Free range chickens.....comment
Minelle & Joe Paloff (mpaloff@1starnet.com)
Fri, 29 Oct 1999 09:40:18 -0500
I raised free range chickens both in northern Arkansas and now down here in
Texas. In AR, I must have had about 100 chickens running around in the yard
and nearby woods. I had a good chicken house with a light, which I kept on
all the time. At night, most of the chickens would go into the house, and
then we would go out and close the door. In the morning, we would open the
door and let them out again. I had quite a few dogs which kept predators
away. One time, I had a black snake which sneaked in at the top of the
house near the roof through a tiny hole. We soon took care of that prob.
LOL Down here in Texas, I do not have a nice chicken house like I did in
Arkansas; however, I raised a few chickens out in my goat pen ( after they
were old enough to leave the brooder), and most did quite well. I still
have dogs which I trained from tiny puppies to leave the chicks alone. I
have four dogs outside. A Great Pyranees ( who has never attempted to
kill anything), a tri-colored collie, and two mixed collie-chows. They are
great dogs and really work at night. In my way of thinking, to be really
successful , one needs a good chicken house for the chickens to go in at
night and in foul weather, a light in the chicken house, fresh water, good
food, and some good dogs.
As for diet, I fed corn chops, leftover cornbread, veggies, leftover
popcorn, etc. I also saved the egg shells, baked them in the oven until
crisp, then put them in a plastic bag and crushed them with my rolling pin,
then put them in with the corn chops for added strength to the eggs.
Minelle Paloff
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