beautiful life you have going on there.
We are new to having chickens and we did some research before buying and there’s a ton that goes into any decisions one makes. We have friends that own chickens and they actually have some horror stories of hawks and raccoons tearing into them. Our friends were genuinely upset for weeks after losing them. They took extra precautions after the first incident and they chose to buy again. A year or so later, another incident happened because they are free range. You are doing a fantastic job! God Bless you. Keep doin you.
Hey Pete. I know the video is a few years old but your chickens look so happy and healthy and your chicken run is brilliant. The face that you’ve got a chair in the run shows how much you love your feathered friends. (I do the same thing).
I am so glad I saw your video. My husband and I started raising chickens this year and we built a 30'x24' chicken run with a 8'x20' coop inside. We currently have approx 60 chickens. I was really bummed for a while not being able to "free range" them for the exact same reasons you don't and can't. Seeing your video made me feel better about it. We live in Texas too so we have the same predators!
Mary Fisher in Riverside CA I absolutely agree with you Pete. I am very new to raising chickens and came across your videos while trying to get expert advice. We have many stray chickens and roosters that belong to no one and it is very sad to see a mamma hen with 10 chicks and a few days later no chicks at all. I rescued a mamma hen while she was laying on her eggs. I now have mamma and 8 baby's. I don't know what I'm doing right now, but they will defiantly not free range like the lost ones. Thank you for your wonderful videos
Yes - thank you for rescuing those chickens. What ever you do, you must have heavy duty fencing with at least fencing on the roof as well. My other neighbor let his out during the day in their run without a cover or roof, and the neighbors Husky dog jumped in and killed them all. That dog will kill anything it can catch and even bit up my horses legs. A predator will usually only take one at a time. But dogs will slaughter them all at once. Coyotes here will climb a 5 ft chain link fence. or dig under fencing. They are out during the day as well.
I live in VA and have a friend who raised chickens and rabbits. The coyotes moved in and over the course of a few days decimated all his free range chickens. As you pointed out the Hawks had always managed to take a few. After the chickens the coyotes moved in and ripped his rabbit hutches apart and ate all of their rabbits including the lucky rabbit feet. Your smart in protecting your flock the way you do.
Some people are unteachable because of what they have learned in America's eduation system and cannot be placated no matter how much you explain the facts. I love your coop and run. I'm on youtube trying to learn as much as I can to have my own chickens.
My wife and I free-range our chickens, ducks and geese here in Australia and I can definitely confirm your concerns in regard to predators. Here it’s raptors and foxes that are the main sources of predator attacks on our flocks and they can be devastating. I’ve lost track of how many birds we’ve lost over the years. In fact, just this last December, the neighbours over the road lost their entire flock to a single fox that just went into a frenzy on their chickens. So don’t concern yourself with anyone saying you should be free-ranging your flock. Your run looks great and your flock looks healthy and, importantly, alive.
Three years ago my parents lost their entire flock to a predator. They never did figure out what specifically it was, but pretty sure it was a weasel. We are hoping to fix everything up this year and strengthen up the fencing so we can start a new flock.
Have lost over 100 hens over the years to daytime predators even when they were penned up. I will have to build a full enclosure like yours to keep hens again.
I just noticed that when you sprinkled the feed for them, the rooster held back until he saw that all the hens had gathered around it to eat and then he began to eat. I love it
The same people will complain about processing livestock like chickens, turkeys, ducks and goats. They say, " I didn't know you eat them. I only keep mine for eggs. I can't watch your channel any more" Some people seem to think meat just appears in the market all wrapped and ready to eat. Maybe it can be attributed to the suburban backyard flocks. Pete, keep making homesteading videos. They are always educational. How many people know how to run underground wiring or pipe using a 3-point subsoiler and a piece of pvc conduit.
I have hens and only eat the eggs they are my babies. I don't eat meat either. My dogs love the eggs too- great protein for them. At first mine stayed in their yard because of my dogs and large birds. I eventually let my dogs meet them my hound on leash of course but she could care less. my yorkie/carin just wanted to eat their shit and poop and didn't give a crap about the birds. Lucky I guess? My whole yard is fenced so eventually I let the girls out how fun to watch them play and mow down everything in sight. They are locked in at night with a baby moniter so I can hear if things go wrong early. The hound really won't let the big birds in she goes nuts. My girls have a very big yard that is fenced in bird netting on top 25' x 45' I was going to add on until now as they get to roam around. I for one will not and can not watch people butchering animals. but that's me and I also don't need to watch because I don't eat them.
They say "I didn't know you eat them. I only keep mine for eggs." Is said by morons. There are meat chicken breeds and there are egg chicken breeds, and even if you keep chickens for eggs at some point the chicken is gonna grow old and die, then what? Let it go to waste??? They say it but then they don't keep chickens, and certainly not for food products. You won't get many eggs from meat chickens and you won't get huge chickens for meat from egg chickens. If you keep egg chickens it must be nice to have it so good you can let them go to waste when they die if you don't eat the meat. Personally I think people that say something like that don't keep chickens to begin with and talk out their asses.
I agree with you 100%. Those of us who have chickens know that free ranging is not all it's cracked up to be, and puts chickens in harms way bigtime! Your run clearly has plenty of space for your chickens to move around and enjoy a very happy life. Our girls can't free range without our supervision b/c of all of the same predators you have, yet they are some of the happiest chickens I know :).
Smoky Mountain Homestead it really all depends on your area. He has numerous amount of predators. Me living in Michigan the only problem I have is raccoons, hawks and possums. We have 13 roosters w/55hens and never have any problems with hawks anymore. (We have a large ratio of roosters/hens for breeding certain breeds)
Hi new subscriber, just found you in my feed, probably because I'm subscribed to so many Texas homestead creators. That rooster is huge! Beautiful birds. Oh and for the naysayers, I just say " you do you boo".
Your chickens are lucky that you protect them! Thank you for sharing your beautiful chicken a coupe with us. Your information is very helpful to so many and will save a ton of chickens by you getting the word out! I love the swings!!
You have a nice secure run and coop! You did forget to mention foxes, mink, weasels, otters (near water), stray/wild dogs and eagles. People who free range chickens, RAISE PREDATORS! Keep up the good work.
My best friend and gardening buddy was the neighbor's free range hen. One day, I saw a hawk on the ground, wings spread, and wondered "what the heck is going on?" The hawk took flight, and out comes my soon to be bestie! I told my neighbor that she wasn't safe; we have a lot of hawks around here. He said he needed to secure the coop. Once he got his coop "secured" from the first decimation of flock by coyote (she was the lone survivor and, since, favored roosting in a tree, refusing the coop), she couldn't make it over anymore. The coop was not secure, and she was killed. I have a coop and am preparing to keep chickens, only about 3. I will be following your model, having taken note of the neighbor's mistakes. Thank you for your video!
Thank you - I am having that dilema as well and my neighbor thinks its bad to keep them in a small pen. I am only getting 3 bantam hens and I intend to spoil them with a good variety of food and let them in my garden when I am out there.
We free range and keep in a chicken run, depending on the time of year.We also have a dog to discourage predators. We even let our ducks free range and it's about six years since we lost a duck. Predation pressure is somewhat seasonal around here, when raptors are migrating or foxes have young ups the risks. Always secured at night so the mostly nocturnal predators don't get a chance.
You are absolutely right. Some people tend to free range chickens becauae they have a place were there are few predators. The chickens safety is more important than irrelevant comments.
East Texas, panola county here. We get the occasional gator here as well as the predators you named. I totally get it, brother. My hens have about a 10 x 20 chain link area with a raised 4x4x4 house for roosting, and a row of 6 nesting boxes. There is a chicken door, manually controlled to allow them occasional access to a 12x10 chain linked yard full of weeds, brush, dewberries, and bugs, with a bird netting cover to slow down the hawks. They can run back into the henhouse if they get scared. I close the door to the yard before sundown. I don't consider them to be free range because they're not out every day. They would eat everything growing to the ground, so I give it time to grow and get buggie. In the meantime, they get weeds from my garden, kitchen scraps, chicken scratch, a quality laying feed, and whatever bugs they find in the coop. Bird netting is bunch- wrapped around the perimeter of the henhouse at ground level for snakes to get tangled up in. 8 years of chickens, no loss yet to predators.
I go to my local Food Lion grocery and raid their dumpster for the castoffs from the produce department. Provides my flock with a variety of items that they will consume, especially outer leaves from lettuce, etc. I even have an old running refrigerator that sits out in the yard next to the chicken pen to store excess in . Some days there’s so much they can’t consume it all. Flock loves anything with seeds and will eat cantaloupe and watermelon down to nothing but the outside skin. Love bananas too, if I peel them. I live on the edge of the wetland woods in coastal SC and we have all the same predators you named except you didn’t name foxes. They combined can decimate a flock in just a few outings. Everybody loves um some chicken !
I agree with you 100% We lost many chickens in the last couple of years due to raccoons and hawks:( We just built a bigger coop similar to yours and getting new 10 chickens now wondering if it’s makes sense to let them out on the yard at all. Great video.
Chickens want to roam to find perhaps safer territory than the coop chopping block , if allowed . . it is what it is & try to create two or three young for every one eaten etc
@@benwinter2420 well go get chickens and let them roam and see what happens you idiot. Do you not understand when you have a "coop" that is their "safe place"? By all means instead of telling someone else what to do, go out and do it yourself and experience it first hand. I just recently lost 2 Rhode Island Reds and 1 cinnamon queen due to letting them "free range". So yeah let's let my whole flock out to get mauled by raccoons and foxes.
Great video! I live in East Texas as well. You have a very nice coop and run. Your ladies are definitely happy. Those predators are all dangerous to chickens. You should not have to explain yourself...you are doing a great job taking care of your chickens. Someone's dogs got my chickens and now I am going to do a similar set up to yours.
There is one thing I learned after 62 years on this earth, you do not have to answer every question people ask. You have your life and do what you do. That is totally you business. You share a lot of ideas to help others which is very neighborly. Because people do not understand everything in you life is not really important. Mainly because you cannot please everyone… but you have to please yourself . Good luck!
I’m so grateful you made this video. I was planning in the future to let my girls out and roam around. I live in south central Tx and have all the same predators here.,After reading other people’s comments, it really does seem unsafe during the day too. You’ve encouraged me to make my own dog food. Dogs had rice, chicken and green beans for brunch. Soaking some beans for them now. I sure wish I could have had a dad like you. I hope if you had younglings, they appreciate you.
I just stumbled on your channel tonight. To each their own. Your Coop is awesome, clean and well built.. I'm trying to set up a small coop myself and love your setup and care. I would never want my best efforts taken away by predators.
hahahaha! citiots! a new word for us! The wife brought us from the City to the country to become more self sustaining, thought I wouldn't like it however, I love it!! ~Citiots in training
@@poppys3728 If you have enough people there you can herd them back in or you can make a temporary fence situation where they cant escape but are still outside of the coop area so they can be on grass. You could even get a temporary thing to block the top also from predators. I understand his concerns are very real to not have them free range but I would give them a compromise like I am suggesting and if even that was too unsafe I wouldnt even have a dog or cat outside. I would consider it too unsafe for animals outside and I wouldnt want them to be forced into a smaller space so I just wouldnt have them at all.
Each situation is different. We’ve had free range flock for a year, but there are more people and dogs nearby, so predators are very rare in our area. Thanks for your video, your chickens look happy!
I used to have chickens when I lived in the hills of central Missouri. I kept them in the coop till about 5pm in summer then let them out to scratch in the garden. They loved it and I never lost a bird. Lived in an area that looked much like yours. Open field lined with lots of trees. But otherwise they were locked up tighter than a drum or the critters would get them.
My wife and I have a small farm on the Gulf Coast and we keep chickens. We were loosing on average one chicken a day to hawks while free ranging. Our girls are now in runs and tractors. Oh and by the way, I don't miss stepping in poop all day long.
I’m right there with you, I agree with everything you said about protecting our animals. I’m just starting out with my chickens with the help of my daughter and I share the same feelings you do. Thanks, Dan
I saw a video one time of a Repo Man going to repo a car and went to go open the door and somebody has super glued razor blades to the inside of the door handle
Pete, it is obvious to me that you are a thoughtful and intelligent guy, and you do things in such a well thought out way. Please don’t listen to the whiny and ignorant, critical trolls. I sometimes think there are trolls who do nothing but go online and criticize! Keep up the great work.
I'm totally on board with you Pete B! I have a lot of chickens and they don't free range. They have large runs, they're spoiled rotten, I make sure they're not bored and they're thriving. I see the hawks and buzzards flying over daily and I don't want my babies killed by these predators. And, you're right... these people would have to have chickens and experience the loss of their chickens before they catch a clue. Good for you taking care of your flocks! :)
We live in central Georgia. We have all of those predators. But the worst and most abundant predator here is chicken hawks. I always watch them glide and perch around our wooded area. My good neighbor even complained her hens were going missing because she needed to put a net over her run. And the wildlife isn't just a hazard, so are the lousy neighbor's hungry loose pits. And once animals know where chickens are, they will always come back for more. I would love to range free my chickens as well, but they would be very short lived. Lots of time, money, and love wasted. Folks that criticize keeping chickens in a run simply don't know the all hazards that come with free ranging. Hens like it, but they like feeling safe too. Why else do they tuck themselves back in the coop by dusk? Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people love giving us a piece of their minds while happily munching on their Jimmy Dean's with egg made by miserable caged hens. Your brids are as healthy and happy as can be Pete.
Nimblebee Nimblebee, I hope that the thieves received a good dousing of the pepper spray. What about innocent wildlife though? They can't very well flush their own eye's out with water. That can cause permanent eye damage or even blindness, and a lot of sinus and throat irritations too. More importantly though is your safety. Walmart has some pretty reasonable prices on solar servalencecameras. If they are stealing from you, they belong in jail. You can never underestimate what drug atticts might do. Having them put in jail before something more serious and life threatening arises could save your life. You never know if you could one day walk in to a home invasion. Best wishes to you and your family.
VOTE4TAJ, There are State Wildlife Preservation Law's set in place that forbids people from bringing any harm to wildlife. Depending on where you live, some states allow only one exception. When and only when it is clearly self defense. Where you or a loved one is in immediate danger and facing a serious life threatening attack and you are unable to get away to call the authorities for help. While some states do not even allow this one exception. What you are suggesting is considered very inhumane. It falls under The Wildlife Cruelty Protection Act, which brings swift costly feins and or imprisonment for anyone found guilty.
Thank you for your information. We lost a couple chickens last year to an eagle up here in northern Arizona. We were finishing their pen when they were snatched. They now have a 400 sq ft enclosed pen. But your advice rings true. It’s not just land based predators
Great video and advice, thank you. I've been feeling like a monster for keeping mine in. Chickens are smart and have neat personalities and communication skill. They watch and listen to their keeper. Then use the info to get spoiled with treats and music. Ya, they love classical music!
holy cow!! what a beautiful coop you have!!! those are some lucky chickens to have such a nice place to live ❤🐔❤ its wonderful to see how much u care about their safety and comfort too! God bless u sir!
Jail or sanctuary, it's really a state of mind. Birds need to have a safe place to be. Your's are not crowded at all and look very happy. I wouldn't worry about the people who don't know what is to have and be responsible for animals.
@Derek C , That actually is free fertilizer that you don't have to buy . In addition those free ranging chickens are also eating insects such as ticks and mosquitos. Perhaps you do prefer to buy insecticides which will also poison you .
@@donaldmiller8629 true...but if they get eaten up,what good will it do...times change...we weren't meant to live in areas so crowded together but hardly little yard...but we do,so it's a tough call
@Adriana Morales , I sometimes allow my chickens to free range. I seldom see any predators during the day. Mostly they are grazing on grass inside of mobile coops. The coops are not to keep the chickens inside but to keep any predators outside. My coops are moved to new grass every day. Sometimes I put up an electric fence so they can range freely but they go into the coops at sundown.
A coyote hunting during the day took out half of my free range flock. I used 300 feet of 6 foot wire farm fencing and made them a huge ranging area. I live in the mountains of BC Canada so predators are always around. It’s just the way it is. There is nothing wrong with containing your chickens to keep them safe. Blessings & happy chicken keeping!
Thank you Pete for your great post regarding chickens and how to care for them I loved every Moment of it keep on doing a good job with all your little critters may God bless you.
I free range, but lock up at night. About 20% loss of flock over 5 years is what i average. That may sound like a lot, but the chickens are generally healthy and happy roaming and foraging rather than locked in a pen. I deal with almost all the pests you mentioned, plus eagles and neighbors' dogs. I dont have to buy fertilizer for my yard, or pesticides. Im on well water, so that matters to me.
Rick Manley same here. Only thing though is we have a lot of scorpions at night that come into our house. So I re-spray demon WP after it rains and is dried up.
I've wanted to get chickens and build a coop, but we have a lot of predators, even though we live in the suburbs. Coyotes, raccoons, hawks and foxes. I'm going to show my husband your video because the structure looks really smartly-built.
That is such a great coop and run! Your chickens look happy and healthy. I'm sorry you felt you had to explain yourself. I live in the middle of a housing tract next to the freeway and airport, 3 miles from downtown in a capitol city and even we have to worry about several of the predators you've mentioned...owls, hawks, raccoons, foxes...not to mention neighborhood cats, skunks, and BADGERS (which are terrifying). Some people just complain to hear themselves complain. Disregard them. :)
Forget about the Moron who said that you should free range your chickens. They don't know anything about how to take care of chickens. You are doing a great job. And your effort towards the work for your chickens proves that how much you love your birds. Respect and love from Indian Occupied Kashmir. ❤
I free ranged mine. Last fall, my entire flocwas wiped out by predators.50 birds 1-4 a day I couldn't stop it. Mine are going to be penned also from now on. City folks don't get it
If one of my chickens is attacked the rest go into lockdown for awhile. A nice tasty chicken dinner always tastes like another one is a good idea. Lock them up for safety for a time.
I thank God I don't live in an area with any of those type of predators. Tbh I have never seen any of those predators before besides owls. Got those here but only at night. We have moongoose but no where near where I live. Only worse thing is my own dogs and cat hahaha
I've lost most of my chickens to racoons. They'll show up during the day when they figure out your flock is secure at night. I've heard some people say to give your chickens 10 sq ft each. Your run looks good. It's big, clean and you even have swings. 👍
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
Get woke....its 2020....you should be converting your predators to veganism...it disgusts me to see you spread this hateful, non helpful, ignorance.
😂
@@petebeasttexashomesteading that is the laughing face emojicon of oppression
@@petebeasttexashomesteading i would only hope he trains his predators as non binary also ....this oppression sickens me
@@cristallaprade5487
@@cristallaprade5487 that is such a racist term....
You want to know what's inhumane?
Those egg factories where the hens don't have enough space to even turn around or stretch their wings. Your flock is looking great. They have room to move and they're safe.
👍
Yeah I saw a video about that and the guy was saying how happy the chickens were in his egg factory it was bullshit.
th-cam.com/video/M6iUN1mBzd0/w-d-xo.html
This is not humane.
At the same time if there was that many predators I would let the chickens out with me there watching them holding a gun.
Yeah and they're constantly walking around in filth
well california already banned that practice. all egg factories will have to have to comply with the law starting 2023
@@xonnadarkangel That is sad. If people actually knew or experienced first hand the conditions these animals were in, the chicken industry would collapse.
After watching the video advert i was still skeptical. But when i finally downloaded the plans th-cam.com/users/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG i was very impressed. The whole plan was just as you said in the video. Thank you very much. I now have a large and valuable collection for my woodworks. This is great!
That coop is built better than some peoples houses.
Thank you, Don't tell my chickens that 🙂
Lol
The difference here is you can actually leave your house. Doesn't matter how nice your house is, no one would want to be locked in it 24/7.....
Chicken: Tell Tell tell Tell us WHAT?
yep
A loose chicken is a dead chicken. Everything eats chickens. They love being loose, but the fun is short lived.
Shoot faster
Not with a good rooster my gamefowl asil fights stray dogs
@@hasnainawan9080 1or 2 Roosters do not do anything but Die noble with pack of Coyotes passing through,and they grab them and right back into the thickens in ten seconds..
My two Barred Rocks are Formidable and fight but do not look up in sky ..
My Roosters pick nightwalkers and lay them at the hens feet they are so attentive,but they can only do so much..My other neighbor farmer got put out of business with the predators here.
Who wants their Roosters killed? Every range is different...
@@aldenunion barred rocks well yeah they ain't gonna do nothing my gamefowl is much more agreesive he attacks my family just not me if you don't believe me search up aseel murgha fights dog
@@hasnainawan9080 You must be reading off the web (people who sell them).
I said they do not look up for hawks in the sky,not they do nothing.
My one is so Aggressive people won't walk past my yard.
He ruled a entire family and with running start can reach my head and I am 6ft 5- 260...
He has huge spurs and I flap slap him steadily with my cap flicking my wrist to keep from getting inside on me and now he swings his head letting me know he wants to Rumble..
When I first got them,I read how nice!!! BULL!!!! READ in depth,Barred Rock Roosters are Vicious.lol,.
Many predators here but they do not look up,they were free range and are alive and PREDATOR A PLENTY HERE.. Bobcats, Bear,Coyote huge,Raccoons,skunk, Opposum,Hawks,Eagles,Fox,everything huge here.
The Coyotes live on property.
Respectfully,do not go by the liar posts who sell them,read in depth..
People try to find behaved ones but most are AGGRESSIVE...
Both mine are Aggressive but the one is extra crazy with long spurs like a turkey.
Mine "Elvis" is like a Bantum temperament.
Just no experience at the sky..
A RED TAILED HAWK or EAGLE will KILL ANY rooster on impact,they're talon's puncture lungs...
People are full of squat and dreaming thinking they're Rooster will defeat a Hawk or an Eagle.
It is sad that you were compelled to explain yourself when it is in fact apparent that you have kept your chickens healthy, safe, and yes, happy. I admire the efforts that you make to take good care of your chickens.
Don't apologize to idiots man. . . Best luck to you
Thanks
Exactly!
Yeah,don't apologize to liberals man!Your from Texas and you got guns bro!
Seriously trigger man it's the fucking internet,get over yourself.
Great video.. our first season of owning chickens they got destroyed by racoons and a so penning the chickens up is a great idea.
Richard Fernandez the critics were more likely idiot conservatives like yourself who think everything is done by liberals. It's liberal to farm and raise animals in the first place. Stop being stupid.
You shouldn't apologize! You have a fabulous coop and run! Those people don't know what they are talking about!
Thank you
@@petebeasttexashomesteading I've never lived on a farm in my life or known anybody in my family except my great grandmother that owned a farm . But just ask them how would you feel if you saw you're 1 thousand dollars getting their guts torn out by a hawk
@@petebeasttexashomesteading I understand why you made the video but wish you hadn't. You play into their woke hands when you feel you need to explain yourself. You do you (like most of us). Other than THIS video, great work, thanks for sharing and all success. Please in future just ignore the detractors...they don't deserve your time. The online world is nuts-especially TH-cam, facebook, twitter etc....don't fall for the propaganda B.S. Appreciate your tips/ideas..keep them coming.
I’m a first time chicken owner and wanted to free range our chickens. 3 weeks in everything’s going great… until it wasn’t. Coyotes got 2 out of our 6 chickens, 1 recovered. I felt terrible for not protecting my girls properly. Thank you for your video. I’m rethinking my free range approach. I also wanted to commend you for the way you went about your video, very gentle toward those who disagree, which can be quite difficult. 🤘
Good comment.
The world is full of "Karens" that don't know the full story but can't mind their own business. GREAT video!!!!
@@mrniusi11 It’s also full of dumb people that try to look smart by correcting mistakes in other people's grammar. It doesn't make them look smart. It makes them look like assholes.
I live next to one...she has tried to destroy my life!
Art, this guy is doing great. My daughter's name is Karen and she hates how that name is used for mean women. I this case, she loves the guy's coop, and how nice his chicks look.
@@jenniferedecourcey7437 no offense intended to your daughter. Not sure why they chose that name. Every Karen I personally know is a kind person.
@@artmartin1913 Oh, I was not offended, in fact it is kind of funny. Every time my sweet Karen hear about other Karen(s) she says: poor me. Well, we know there are so many females with that name . No worries, Art.
Technically they are free range according to the fda..... if they’re allowed to be outside (even in an enclosure) for at least 30% of their life. It is free range. Your chickens, by fda definitions, are free range.
👍
Square footage, look at the “ free range farms” same long houses with fewer birds in it makes it free range.
Idk that! Awesome! Technically mine's are free range hahah.. I have 6 so far but ordered 11 more on its way. Total 16 hens 1 rooster. Lucky rooster hahaha
I have all those animals... and i live in the city (ok no bob cat /lynx).
FDA standards😂 well according to the FDA his chickens cause cancer in the state of California! Thankfully he lives in Texas, you know, where everything that exists does NOT mysteriously cause cancer lending one to consider maybe it’s just the state causing cancer🤔😂
Raccoons ripped the side of my coop out last summer. I lost more than 30 birds to raccoons, coyotes and skunks. They will take several chickens in one night and learn very fast the weakness in coop structure. You have a very good coop for your birds. Don’t apologize for being a good caretaker with Texas wildlife waiting for a meal. Fellow Texan.
Couple years back something went over a 10 foot fence and took 60 hens , while I was in town for 3 hrs. , Think maybe cougar
I’ve had two hen houses in a large coop (30’ X 9’) of chicken wire on t-posts surrounding my fruit trees for more than five years. The chickens loved roosting in the trees and running around. I’ve never had a problem with predators getting them if they stayed inside the coop. A few times I’ve lost a chicken because she would get high enough in the trees to fly over. Usually I would get them back but sometimes I wouldn’t. We have bobcats, cougars, and hawks in the area. This past summer my flock had grown to 20 chickens. I lost 10 in a about a month. Two in one night. It was horrible to come out and find bloody feathers in the back yard or have a neighbor call and let me know they found a mess in their yard. I ended up locking them all in the hen houses, cutting down one of my trees and building a new chain link coop with 1/4” metal field cloth on the outside and a top. They now love their new area. They may miss the trees but they are safe. I may pit in some swings like you have. Chickens are domesticated animals that haven’t had to fend for themselves for thousands of years. It is irresponsible not to protect them when they can’t do it themselves.
Wow! Thank you for your comment. It's very sad to see chickens being attacked! I cleaned up a few dead ones from my neighbor's yard before their children got home from school after a dog attack! I just got a rooster and 2 small hens. I love living in the country!
Awesome comment - yes simply yes chickens are domesticated animals just like your dogs or cat - of course they will be eaten one day, but until then they need the same love and care as your other animals
There are all kinds of things you can put in their run to keep them occupied and happy - runs and roost and hanging a cabbage, etc etc. A chicken tractor will give them the benefits of free ranging.
super good and in depth response - thank you
I can't keep chickens outside my chicken run . The foxes love them and they will kill them all in a short while and bury their bodies in leaves to keep them for the winter. Raccoons and opossums are a nightmare. My dogs have to run out and are sometimes busy all night keeping them in trees until the morning. What a nightmare! I had chickens in a cage with chicken wire and a flightless owl killed so many of my chickens overnight, it was terrible! I did take the owl to the vets and left it for their raptor program.
Hey Pete, BTW according to the USDA.... “Free Range” is regulated by the USDA for use on poultry, only, (not eggs) and the USDA requires that birds have been given access to the outdoors but for an undetermined period each day." So you actually are free ranging your birds!
🙂👍
The term free range is in fact used by the USDA for eggs (egg farmer here!) And is just given to chickens that have access to outside area but don't actually have to go outside. Cage free and free range are stupid terms used by our government to make consumers think they are buying eggs from animals in good conditions.
That sounds like the regulations for someone to call their food organic. It's so loose that anything on the market can claim organic or free range and it is purely for marketing purposes.
Tactical Priority at Cart Path Farm Great answer!
@@petebeasttexashomesteading IF YOUR CHICKENS PISS YOU OFF. DO YOU CHOKE THE CHICKEN? 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😂😂😂😂😂😂😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😂😀😀😂😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄
This guy cares more about his chickens and dogs by keeping them healthy and safe than most people care about humanity in general! He's AWESOME! I wish I had a chicken coop that nice!!!! It's a chicken resort!!!! LOL!
Chicken resort!! 😁😁🤣🤣🤣 Love it!
Amen.
Totally agree!
After a predator attack we don't free-range our chickens either. We want them to live long, healthy, safe, and comfortable lives. We spoil them with treats and fun things to play with. They are happy.
nice channel name but I think ours is lol =)
@@OFFGRIDwithDOUGSTACY 😂
then you eat them :)
When I first moved to our farm I free ranged as well.
Then the foxes killed every single chicken I had. It was horrible, dead birds with missing heads all over the place.
Now I have them in a secure pen.
I’d prefer that to the horrible death their forefathers suffered.
@@TheBakingSlave have you ever raised chickens before with similar dangers?
I agree 100%. The only thing you didn’t mention was neighbors dogs. I lost my whole flock in one day from a dog when I free ranged. I’ve lost a lot from raccoons, coyotes and possums over the years.
I lost five of my hens due to the neighbors cat!
This is a slick little set up
Where I live it's the 2 legged predators that we have to beware of
Cats and dogs 😢 😭 😢 o cry just thinking of it
Yeah, possums are an extremely common menace that most don't realize are everpresent in urban areas in America. The thing most important to notice, here in South America is the misunderstanding about other tropical "vermins": capuchin monkeys, coati, tarantulas, scolopendra, marine toads, all kind snakes, tegus (down to Argentina and El Chaco), and fucking cats and canids including weasels .... It's not just falcons people.
@@gq_aquatics
I'm in the middle of building my coop/run for my eight black Australorps and never even thought about the fact that I often will find my neighbor's cats on my property, just checking the place out. I've heard too many stories of people losing their flock when they tried to free range and made the decision that I wasn't going that route. I never even thought about the cat issue. It's yet another reason not to free range. I guess you can let them step out if you're there, but that's it.
You are correct sir I lost 20 chickens to hawks fisher cats and foxes. No more free ranging for me. My coop looks exactly like yours
An open air outdoor coop and run is "free range" . Sunlight each day and room to move is all that's required to qualify as "free range".
Non free range are indoor facilities where the birds are tightly packed and don't see the sun.
People see "free range" and think it means the birds can go where ever they want, but how does that work? No fences or nothing the birds will be everywhere in no time and gone.
Most outdoor enclosures are "free range" the one in this video certainly is.
I agree been there done that...and it's always your favorite ones too
tom paul dat Richard Feynman in your profile pic or my eyes play games on me
Ariana Dolores
That’s Ron Paul in my picture
In North Central Florida you are lucky if your birds last the week without shelter. I have even seen critters dig down several feet under the buried wire to get the birds. We ended up getting some birds that were mixed with some more wild type of bird and they could roost far up in the trees. They were eventually eaten too. We learned our lesson and only let them out to graze on insects under supervision. I think it was raccoons or coyote getting them but I never caught them.
Looks like you have an excellent set up. Those complaining should visit a battery set up where the chickens never see daylight.
Thank you
Yeah, if only there was a way in which we didnt use them at all...
Good point, they need to Hassel Tyson's farming practices
My wife " rescues " chickens from a battery , they are only kept for a year before being sold to Campbell's , so she buys whatever she can and keeps them . They are so sad when she brings them home , can't see in the daylight , toes so overgrown they can't walk , no feathers , scared of everything that moves , pale overgrown combs . The egg yolks are just pale yellow . After a few week they start looking better , scratching for food , going for walks to the garden to catch grasshoppers.
we both commend you on giving you chickens such a safe home. Great to see someone who cares for his birds
Thank you 🙂
You don't have to explain to anyone how great of an animal keeper you are sir!!👍
I have too many predators to keep my chickens free-range. They have a beautiful coop and run, and I will let them out only if I am out there. I've lost countless of chickens to predators (fox, fisher cat, coyotes, bob cat, many hawks), and it's a very sad sight. The chickens are truly traumatized when they witness the massacre. You have to protect their little lives.
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Anita Leary yes!I feel the same, after losing one of mine to a predator. They depend on us !
I've heard people say hawks grabbed their chickens out of their arms so stick to your guns and don't turn your back on a hawk. They're federally protected and people aren't supposed to kill them. It helps to know what you're up against raising your flock.
It happens even when you're right there!
My two collies took care of any predators that came around. They even took on a bear stayed between bear and hens yard. I fired a gun into the air it left. The big bad looking husky just ran for the house.
Dont listen to the turkeys! LOL! Your run is amazing and about 5 times bigger than mine! Yours have tons of space and a nice coop. The ones making those comments dont know what they are talking about. :) Peace!
Thank you
You got that right Rebecca T !!!! You know it's cityits
Nice chicken coop... Beautiful actually. You put a LOT of thought, planning & material into that.
oh man
Pete B.,
Nice coop, looks like lots of room in the run... but did I count 13 chickens coming out of the coop? Is there a video showing how you made it? I'd like to see inside.
I'm not a subber but I grew up with chickens around and the chickens my granny use to keep free range lived absolute miserable lives until she got them a caged in coop.
Possums,fox,cyote,weesel,raccoon and HAWKS...God dont get me started on hawks....
People...a safe chicken is a happy chicken. They are quiet content living in the coops as long as you give them what they need these chicken have MANY nice things he didn't have to build or give them but he did.
That there tells me enough that he cares.
It’s kinda sad that you feel you have to justify yourself to us.It’s obvious you love and care for your animals,all the best from the UK🇬🇧
I can tell the comments bothered you, and you shouldn't have to defend your reasons for keeping your flock safe. But I'm glad you did. You obviously take great care and pride in your animals.
I thought letting my chickens roam in my fenced front yard was good for them. Until a Hawk attacked them in the middle of the day with me 50 feet away!! Thank God I drove it away. Now my chickens stay safe in their coop and run. You're doing the right thing.
I just started watching your channel and I absolutely love it. You are so honest and humble and have certainly done lots of research. Don’t let the idiots bring you down.
Thank you
Loved the video it is obvious you keep your chickens happy healthy and well taken care of and safe let the idiots bellyache it's plain to see they don't know what they are talking about keep up the good care
Beautiful enclosure Those are happy chickens. Just ignore and keep doing what your doing.
👍
If you live in a predator-prone area, it is when (not if) a predator attack occurs. This man is wise.
You still don't have to make a prison like too small cage for the animals.
Your chickens have informed me that they are having a hard time getting a reliable Wi-Fi connection especially when they are screen casting to their wide screen TV.
I was sure that my house WiFi can reach the coop. 🙂
Aw! Thank you for sharing this video. I had big dreams of letting our chickens free range this summer. I LOVED having them in the yard. Seeing my ladies come running when I called them was such a joy. Sadly our first week in we had a fox snatch our favourite hen. In the middle of the day!!! Tears were shed. My ladies deserve better than that and that is why we no longer free range. Short lived. I so wish we could let them. Exactly like you said “I care for my chickens” to much to let the fox enjoy them!
This setup is Wayyyyy more better than the 1X1 foot battery cage.
👍
69 likes
Eric Miguel perfect as alll things should be
@@ericmiguel4194 haha respect
hate to say it but "way more better" isnt proper and sounds bad, its way better or a lot better
Your run is beautiful! I would love to model mine, similarly, but these lumber prices right now...oi. Anyway, I've learned my lesson the hard way, with free ranging my own chickens. Even with living in a "perfect" area, where 95% of the time, nothing happens, all it takes is 1 time for something to decide your chickens are on the menu. And you can bet that whatever it is, it won't only take one bird. You're going to lose several, per hit. If letting chickens be eaten by predators is more humane than providing them with secure housing and steady meals, I guess we're doing it wrong.
I free range here in Pennsylvania. However I just started having a hawk problem. The chickens were in the coop. I left the door open as I got their water. About 100 ft away. Yep the hawk fly in the coop and killed 3 hens in maybe 2 minute. So your set up is what we will be doing in spring.
Yep, you can never let your guard down with a hawk......thus the saying "they're watching you like a hawk"
What kind of hawk is it
@@renegarcia9509 Not sure, there are many spieces of hawks. But I see them around here all the time.
Here in west Texas we have a gray about the size of a5 month old
A aggressive like that one that got. Well I could help you with a
Gadget but it ilegal to bother them. Good luck 👍
Omg im so sorry 😢
As a fellow chicken keeper from the UK I can see those are healthy and happy chickens. I have a similar set up myself and personally I believe this is way better than a chicken being cooped up in a cage.
Free range in the UK is pretty tough too since a red fox will kill as many as possible and only eat 1 or 2
The entire time I watched your video, your chickens were so happy, so relaxed, so enjoying themselves the entire time. Your setup is so beautiful. I would like to sit in that chair you're sitting in every afternoon just to relax. I would just delete any negative commentary, and enjoy that beautiful life you have going on there.
Thank you 👍
Let them comment, they're just showing who they are. Why delete it?
@@mandielou because negativism hurts us! We don't have time for that!!!
I think your doing a fine job and your taking very good care of your animals
We are new to having chickens and we did some research before buying and there’s a ton that goes into any decisions one makes. We have friends that own chickens and they actually have some horror stories of hawks and raccoons tearing into them. Our friends were genuinely upset for weeks after losing them. They took extra precautions after the first incident and they chose to buy again. A year or so later, another incident happened because they are free range. You are doing a fantastic job! God Bless you. Keep doin you.
don't let the bad eggs get to ya, ..those folks do not, nor hv they ever raised chickens.
Your chicks look healthy and happy.
Many kudo's to you!
👍
I raise chickens and I think this video is pointless bullshit.. their goes your whole outlook right out the window.
Dr beltran traingi chicken layers
You chickens look very healthy,clean and contended...I love the swings lol
Thanks 👍
Hey Pete. I know the video is a few years old but your chickens look so happy and healthy and your chicken run is brilliant.
The face that you’ve got a chair in the run shows how much you love your feathered friends. (I do the same thing).
I am so glad I saw your video. My husband and I started raising chickens this year and we built a 30'x24' chicken run with a 8'x20' coop inside. We currently have approx 60 chickens. I was really bummed for a while not being able to "free range" them for the exact same reasons you don't and can't. Seeing your video made me feel better about it. We live in Texas too so we have the same predators!
Mary Fisher in Riverside CA
I absolutely agree with you Pete. I am very new to raising chickens and came across your videos while trying to get expert advice. We have many stray chickens and roosters that belong to no one and it is very sad to see a mamma hen with 10 chicks and a few days later no chicks at all. I rescued a mamma hen while she was laying on her eggs. I now have mamma and 8 baby's. I don't know what I'm doing right now, but they will defiantly not free range like the lost ones.
Thank you for your wonderful videos
Thank you and that's awesome that you saved that mamma hen. As much as we would like to free range, it's just not possible.
Yes - thank you for rescuing those chickens. What ever you do, you must have heavy duty fencing with at least fencing on the roof as well. My other neighbor let his out during the day in their run without a cover or roof, and the neighbors Husky dog jumped in and killed them all. That dog will kill anything it can catch and even bit up my horses legs. A predator will usually only take one at a time. But dogs will slaughter them all at once. Coyotes here will climb a 5 ft chain link fence. or dig under fencing. They are out during the day as well.
I live in VA and have a friend who raised chickens and rabbits. The coyotes moved in and over the course of a few days decimated all his free range chickens. As you pointed out the Hawks had always managed to take a few. After the chickens the coyotes moved in and ripped his rabbit hutches apart and ate all of their rabbits including the lucky rabbit feet. Your smart in protecting your flock the way you do.
Your chickens look very healthy and your rooster can't stop singing. Protected from predators, that is loving your animals. Love the video. Great job!
Some people are unteachable because of what they have learned in America's eduation system and cannot be placated no matter how much you explain the facts. I love your coop and run. I'm on youtube trying to learn as much as I can to have my own chickens.
Great to see you love your animals! Never apooligize! You are terrific!
My wife and I free-range our chickens, ducks and geese here in Australia and I can definitely confirm your concerns in regard to predators.
Here it’s raptors and foxes that are the main sources of predator attacks on our flocks and they can be devastating. I’ve lost track of how many birds we’ve lost over the years.
In fact, just this last December, the neighbours over the road lost their entire flock to a single fox that just went into a frenzy on their chickens.
So don’t concern yourself with anyone saying you should be free-ranging your flock. Your run looks great and your flock looks healthy and, importantly, alive.
Thank you 👍
Three years ago my parents lost their entire flock to a predator. They never did figure out what specifically it was, but pretty sure it was a weasel. We are hoping to fix everything up this year and strengthen up the fencing so we can start a new flock.
Ooh crap 😭 that’s crazy.
When we take on animals it's our job to protect them as best we can. I love your work 🐓 I am in Australia
Have lost over 100 hens over the years to daytime predators even when they were penned up. I will have to build a full enclosure like yours to keep hens again.
I just noticed that when you sprinkled the feed for them, the rooster held back until he saw that all the hens had gathered around it to eat and then he began to eat. I love it
The same people will complain about processing livestock like chickens, turkeys, ducks and goats. They say, " I didn't know you eat them. I only keep mine for eggs. I can't watch your channel any more" Some people seem to think meat just appears in the market all wrapped and ready to eat. Maybe it can be attributed to the suburban backyard flocks.
Pete, keep making homesteading videos. They are always educational. How many people know how to run underground wiring or pipe using a 3-point subsoiler and a piece of pvc conduit.
Thank you 👍🙂
Those are the folks that think chicken grows in little yellow bundles, on trees, in an orchard!
I have hens and only eat the eggs they are my babies. I don't eat meat either. My dogs love the eggs too- great protein for them. At first mine stayed in their yard because of my dogs and large birds. I eventually let my dogs meet them my hound on leash of course but she could care less. my yorkie/carin just wanted to eat their shit and poop and didn't give a crap about the birds. Lucky I guess? My whole yard is fenced so eventually I let the girls out how fun to watch them play and mow down everything in sight. They are locked in at night with a baby moniter so I can hear if things go wrong early. The hound really won't let the big birds in she goes nuts. My girls have a very big yard that is fenced in bird netting on top 25' x 45' I was going to add on until now as they get to roam around. I for one will not and can not watch people butchering animals. but that's me and I also don't need to watch because I don't eat them.
They say "I didn't know you eat them. I only keep mine for eggs." Is said by morons. There are meat chicken breeds and there are egg chicken breeds, and even if you keep chickens for eggs at some point the chicken is gonna grow old and die, then what? Let it go to waste???
They say it but then they don't keep chickens, and certainly not for food products. You won't get many eggs from meat chickens and you won't get huge chickens for meat from egg chickens.
If you keep egg chickens it must be nice to have it so good you can let them go to waste when they die if you don't eat the meat.
Personally I think people that say something like that don't keep chickens to begin with and talk out their asses.
It's sad to see kids know everything about phones and tablets, but know nothing about where our food comes from.
I agree with you 100%. Those of us who have chickens know that free ranging is not all it's cracked up to be, and puts chickens in harms way bigtime! Your run clearly has plenty of space for your chickens to move around and enjoy a very happy life. Our girls can't free range without our supervision b/c of all of the same predators you have, yet they are some of the happiest chickens I know :).
Thank you 👍
Smoky Mountain Homestead it really all depends on your area. He has numerous amount of predators. Me living in Michigan the only problem I have is raccoons, hawks and possums. We have 13 roosters w/55hens and never have any problems with hawks anymore. (We have a large ratio of roosters/hens for breeding certain breeds)
I am in a community where this set up would be perfect! Thanks for the info.
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No1 gives a shit
Hi new subscriber, just found you in my feed, probably because I'm subscribed to so many Texas homestead creators. That rooster is huge! Beautiful birds. Oh and for the naysayers, I just say " you do you boo".
Your chickens are lucky that you protect them! Thank you for sharing your beautiful chicken a coupe with us. Your information is very helpful to so many and will save a ton of chickens by you getting the word out! I love the swings!!
You have a nice secure run and coop! You did forget to mention foxes, mink, weasels, otters (near water), stray/wild dogs and eagles. People who free range chickens, RAISE PREDATORS! Keep up the good work.
And now in Texas and many other states...feral hogs! Don't think for a minute they wouldn't love them some chicken....
Hawks stole two young turkeys from me, it was heart breaking
My best friend and gardening buddy was the neighbor's free range hen. One day, I saw a hawk on the ground, wings spread, and wondered "what the heck is going on?" The hawk took flight, and out comes my soon to be bestie! I told my neighbor that she wasn't safe; we have a lot of hawks around here. He said he needed to secure the coop.
Once he got his coop "secured" from the first decimation of flock by coyote (she was the lone survivor and, since, favored roosting in a tree, refusing the coop), she couldn't make it over anymore. The coop was not secure, and she was killed. I have a coop and am preparing to keep chickens, only about 3. I will be following your model, having taken note of the neighbor's mistakes.
Thank you for your video!
Thank you - I am having that dilema as well and my neighbor thinks its bad to keep them in a small pen. I am only getting 3 bantam hens and I intend to spoil them with a good variety of food and let them in my garden when I am out there.
We free range and keep in a chicken run, depending on the time of year.We also have a dog to discourage predators. We even let our ducks free range and it's about six years since we lost a duck. Predation pressure is somewhat seasonal around here, when raptors are migrating or foxes have young ups the risks. Always secured at night so the mostly nocturnal predators don't get a chance.
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You are absolutely right. Some people tend to free range chickens becauae they have a place were there are few predators. The chickens safety is more important than irrelevant comments.
East Texas, panola county here. We get the occasional gator here as well as the predators you named. I totally get it, brother. My hens have about a 10 x 20 chain link area with a raised 4x4x4 house for roosting, and a row of 6 nesting boxes. There is a chicken door, manually controlled to allow them occasional access to a 12x10 chain linked yard full of weeds, brush, dewberries, and bugs, with a bird netting cover to slow down the hawks. They can run back into the henhouse if they get scared. I close the door to the yard before sundown. I don't consider them to be free range because they're not out every day. They would eat everything growing to the ground, so I give it time to grow and get buggie. In the meantime, they get weeds from my garden, kitchen scraps, chicken scratch, a quality laying feed, and whatever bugs they find in the coop. Bird netting is bunch- wrapped around the perimeter of the henhouse at ground level for snakes to get tangled up in. 8 years of chickens, no loss yet to predators.
I go to my local Food Lion grocery and raid their dumpster for the castoffs from the produce department. Provides my flock with a variety of items that they will consume, especially outer leaves from lettuce, etc. I even have an old running refrigerator that sits out in the yard next to the chicken pen to store excess in . Some days there’s so much they can’t consume it all. Flock loves anything with seeds and will eat cantaloupe and watermelon down to nothing but the outside skin. Love bananas too, if I peel them.
I live on the edge of the wetland woods in coastal SC and we have all the same predators you named except you didn’t name foxes. They combined can decimate a flock in just a few outings. Everybody loves um some chicken !
I agree with you 100%
We lost many chickens in the last couple of years due to raccoons and hawks:(
We just built a bigger coop similar to yours and getting new 10 chickens now wondering if it’s makes sense to let them out on the yard at all.
Great video.
Chickens want to roam to find perhaps safer territory than the coop chopping block , if allowed . . it is what it is & try to create two or three young for every one eaten etc
@@benwinter2420 well go get chickens and let them roam and see what happens you idiot. Do you not understand when you have a "coop" that is their "safe place"? By all means instead of telling someone else what to do, go out and do it yourself and experience it first hand. I just recently lost 2 Rhode Island Reds and 1 cinnamon queen due to letting them "free range". So yeah let's let my whole flock out to get mauled by raccoons and foxes.
Great video! I live in East Texas as well. You have a very nice coop and run. Your ladies are definitely happy. Those predators are all dangerous to chickens. You should not have to explain yourself...you are doing a great job taking care of your chickens. Someone's dogs got my chickens and now I am going to do a similar set up to yours.
There is one thing I learned after 62 years on this earth, you do not have to answer every question people ask.
You have your life and do what you do. That is totally you business.
You share a lot of ideas to help others which is very neighborly.
Because people do not understand everything in you life is not really important.
Mainly because you cannot please everyone… but you have to please yourself . Good luck!
I’m so grateful you made this video. I was planning in the future to let my girls out and roam around. I live in south central Tx and have all the same predators here.,After reading other people’s comments, it really does seem unsafe during the day too.
You’ve encouraged me to make my own dog food. Dogs had rice, chicken and green beans for brunch. Soaking some beans for them now. I sure wish I could have had a dad like you. I hope if you had younglings, they appreciate you.
Awesome 👍 keep them healthy and safe.
You are absolutely right !Today a hawk just killed one of mine and severely injured another-that's it! they're in!! I'm in upstate ny...
I just stumbled on your channel tonight. To each their own. Your Coop is awesome, clean and well built.. I'm trying to set up a small coop myself and love your setup and care. I would never want my best efforts taken away by predators.
Great run. Glad to see you're keeping your flock safe :)
Your right. No need for free range anyway. My chickens are in a dog run with a food and a coup. They are very happy. And I’m in Arizona!
@Angelo Guzman That sounds kind of nuts, price-wise. In upstate NY we can get home grown free range eggs for $2.50 a dozen.
Wow, first class coop. I wish i had that for my pet squirrel.
Thank you 👍
Citiots will criticize everything. We have every predator imaginable, including our own dogs. Inhumane treatment? Citiots.
hahahaha! citiots! a new word for us! The wife brought us from the City to the country to become more self sustaining, thought I wouldn't like it however, I love it!! ~Citiots in training
Why not let them out with you there holding a gun to protect them? You could still let them out sometimes when you there with them.
Dan - once they are out they wont return until dark.
@@poppys3728 If you have enough people there you can herd them back in or you can make a temporary fence situation where they cant escape but are still outside of the coop area so they can be on grass.
You could even get a temporary thing to block the top also from predators.
I understand his concerns are very real to not have them free range but I would give them a compromise like I am suggesting and if even that was too unsafe I wouldnt even have a dog or cat outside.
I would consider it too unsafe for animals outside and I wouldnt want them to be forced into a smaller space so I just wouldnt have them at all.
Brilliant
We had raccoons that ate our chickens years ago. Raccoons are vicious! You have a great setup!
Oh hey man. We believe you. I think all domestic animals should be better protected from predators.
I keep my chickens in a similar setup and I still worry about them so much.
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Each situation is different. We’ve had free range flock for a year, but there are more people and dogs nearby, so predators are very rare in our area. Thanks for your video, your chickens look happy!
I used to have chickens when I lived in the hills of central Missouri. I kept them in the coop till about 5pm in summer then let them out to scratch in the garden. They loved it and I never
lost a bird. Lived in an area that looked much like yours. Open field lined with lots of trees. But otherwise they were locked up tighter than a drum or the critters would get them.
TH-cam! Love your videos and we have our chickens in a chicken run that is all fenced in for the same reasons! We care about our feathered friends❤❤🐥🐥
Thank you 👍
My wife and I have a small farm on the Gulf Coast and we keep chickens. We were loosing on average one chicken a day to hawks while free ranging. Our girls are now in runs and tractors. Oh and by the way, I don't miss stepping in poop all day long.
put out sunflowers to draw in some crows. hawks avoid areas with crows.
I keep mine in a run for the same reasons but wondered if I was doing them a disservice. Thanks for the video 👍🏼
I’m right there with you, I agree with everything you said about protecting our animals. I’m just starting out with my chickens with the help of my daughter and I share the same feelings you do. Thanks, Dan
This is why I superglue razorblades and wrap barbwire all over my chickens.
I saw a video one time of a Repo Man going to repo a car and went to go open the door and somebody has super glued razor blades to the inside of the door handle
@@gardenoftruth8265 ouch!!!!😬
I've considered that! One year, I lost 9 out of 20.
😂😂😂
That sounds safe. I should do this to my daughter.
Pete, it is obvious to me that you are a thoughtful and intelligent guy, and you do things in such a well thought out way.
Please don’t listen to the whiny and ignorant, critical trolls.
I sometimes think there are trolls who do nothing but go online and criticize!
Keep up the great work.
Trolls do other things..they live in their parents basement and mooch a free ride.
Your chickens are happy and safe 💕 I lost some to a little weasel 😢
I'm totally on board with you Pete B! I have a lot of chickens and they don't free range. They have large runs, they're spoiled rotten, I make sure they're not bored and they're thriving. I see the hawks and buzzards flying over daily and I don't want my babies killed by these predators. And, you're right... these people would have to have chickens and experience the loss of their chickens before they catch a clue. Good for you taking care of your flocks! :)
We live in central Georgia. We have all of those predators. But the worst and most abundant predator here is chicken hawks. I always watch them glide and perch around our wooded area. My good neighbor even complained her hens were going missing because she needed to put a net over her run. And the wildlife isn't just a hazard, so are the lousy neighbor's hungry loose pits. And once animals know where chickens are, they will always come back for more. I would love to range free my chickens as well, but they would be very short lived. Lots of time, money, and love wasted. Folks that criticize keeping chickens in a run simply don't know the all hazards that come with free ranging. Hens like it, but they like feeling safe too. Why else do they tuck themselves back in the coop by dusk? Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people love giving us a piece of their minds while happily munching on their Jimmy Dean's with egg made by miserable caged hens. Your brids are as healthy and happy as can be Pete.
Thank you, I agree 100% 👍
@@Nimblebee-iy4nz Interesting, I'll be sure to get black astralorps even though my heart was set on their docile personalities.
Just tie fishing rods over and above open space, hawks and owls can’t see it and once hurt they don’t remember and don’t come back.
Nimblebee Nimblebee, I hope that the thieves received a good dousing of the pepper spray. What about innocent wildlife though? They can't very well flush their own eye's out with water. That can cause permanent eye damage or even blindness, and a lot of sinus and throat irritations too. More importantly though is your safety. Walmart has some pretty reasonable prices on solar servalencecameras. If they are stealing from you, they belong in jail. You can never underestimate what drug atticts might do. Having them put in jail before something more serious and life threatening arises could save your life. You never know if you could one day walk in to a home invasion. Best wishes to you and your family.
VOTE4TAJ, There are State Wildlife Preservation Law's set in place that forbids people from bringing any harm to wildlife. Depending on where you live, some states allow only one exception. When and only when it is clearly self defense. Where you or a loved one is in immediate danger and facing a serious life threatening attack and you are unable to get away to call the authorities for help. While some states do not even allow this one exception. What you are suggesting is considered very inhumane. It falls under The Wildlife Cruelty Protection Act, which brings swift costly feins and or imprisonment for anyone found guilty.
Thank you for your information. We lost a couple chickens last year to an eagle up here in northern Arizona. We were finishing their pen when they were snatched. They now have a 400 sq ft enclosed pen. But your advice rings true. It’s not just land based predators
Great video and advice, thank you. I've been feeling like a monster for keeping mine in. Chickens are smart and have neat personalities and communication skill. They watch and listen to their keeper. Then use the info to get spoiled with treats and music. Ya, they love classical music!
holy cow!! what a beautiful coop you have!!! those are some lucky chickens to have such a nice place to live ❤🐔❤
its wonderful to see how much u care about their safety and comfort too! God bless u sir!
Jail or sanctuary, it's really a state of mind. Birds need to have a safe place to be. Your's are not crowded at all and look very happy. I wouldn't worry about the people who don't know what is to have and be responsible for animals.
I don't free range mine anymore because they shit everywhere including my walkway to the front door.
LOL, I have the same issue but I continue to let them free range. I have to sweep my carport every other day.
too bad sweepung does not amount to cleaning...
@Derek C ,
That actually is free fertilizer that you don't have to buy . In addition those free ranging chickens are also eating insects such as ticks and mosquitos.
Perhaps you do prefer to buy insecticides which will also poison you .
@@donaldmiller8629 true...but if they get eaten up,what good will it do...times change...we weren't meant to live in areas so crowded together but hardly little yard...but we do,so it's a tough call
@Adriana Morales ,
I sometimes allow my chickens to free range. I seldom see any predators during the day. Mostly they are grazing on grass inside of mobile coops. The coops are not to keep the chickens inside but to keep any predators outside. My coops are moved to new grass every day. Sometimes I put up an electric fence so they can range freely but they go into the coops at sundown.
wow these chickens are paid actresses
A coyote hunting during the day took out half of my free range flock. I used 300 feet of 6 foot wire farm fencing and made them a huge ranging area. I live in the mountains of BC Canada so predators are always around. It’s just the way it is. There is nothing wrong with containing your chickens to keep them safe. Blessings & happy chicken keeping!
Thank you Pete for your great post regarding chickens and how to care for them I loved every Moment of it keep on doing a good job with all your little critters may God bless you.
Thank you 👍
I free range, but lock up at night. About 20% loss of flock over 5 years is what i average. That may sound like a lot, but the chickens are generally healthy and happy roaming and foraging rather than locked in a pen. I deal with almost all the pests you mentioned, plus eagles and neighbors' dogs. I dont have to buy fertilizer for my yard, or pesticides. Im on well water, so that matters to me.
Rick Manley same here. Only thing though is we have a lot of scorpions at night that come into our house. So I re-spray demon WP after it rains and is dried up.
I've wanted to get chickens and build a coop, but we have a lot of predators, even though we live in the suburbs. Coyotes, raccoons, hawks and foxes. I'm going to show my husband your video because the structure looks really smartly-built.
That is such a great coop and run! Your chickens look happy and healthy. I'm sorry you felt you had to explain yourself. I live in the middle of a housing tract next to the freeway and airport, 3 miles from downtown in a capitol city and even we have to worry about several of the predators you've mentioned...owls, hawks, raccoons, foxes...not to mention neighborhood cats, skunks, and BADGERS (which are terrifying). Some people just complain to hear themselves complain. Disregard them. :)
I live just west of you and you are right. Hawks are the biggest problem I have. Possums, raccoons, owls (big ones) are also looking for a meal.
Forget about the Moron who said that you should free range your chickens. They don't know anything about how to take care of chickens. You are doing a great job. And your effort towards the work for your chickens proves that how much you love your birds.
Respect and love from Indian Occupied Kashmir. ❤
Thank you 👍
@@petebeasttexashomesteading
Mention not. 🙂
I free ranged mine. Last fall, my entire flocwas wiped out by predators.50 birds 1-4 a day I couldn't stop it. Mine are going to be penned also from now on. City folks don't get it
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If one of my chickens is attacked the rest go into lockdown for awhile. A nice tasty chicken dinner always tastes like another one is a good idea. Lock them up for safety for a time.
I thank God I don't live in an area with any of those type of predators. Tbh I have never seen any of those predators before besides owls. Got those here but only at night. We have moongoose but no where near where I live. Only worse thing is my own dogs and cat hahaha
@Aldo or orrrrrr they ran away lol
I've lost most of my chickens to racoons. They'll show up during the day when they figure out your flock is secure at night. I've heard some people say to give your chickens 10 sq ft each. Your run looks good. It's big, clean and you even have swings. 👍