Free range or fenced in?

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Soapfreak

Soapfreak

In the Brooder
6 Years
Apr 11, 2013
44
3
34
Shreve, Ohio
I know some cannot free range because of living in the city. If you live in the country, which do you prefer and why? I am debating on whether to free range because of predators. We have about 4 acres of mixed mowed yard and woods. I do see alot of hawks in the trees at various times which concerns me. Is it worth it to free range?
I am planning on getting 9 chickens next spring. Thanks in advance!
Kristy
 
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Soapfreak said:
I know some cannot free range because of living in the city. If you live in the country, which do you prefer and why? I am debating on whether to free range because of predators. We have about 4 acres of mixed mowed yard and woods. I do see alot of hawks in the trees at various times which concerns me. Is it worth it to free range?
I am planning on getting 9 chickens next spring. Thanks in advance!
Kristy
Click to expand...

Ok, this is what I do. I keep my chickens in their coop ( house/run) locked down and predator proof while I am at work or away.When I get home I let them out to roam, usually in the evening. They put themselves up to roost and I shut the door. No worries this way!! I/we get the best of both worlds!!
 
I free ranged for several years. We have one acre that's perimeter fenced and had a great farm dog who kept the predators away. For some reason, the birds developed a fondness for hanging out on the porch--with an entire acre to roam!--and I just got sick of chicken poop on the porch. Plus the daily egg hunts, just not worth it to me. Now, they have a nice big run and I can always find my eggs and my porch is clean.
 
if you free range it is very possible, very probable that you will lose chickens. Everything likes to eat chickens.

If you have a rooster that is about a year old, that helps. When I have a good rooster, I loose less often to predators.

One still needs a good predator proof run/coup for times that you are going to be gone, if you have predators it is imperative that you lock them up at night.

I think it helps to have an irregular schedule as to when you let them out, and lock them up.... if you get hit with a predator, lock them up for a while, so that the predator moves on, or trap the predator.

I do let mine free range. I think they are happier, and healthier and the eggs taste better, but I have lost lots of hens over the years....but then I can always get new chicks.

oh, always call when you feed or treat your hens, so that they come running. Makes it easier if you have to lock them up in the middle of the day.

Mrs K
 
donrae said:
I free ranged for several years. We have one acre that's perimeter fenced and had a great farm dog who kept the predators away. For some reason, the birds developed a fondness for hanging out on the porch--with an entire acre to roam!--and I just got sick of chicken poop on the porch. Plus the daily egg hunts, just not worth it to me. Now, they have a nice big run and I can always find my eggs and my porch is clean.
Click to expand...

That was going to be my next thread question. Can you train your chickens to stay off the porch? lol Mrs. K, I was planning on having a coop but not a fenced in area, guess I will be re-thinking that. Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
I got away with freeranging for almost a full year. The chickens were let out first thing in the morning, and got to wander to wherever they wanted. Then one day we came home to piles of feathers throughout the yard. Lost 9 out of 11. Got more birds, only let them out when somebody could watch over them. After a few months, things got a little more relaxed, we were not watching them as close, Bam, lost 7 on another sunny afternoon.
Now they are surrounded by 600' of electrified poultry netting. They get out everyday, and we don't have to worry about them. If we are outside, we'll let them out to look around. But other than that, they stay in their safe area.
Jack
 
We free range when someone is home. They are let out around 10am and locked up when it gets dark. We have 2 acres but they don't roam far from their coop. The goat's area is connected with the chicken run, so they basically just hang out with the goats. I think the goats also deter hawks from dropping down, but our rooster is also good at rushing the girls back into the run if something is weird. Most of the chickens stay within the goat's fencing, but some roam out farther into the woods. We have only lost one right when we stated free ranging and it was because it could not figure out how to get back into the run and something snatched it up at dusk.
 
We used to let our chickens free range until we lost one to a bobcat. They were always supervised but that didn't matter to the bobcat. He/she jumped over a 6 ft wood fence, grabbed a chicken and was gone in seconds. Since our chickens are our pets we expanded their run and keep them locked in. It can be a hard decision to make. If you free range just expect to have some losses.
 
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It's still possible to free range in the city. I live on a tiny little lot, 0.15 acres, in a little suburb not far from down town Salt Lake, I have a small flock of 4 hens, a veggie garden, and even two beehives. You would not believe what you can squeeze into a small lot with a little planning.
I have a pen attached to the coop, but they don't like being confined. My yard is fenced, and there are very few predators around here. They have free access to the entire yard, even my vegetable garden. I've had to adapt my gardening to their habits, there are some things I just can't grow any more, and I've learned a few ways to keep them from scratching up my veggie seedlings. It's worth it, I think, to be able to watch them roaming around my yard.
So I think my entire back yard is pretty much like one big chicken run!
 

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