AC56
In the Brooder
Hello 
We have 5 ducks and 26 hens and 2 roos. I work offshore on 2/3 rotation and husband is mon-fri, so he is at home every night. When I am on my 3 weeks time off birds are free ranging. With summer day light they are opened at 5am and closed at 10pm. However, when I go away to work for two weeks we do not open them and keep them in fairly big run with lots of nesting places, entertainment, perches, water, food, hiding places, dust shed, rain/wind prof shed, but its still not freedom. Husband comes home after work and opens them for a few hours if day light allows.
I was leaving to work today and was extremely sorry for birdies to see their dissapointed looks. They were like: "Where are you going?? Open the door!"
Reason for not letting them out is their safety. Although in the event of attack by cat, dog, crows etc we still may not help much, but when I am at home pottering about it still high chance I will hear the disturbance and be there to help.
Have to mention, that we do not have a high risk of something attacking birds. Although it did happened twice in a year. And human theft not expected, but if that to happen its definitely easy to steal them from the run, as no one will find them or catch them free ranging.
What's everyone's opinion on this?
We have 5 ducks and 26 hens and 2 roos. I work offshore on 2/3 rotation and husband is mon-fri, so he is at home every night. When I am on my 3 weeks time off birds are free ranging. With summer day light they are opened at 5am and closed at 10pm. However, when I go away to work for two weeks we do not open them and keep them in fairly big run with lots of nesting places, entertainment, perches, water, food, hiding places, dust shed, rain/wind prof shed, but its still not freedom. Husband comes home after work and opens them for a few hours if day light allows.
I was leaving to work today and was extremely sorry for birdies to see their dissapointed looks. They were like: "Where are you going?? Open the door!"
Reason for not letting them out is their safety. Although in the event of attack by cat, dog, crows etc we still may not help much, but when I am at home pottering about it still high chance I will hear the disturbance and be there to help.
Have to mention, that we do not have a high risk of something attacking birds. Although it did happened twice in a year. And human theft not expected, but if that to happen its definitely easy to steal them from the run, as no one will find them or catch them free ranging.
What's everyone's opinion on this?
