Other animals on the range

Hens are attracted to other animals using the range. Keeping other animals on the range can really improve range use. Alpacas and Llamas can also be used to help keep foxes away and are relatively cheap to purchase and keep. Using the range for grazing can also be a good opportunity to get a better return on the range area and will help to keep the grass short.

hens and alpacas   hens and alpacas

Increasingly producers are using alpacas and llamas to protect their flocks from foxes.

Male llamas and alpacas can be cheap to purchase and require shearing once a year, toe nail clipping three times a year and twice yearly deworming and vaccinating.

cows on the range free range pigs

Hens are often found around grazing animals, this could be as the animals disturb insects which the hens can feed on.

Avoid keeping pigs on the range, as there are diseases, in particular erysipelas which can be transmitted between both species.

Making improvements

FeatherWel - improving feather cover AssureWel - improving feather cover Defra guide

FeatherWel management guide
[pdf, 5.49mb]

AssureWel advice guide
[pdf, 661kb]

Defra feather pecking guide
[pdf, 503kb]