Do I need a run for free ranging flock?

[Florida Bullfrog]

Are they all game fowl? I was looking into Liege Fighters but my setup is not ideal at keeping a separate flock for breeding purposes. They are fascinating to me, although my 9 yr old is already worried about a game fowl roo lol, as our tiny Bantam rooster is currently the leader of my flock and for whatever reason LOVES chasing only her

No, I have layer breeds too. The remnant of the layers that survived the free range gauntlet prefer to roost low and under cover at night. Its the gamefowl and gamefowl crosses that like the trees.

The pure Liege prefer to roost high but under a roof. My Liege x aseel crosses prefer to roost in trees or on top of open structures.

 

[avjudge]

I read through all of the responses and didn’t see anyone mention one of my main reasons for wanting a secure run large enough for all my chickens: VACATIONS!

In the summer our chickens are out behind poultry netting when not free ranging during the day. One or two will occasionally hop over the fence for the greener grass outside. That’s fine when we’re home, not so much when a neighbor is looking in on them.

With a predator-safe/secure run attached to their winter coop (which is in our barn), I can just leave them with no necessary care for maybe 24 hours, and just a daily look-see and check food/water for longer.

I don’t actually have this safe run yet, but it is at the top of the list for this coming summer’s construction projects. (Its other purpose will be covered ranging for the snowy months; last winter and this winter we have just been letting the chickens out into a stall in the barn during the day.)

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

My free-rangers stay out when I’m gone. I stress more for my coop birds in my absence because of them being bottled in with no escape should a predator get in, a fire happen, or something go wrong with food and water.

 

[avjudge]

My free-rangers stay out when I’m gone. I stress more for my coop birds in my absence because of them being bottled in with no escape should a predator get in, a fire happen, or something go wrong with food and water.

Obviously that is going to depend on local conditions! If we’re gone, our dog will also be gone or in the house, and I credit him with the fact that we no longer see fox tracks and scat in the yard. He is not officially a LGD - he’s a lab cross who, when out in the yard, loves nothing more than to bark at anything he hears in the woods behind us. But it seems to work. We are in the middle of the woods (we literally have a small mountain range out the back) so there is no shortage of hungry critters.

 

[centrarchid]

Vacations = extended periods of bad weather. If vacations to frequent, then chickens and lifestyle may not be a good fit

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Obviously that is going to depend on local conditions! If we’re gone, our dog will also be gone or in the house, and I credit him with the fact that we no longer see fox tracks and scat in the yard. He is not officially a LGD - he’s a lab cross who, when out in the yard, loves nothing more than to bark at anything he hears in the woods behind us. But it seems to work. We are in the middle of the woods (we literally have a small mountain range out the back) so there is no shortage of hungry critters.

I too am in the middle of the woods. A couple thousand acres worth with no neighbors. We are covered up in predators. Only coyotes are brave enough to make runs close to the homestead and only then when they can come in down wind of my dogs.

I agree dogs are the best predator deterrent. But when we leave the dogs stay. Like the chickens, the dogs are tough and fend for themselves when we’re not home. One of their purposes is to guard the homestead. They are not house pets.

Even without the dogs I’d prefer the chickens be out. Better to lose one free ranger in a fluke attack than an entire flock trapped in a coop.

 

[marilyn1954]

Every

I currently am revamping EVERYTHING in our yard and my chickens included! So we live on a small ~5 acre property that is half wooded that backs into the river and a small man made channel. I have a current flock of 18 chickens, along with my goats, horses, and geese all living alongside each other. Anywho, I just started building 2 new coops for my chickens- an 8x12 as the main coop, and an 8x8 as my grow-out/brooding coop/chicken jail/breeding coop. I have a cackle mini surprise box coming in a few weeks so I will end up with close to 30 chickens after I sell some of those

Ok! So my question is, should I still follow the 10sq ft per chicken "rule" in building an attached run, when my chickens free range roughly an acre of pasture/forest each day? I do need some sort of secure run as my Bantam roo and several others roost outside anytime it's above freezing, as well as Mr. Owl lives about 50 yards away from my current coop and we have plenty of coon and opossum, and martens that live near the rivers edge. Would a 10x10 or 10x20 covered run do the trick? I do have a hawk that's been hanging around for months now that hasn't attacked but hangs out nearby- he's a definite worry but I think my horses and goats have so far deterred him.
My chickens free range from sun up to sun down, so they really don't use the run they have now except in inclement weather, so I guess I'd rather stick money into nicer coops that into a huge run that can manage 30+ chickens

Chicken coop + run would be to the right of my fat rescue mare along the fence line

Every thing is trial and error what works for one doesn’t for another. All coops, and range areas are different. Esp when you want them to roam in the largest area possible safely. We put fishing line in a web style above our range area and have never lost a chicken due to a hawk or owl. They come out on their own each morning and go in each evening. Everything they do is decided by them making them not only safe but stress free

 

[marilyn1954]

A pesky hawk who would like one of our chickens BUT HELL NO!