Free range chickens

I have a fenced acre - for my chickens free range means they are let out into the yard in the morning (between 7:30am and 9am) and go back in the evening (4pm to 5pm).  Is your property fenced?  It shouldn't matter too much if their coop is a fair distance from the property border.  Mine range over about 1/2 to 2/3 of the acre I have - there are some places they just don't seem too interested in going, but they have their regular haunts and times they visit them (ie the heat of the day they will be under the deck, they visit my lower garden in the late afternoon etc).  Feral cats....this kind of depends on the cats and how hungry they are I think.  If you have a rooster with your flock it provides some protection as he will face up to any threats and if it comes to it will sacrifice himself for the flock.

It is fenced but only to keep horses in so the chickens could go between the panels. The cats are fed by serveral of the neighbors so I don't think they are hungry by any means. Is there a specific breed of rooster that's better? Also will the chickens still lay their eggs in the coop or will it become an "Easter egg hunt"?
 
A rooster needs to be about a year old, before they are very good at flock protection, and there are limit to what they can protect against. 

I advocate having a run/coop setup, so that if predators start to pick your birds off, you can lock them up safely until the predators move on.

Mrs. K

Would he be able to protect them from an owl I have one that lives in my trees I think?
 
If they're locked up in the coop at night, you probably won't have to worry about owls.  My neighbor lets her roosters roost in trees at night, and she suspects she lost at least one of them to an owl.  

That's true I didn't think about the fact owl are nocturnal haha. What would you feed a rooster tho? I feed my hens layer feed, would he be fine just eating that or will I need a different type of feed?
 
That's true I didn't think about the fact owl are nocturnal haha. What would you feed a rooster tho? I feed my hens layer feed, would he be fine just eating that or will I need a different type of feed?
The calcium content of layer feed is generally too high for roosters, or for hens when they're not laying (e.g., during the molt). I recommend an all-flock feed (e.g., Purina Flock Raiser), but you'll have to provide crushed oyster shell in a separate dish for the hens. They'll take what they need of the oyster shell to meet their calcium needs.
 
It is fenced but only to keep horses in so the chickens could go between the panels. The cats are fed by serveral of the neighbors so I don't think they are hungry by any means. Is there a specific breed of rooster that's better? Also will the chickens still lay their eggs in the coop or will it become an "Easter egg hunt"?

We live in a rural area where people let their chickens free range in a pasture with horses, cattle, sheep or goats. One advantage of this type of set up is that it seems predators, especially raptures don't want to come in or down to take the birds so they seem somewhat safer.
 
Well I've only owned my four chickens for a year. However we moved to a 4.5 acre home some im preparing to expand my flock. I'm not exactly sure what free range means and how well it works without having your chickens leave your property. What's everyone's opinions and thoughts on free range?
Good info from previous posters. One bit of info I'd like to add: It's the flock owner's responsibility to see to it that their birds don't bother the neighbors. My birds will go visit the neighbor across the street, and he says he's happy to have them visit. He'll often stand in his driveway and crow at my roosters. But, his garden is not fenced, so when my birds wander into the road, I know it's time to bring them home. They can also wander into the woods behind their coop, which are owned by an other neighbor... again with his permission. He's happy to have my birds gleaning insects from his woods. But... if they go towards the next property line... time to call them home. You can train your birds to come to the verbal call from you accompanied by the sound of scratch rattling in a bucket.

Predators: you might derive benefit from your horses. They might deter both 4 legged and aerial predators. IMO, it's imperative that the flock owner have a safe run that can be used when predators come calling. Unfortunately, I have heavy hawk predation, and my flock can not free range unless I am out with them now.

Feral cats: Good that neighbors are feeding them. That way they will not be hungry enough to try to take down a chicken. Cats and chickens are all very much individuals! I had a cat when I was growing up who was an incredible hunter. He'd kill large rabbits, and even once took down a small fox. I've no doubt he would have killed one of my chickens if I was not guarding them when they were out. When I had cats, they thought it was great fun to chase the chickens, just to see them run. No idea if they actually would have made good on the threat if they'd caught one! Then, in the same flock, I had one or two hens who loved nothing better than to sneak up on the cat and grab his tail... and then chase him!!! I've no doubt that chicks would not be safe around feral cats.
 

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