Im just discussing this with the OH what would i class my chickens as? They are penned in sometimes but are let out during the day. Obviously they are put away in the coop during the night.
Just wondering ;D
I'm waiting to hear the funny answers on this one :D
fairly free range, like ours ;D
if they have 4sq M each in the run, are allowed out all day, then they arte 'free range', as defined by the EU
Wikipedia has this;
* hens have continuous daytime access to open-air runs, except in the case of temporary restrictions imposed by veterinary authorities,
* the open-air runs to which hens have access is mainly covered with vegetation and not used for other purposes except for orchards, woodland and livestock grazing if the latter is authorised by the competent authorities,
* the open-air runs must at least satisfy the conditions specified in Article 4(1)(3)(b)(ii) of Directive 1999/74/EC whereby the maximum stocking density is not greater than 2500 hens per hectare of ground available to the hens or one hen per 4m2 at all times and the runs are not extending beyond a radius of 150 m from the nearest pophole of the building; an extension of up to 350 m from the nearest pophole of the building is permissible provided that a sufficient number of shelters and drinking troughs within the meaning of that provision are evenly distributed throughout the whole open-air run with at least four shelters per hectare.[10]
well, you did ask!! ;)
Fairly Free Range it is then ;D ;D ;D
Well looked after, and happy hens, I'm sure!! ;D ;D ;D
When I was a kid we used to spend our holidays on a smallholding near Hereford. The chickens were genuine free-range, going everywhere, and sometimes nesting in the hedges. They were still shut in at night, as far as it was possible to do so with some staying out. It didn't necessarily keep them safe; one year a pig took to eating them, and we helped move it elsewhere.
I used to live in Hereford lovely country side ;D My great gran used to live in vow church common near pucklechurch now that's somewhere i would love to live she used to keep chickens,ducks and had an odd goat, sheep and pony. I love visiting there sadly shes passed away now but my great uncle still lives in her old cottage ;D
How strange that a pig would eat a chicken, new to me :-X
It was a saddleback which was kept in an old cottage which was used as a henhouse. Pigs will eat anything, including humans if they're dead or helpless, and it chewed up two or three on consecutive nights before it was moved.
"Free" as defined by Nulabour?
they were let out during the day, and wandered everywhere. We used to stay in a caravan in the next field, and had to chase them out now and then.
Quote from: tonybloke on January 03, 2010, 13:01:05
if they have 4sq M each in the run, are allowed out all day, then they arte 'free range', as defined by the EU
Wikipedia has this;
* hens have continuous daytime access to open-air runs, except in the case of temporary restrictions imposed by veterinary authorities,
* the open-air runs to which hens have access is mainly covered with vegetation and not used for other purposes except for orchards, woodland and livestock grazing if the latter is authorised by the competent authorities,
* the open-air runs must at least satisfy the conditions specified in Article 4(1)(3)(b)(ii) of Directive 1999/74/EC whereby the maximum stocking density is not greater than 2500 hens per hectare of ground available to the hens or one hen per 4m2 at all times and the runs are not extending beyond a radius of 150 m from the nearest pophole of the building; an extension of up to 350 m from the nearest pophole of the building is permissible provided that a sufficient number of shelters and drinking troughs within the meaning of that provision are evenly distributed throughout the whole open-air run with at least four shelters per hectare.[10]
well, you did ask!! ;)
I have just been checking my Katie thear book on Free Range poultry. She agrees with the above except that she says the maximum stocking density is 1,000 birds/hectare ( 1 bird/10square metres). Also inside the house it is minimum of 15 cm of perch/ bird and maximum of 25 birds/sq metre. I wonder if the regulations have become tighter - well not literally for the birds, quite the opposite in fact :)
Just checked this web page
http://www.freerangepoultry.co.uk/
That says the indoor density is a maximum of 9 hens/sq metre. The Katie Thear book seemed a little unclear as to the regs for inside.That is Ok cause the house I have just bought could hold 15.21 hens. Perhaps 15 hens and a very small bantam perhaps?