free ranging or controlled environment ?

[Olivirus28]

Originally Posted by Engkanto

Madam China, I free range my chicks with the hen usually after they are a week old. I want them to spend most of their growing life on the range for them to experience being free and independent, not just waiting for us to give them the same type of commercial feeds every day of their life. This alone is one good reason why we need to free-range.

There are some advantages and of course a few disadvantages. Let me just copy/paste one of my old posts in another thread from this site (I'm just too lazy to type, lol...)

Nice inputs sir jay jay but i'm afraid of my future ranging area is located at the trail of Mt.Apo which is farm of my in-laws where wild boars and Pythons usually past and some eagles and owls,it is really a rain forest area.

Post it later,.you have a very healthy birds,Any vaccination?

Good Day

[jay-jay]

Originally Posted by jlbs72

jayjay,

Is your heat source (bulb) available 24 hours a day ? for how long (in weeks) ? regarding the chicks, when is the proper time you need to transfer them in the next range ? Thanks sir for sharing.

Heat source, is the bulb and ipa, it is only turned on at night when it gets too cold, otherwise its turned off. We dont keep the light on long, as they develop we increase the bulbs height and lower the wattage. The principle is once we feel they can handle the weather lights out.We dont transfer them to a next range, this netted range is part of a larger netted area. We simply open it up when the space gets too congested.

we vaccinate complete.

[ChinaRose]

THANKS NICE INPUTS!!!
yes vaccination is a must !!!

free ranging has lesser work than
in a controlled environment...

here in the city I think we have less
predators... except for the too legged
predators which causes two much
trouble and anguish as they wait
to carry-off the fowls when they are
6 months old.

in my part of the woods I have more
python encounters...but they get eaten
by the workers... I do not have too much
problems with rats but I wish my boyz
eats them as they do pythons. these are
tree rats.

nice nice inputs keep them coming !!!

[[3rd]]

Controlled until vaccination is completed, which means after coryza then free ranged after.

[trueedge]

Originally Posted by gnomestorm

hmmm. maybe i will. hahahahhaha

quick scope the enemy bird.

but in all seriousness, if a dog did come into ur property and started attacking ur birds. would u pull out ur gun and shoot it, or would try to chase it away with a stick.

my luck itll be one of my dogs i have to shoot lol

[judgedred]

Very nice thread...pa-subscribe lang po....

[jlbs72]

Originally Posted by jay-jay

Heat source, is the bulb and ipa, it is only turned on at night when it gets too cold, otherwise its turned off. We dont keep the light on long, as they develop we increase the bulbs height and lower the wattage. The principle is once we feel they can handle the weather lights out.We dont transfer them to a next range, this netted range is part of a larger netted area. We simply open it up when the space gets too congested.

we vaccinate complete.

Thanks Gov for sharing. btw, do you open the dog house on day 1 (day old chicks) so they can roam freely ?

[jay-jay]

yes, doors are opened the following day.

[meme ragudo]

very nice and lots of sense thread. keep coming. im just wondering sometimes why here in chicken talk there are no bullies and trouble makers compared to the tagalog usapang manok.

[gnomestorm]

all of this vaccination talk is discouraging me.

[ChinaRose]

Originally Posted by meme ragudo

very nice and lots of sense thread. keep coming. im just wondering sometimes why here in chicken talk there are no bullies and trouble makers compared to the tagalog usapang manok.

probably because they can not speak in english
write in english joke only !!! we all know
the pilipinos can speak and write very well in
english as it is our first language... but I guess
it is easier to bad talk in tagalog it hurts more.

[Engkanto]

Originally Posted by gnomestorm

all of this vaccination talk is discouraging me.

Gnomestorm, I'm with you. I'm just a backyard type kind of operation and I don't vaccinate. The only thing I give to my day old chicks is water with Apple Cider Vinegar. I put ACV also (only occasionally) on my waterers for those free-ranging biddies. I used to medicate with Sulmet but ACV works better for me (I guess). But really no vaccination program for me. Those who cannot cope up with the stress and other diseases are just culled. The remaining healthy ones eventually will develop a strong immune system. Not saying this is the right way, this is just my way.

Cheers!

[Engkanto]

Originally Posted by meme ragudo

very nice and lots of sense thread. keep coming. im just wondering sometimes why here in chicken talk there are no bullies and trouble makers compared to the tagalog usapang manok.

Boss meme, there are also a lot of bullies and kuyogs here in Chicken Talk. Try arguing against some of the popular members here in Sabong and you'll spend the whole day reading and typing your replies, mostly for the alipores, LOL... .

Cheers!
Edwin

[jncblas]

Originally Posted by jay-jay

Controlled-free ranged environment, thats what we do. We put our chicks on the ground, and day old placed inside outdoor brooders, we call "dog house". Following day they are free to roam the netted range area and come night time are gathered back into the dog house. In time they will learn to perch on branches, make shift ladders and sleep outdoors. We notice this system has decreased our mortality and improved the health of our produce.

sample of our "dog house"

This is what I had in mind. On a smaller scale, but exactly what I was thinking of. Did it before in the 80's and 90's with great success!

[hitmonkey!!!]

Originally Posted by Engkanto

Gnomestorm, I'm with you. I'm just a backyard type kind of operation and I don't vaccinate. The only thing I give to my day old chicks is water with Apple Cider Vinegar. I put ACV also (only occasionally) on my waterers for those free-ranging biddies. I used to medicate with Sulmet but ACV works better for me (I guess). But really no vaccination program for me. Those who cannot cope up with the stress and other diseases are just culled. The remaining healthy ones eventually will develop a strong immune system. Not saying this is the right way, this is just my way.

Cheers!

i do the same nearly only difference i do put ls50 in water for first seven days of life i think if there is no sickness there and no sickness brought in that they will be healthy strong chicks after nature has its cullin

[hitmonkey!!!]

hey jay jay how big of netted area do u have set up for these freerange type set ups,

[jay-jay]

hitmonkey: the size of the range would depend on the size of the batch. When still young the area is small and manageable. As they start to feather more and when it seems that the range within is too crowded we remove the nets and release them to a larger netted enclosure. This way we can analyze how each batch is growing. Going back to the size, the bigger the better.
hope this helps, in the last 2 photos we have removed the nets already but the dog houses are still there

[hitmonkey!!!]

looks good reason i ask i have about three acres of good timbered yard with grass growin throughout it i am about to fence and do the same that u have done, i am about to take my inc. and throw it in the river, lol, i think what i have in mind is after fencin is lettin several crossed hens that i would usually cull loose in there and set out several nests and set the eggs out of brood pens under them when chicks hatch mark them let the hens raise them, which is method i use alot now but want to move to completely hens only no inc,

[meme ragudo]

Originally Posted by gnomestorm

all of this vaccination talk is discouraging me.

share your frustrations and why are you discouraged boss gnomestorm. it makes a lot of sense with this thread because it is a pre requisite to the ranging period

[cccforevergold]

nice set up gov jay jay, day old ranging still the best. for me vaccination is not the only key, should go hand in hand with proper monitoring and disinfecting of the litter type housing.

[cccforevergold]

am sharing our last batch of hatch this season feb 14 hatches




now here they are, picture taken last week

still on the same range, it is a must that the new batch would be placed on an area that was not previously used by other batch. Source of the system RED gamefarm however i made some modifications combining the system of mayor Juancho aguirre, am not saying it is the correct way, but it is the way we are using.

[gamecock96]

I guess, if you only breed a few roosters, then vaccination is not a nescessity. The thing is if you breed a few hundred chicks a batch, you cannot risk viral diseases setting in that could wipe out your whole batch. As CCCFOREvER gold mentioned, vaccination is only part of the program, you should still monitor them for other bacterial diseases as well as cleanliness and other factors that could put stress in them.....

Al

[jlbs72]

jayjay & charlie,

Do you still give feeds at night time for the day old chicks ?

[cccforevergold]

Yes, i do up to 5 weeks, after that they start too roost on the trees.

[magic]

some photos of free range chicks with their surrogate oriental looking mothers. photo taken last march 18 when i visited Bacolod...

[ChinaRose]

Originally Posted by gnomestorm

all of this vaccination talk is discouraging me.

why ? what is it about vaccinating that you
do not like ?

[jay-jay]

Originally Posted by ChinaRose

why ? what is it about vaccinating that you
do not like ?

Probably he prefers them to grow naturally with a strong immune system to combat diseases. From my point of view it is necessary, I also want to know why????

[njyomo]

I could not agree with you more Gov. Jayjay. When Raffy and Edwin of Red Gamefarm had breakfast at my house last January, they told me the same thing. Make that wooden, box with rice hull and a 60 watt bulb, keep them there overnight after they are hatched and then the following morning, take out the front cover and they are on their own. I must admit that I was very reluctant until Edwin told me to go to their farm in Lucban and see for myself. I became a believer after that so all my February born are raised this way. So far, out of 300 chicks, I lost 2 and culled 15. I use less antibiotics as well. Best of all, its a lot less work for the boys than having a brooder. However, Edwin said that its best to use a fresh range every year.

Originally Posted by jay-jay

hitmonkey: the size of the range would depend on the size of the batch. When still young the area is small and manageable. As they start to feather more and when it seems that the range within is too crowded we remove the nets and release them to a larger netted enclosure. This way we can analyze how each batch is growing. Going back to the size, the bigger the better.
hope this helps, in the last 2 photos we have removed the nets already but the dog houses are still there

[ChinaRose]

jay-jay: your farm it must be some where close to
laguna
am just guessing here... because your coconut
trees are not so big in terms of the trunks...
bicol coconuts trees are bigger... just guessing.

I also like your avatar is that a black rooster?

guys
do you have civic cats (musang) there? they can
really be a problem as they love to eat chicken.
have you ever had that problem in your part of
the woods...?

I also used to use bamboo leaves or any dried
leaves for matting but it is hard work as
I have to change the leaves everyday if I don't
worms and maggots invade the leaves.

I have also stopped making my cockerels fly
very high I based it on the premise that when
in the cockpit the warriors do not need to fly
very high...

IPA I do not use them anymore as the chicks eat
it more than they do their feeds and some how
IPA makes them lose their appetite but IPA does
not have any nutrients ?

I am just asking questions here and anyone can
answer them... thanks guys.

[ChinaRose]

Originally Posted by ChinaRose

jay-jay: your farm it must be some where close to
laguna
am just guessing here... because your coconut
trees are not so big in terms of the trunks...
bicol coconuts trees are bigger... just guessing.

I also like your avatar is that a black rooster?

guys
do you have civic cats (musang) there? they can
really be a problem as they love to eat chicken.
have you ever had that problem in your part of
the woods...?

I also used to use bamboo leaves or any dried
leaves for matting but it is hard work as
I have to change the leaves everyday if I don't
worms and maggots invade the leaves.

I have also stopped making my cockerels fly
very high I based it on the premise that when
in the cockpit the warriors do not need to fly
very high...

IPA I do not use them anymore as the chicks eat
it more than they do their feeds and some how
IPA makes them lose their appetite but IPA does
not have any nutrients ?

I am just asking questions here and anyone can
answer them... thanks guys.

PARAK THANKS FOR THE VIDEO ::: HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE
USES ipa....?