Free Range verses Traditional Methods of raising chickens for meat and eggs
Using the right type of coop and equipment for chickens makes all the difference in the world.
There are two basic methods for raising chickens for the meat or the eggs.
Traditional Method- where a coop is stationary and is adjacent to a large wire caged fenced in area for the chickens to have outside access but still protected from predators.
Free Range- where chickens are allowed to roam in yards and pastures to feed off nature's ready supply of bugs, worms, grasses and seeds.
The Free Range method provides organic grown meat and eggs, but opens the chickens for easy prey from predators.
Some people will clip one wing and allow the chickens to Free Range the yard. They are good to keep the bug and spider population down, but look before you walk as they also fertilize as they graze.
Many people have taken the concept of a fixed coop with an attached caged run and adapted it to the Free Range method. By adding skids or wheels the entire setup can be frequently moved to new fertile spots. Some call these Chicken Tractors.
There are two basic methods for raising chickens for the meat or the eggs.
Traditional Method- where a coop is stationary and is adjacent to a large wire caged fenced in area for the chickens to have outside access but still protected from predators.
Free Range- where chickens are allowed to roam in yards and pastures to feed off nature's ready supply of bugs, worms, grasses and seeds.
The Free Range method provides organic grown meat and eggs, but opens the chickens for easy prey from predators.
Some people will clip one wing and allow the chickens to Free Range the yard. They are good to keep the bug and spider population down, but look before you walk as they also fertilize as they graze.
Many people have taken the concept of a fixed coop with an attached caged run and adapted it to the Free Range method. By adding skids or wheels the entire setup can be frequently moved to new fertile spots. Some call these Chicken Tractors.
Some call them Chicken Tractors
Small coops can be moved by hand while larger ones can be pulled by a tractor.Cages need to be covered for shade or kept under shade trees as chickens will not fare well if left out in direct hot sunlight.Also your climate needs to be taken into consideration, especially if you want to stay totally organic. Free Range works well in the Southern states where year round grazing can occur but maybe not so well in Northern states with snow and ice where a fixed coop and an alternative organic food supply will need to be maintained.
This portable Free Range method is probably not the best for those who enjoy taking long trips or weekend getaways unless they can have someone around dependable to move the coop to a new location each evening.
Cottage Craft Works Chicken Coops and Sustainable Agriculture Equipment
Find the Amish manufactured Rollaway Nest Box at Cottage Craft Works.
Cottage Craft Works .com has all your chicken equipment to raise chickens Free Range or Traditional methods for fresh eggs or organic grown meat and eggs. The popular Amish made Rollaway Egg Nesting Box rolls the fresh egg forward into a protective compartment so that the chicken can't peck or step on it.
A new miniature Free Range Coop and Caged Run is perfect for a few chickens. It is cute, easy to move and will fit into most backyards.
A new miniature Free Range Coop and Caged Run is perfect for a few chickens. It is cute, easy to move and will fit into most backyards.
