Does anyone else Free Range?

[ChickInDelight]

I just bought a hobby farm (5 acres) expecting all sorts of predators to bother my girls. I believe the 4-legged predators are discouraged by my dog marking the property and our frequent walks along the full fenceline. Also, the neighbors have a farm light (like a city street light) that illuminates my coop. I believe these are the biggest factors in keeping bear, bobcat, and fox from striking.

My biggest problem was keeping the girls away from the neighbors. I strung chicken wire that they seem to respect. They stay close to the fence and the few bushes and objects they have for cover until late in the day when they go out in the field. This time to go mid-field surprises me since they cannot see the shadows of bald eagle and hawks.

I really love my automatic door that opens after sunrise and closes after sunset.

 

[jobobu7]

I also let my hens free range. I would let them out early in the morning and wait til they go in by themselves but last summer I started to lose one almost every day. So now I let them out around 10:00 a.m. And make them go back in around 5:30 pm. So far I haven't lost any.

 

[Micky B]

Because I'm a vegetarian, all our animals on the farm are free ranging in large camps - the cows, the geese (who roam completely free) and the chickens. One part of my flock was bought from someone else and they were kept in cages. Once we got to the farm and set them free to run and scratch and be chickens, they seemed very happy. We let them out just after sunrise and feed them outside and have a feeder inside as well. They will come and go into the coop as they please all day and go to bed just before sunset when they are closed up for the night. Yes, the disadvantage is losses. Jackals, snakes and the occasional eagle is a problem were we live and mongooses pray on eggs and chicks. Snakes also like to use the coop as a hide-away when it's hot. That would cause a substantial reduction in egg production as well as the loss of a flock member. Because you have no control over diseases, they are also more prone to airborne and soil diseases, especially those spread by wild birds. Yet, free ranging also seem to boost their immune systems. Some people I know who also have free-range chickens, hardly feed them, with the excuse that they have plenty of food in insects and greens. Although my flock loves their grass, veggies and bugs, they are fed a mixture of scratch, seeds and layer pellets daily. They are also fed the shells of their own hard-boiled eggs and they have no problem eating that. I think whether you free range or not is a personal choice, but it is clear that free range birdies are overall happier - although some natural factors my influence their egg production. So one might ask: which is more important to chicken guardians: the chickens or the eggs?

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I'm usually working in the veg garden in the afternoons so I guess I'll let them out then when I can keep an eye on them. And make sure they don't destroy the garden!

 

[littlebobbie]

We free range all year. THEY prefer to not go out when snowing but they will go out in gentle rain. The geese and ducks that live with them don't care what the weather, they want out. They stay pretty close to home as there are woods right next to their pen. They hang about the fence as we throw scraps to them so they like to be nearby or up with the horse scratching in his field. The only losses have been old age and those would would NOT go in at night and they got plucked off. Those that survived the night out hid better.

 

[cdb1949]

We do like you, ours all go in by themselves by sundown and we lock the gate. We have neighborhood cats. But 1st thing in the morning they are out and ready to free range the near acre they have

 

[cdb1949]

They will definately eat your garden, unlike geese who don't bother the plants but eat the bugs.

 

[sidesaddle5]

I free range, although I do have an electric net fence that can be moved around (the coop is on wheels, too). Part of the reason I wanted hens again was to have them pick up as many ticks and other pests as possible, so permanently penning them wasn't really an option--the electric net gives me a place I can keep them contained in relative safety if we're away or whatever.

I lost something like 15 chickens last year to a fox--one afternoon it killed 8 in one attack. That's when we got the electric net. So far, I haven't seen any sign of the fox this year, but it's early yet--if it was a vixen, she probably had kits last spring...

 

[Lous Eggmoble]

I do this when the weather permits. Here in upstate New York the winters get pretty cold, especially this winter. The hens don,t seem too mind the cold but don't like the snow and they will stay inside.

 

[MemesChicks]

My girls have a nice big run (12 x 18 or so) with a "patio cover" so they can be out in all weather. If it's not raining or otherwise bad weather, we open the gate to the run and let them range the rest of the property. They love it. They put themselves back in the run at dusk and we secure the gate. The ventured out to the road once, and my DH drove them back to the run via his broom...they were grounded for the rest of the day. They haven't gone to the road since!

When we first had the girls, I was leary of letting them out for too long. I got over that...they love it and they come running when I call them even. Just keep an eye on them; they'll be fine. :cd