Does anyone else Free Range?

[bpre6606]

I do, my 5 girls are almost 2yrs old and I open up the coop in the morning and they roam around the back yard with my dog and go back to the coop at night. I'm adding 5 more soon. They seem to be happy.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I do, my 5 girls are almost 2yrs old and I open up the coop in the morning and they roam around the back yard with my dog and go back to the coop at night. I'm adding 5 more soon. They seem to be happy.

What kind of dog?

 

[bpre6606]

He's a 10 month old Pit bull

 

[heartsizedfarm]

A very VERY good dog.

 

[Ellaluvsbirds]

I would love to have my birds free range but I live in the middle of a forest so I am nervous to let birds out because there is a lot of wildlife and predators around. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

I would love to have my birds free range but I live in the middle of a forest so I am nervous to let birds out because there is a lot of wildlife and predators around. Any suggestions are welcome.

Get a pit bull guardian dog!

 

[NSawyer]

My chickens are so GROUNDED! They have over 2 acres of backyard to graze, they are welcome to explore three more acres in back, and somehow they always end up in the front acre too. You would think that's plenty of room for 6 chickens but noooohohoo, now they need to go into the neighbor's yard too! They figured out that they can just plop right through the 4" fencing, and I've had to chase them back multiple times now. Yesterday they went under the neighbor's barbed wire fence and I had to stand there and bribe them back with feed.

My neighbors haven't said anything and probably won't because they hate us, but I know the man wouldn't hesitate to shoot!

That, and thanks to this lovely April snow, my hens are grounded until I can put up some plastic netting.

 

[mjgate]

My chickens are out during the day, but only when someone is home. At night or when we're gone all day, we usually coop them for their protection. We have had some problems though. They get into the garden and have ruined some plants and we've found eggs on the ground because they weren't returning to the coop to lay. I still think they deserve some freedom though.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

My chickens are out during the day, but only when someone is home.  At night or when we're gone all day, we usually coop them for their protection.  We have had some problems though.  They get into the garden and have ruined some plants and we've found eggs on the ground because they weren't returning to the coop to lay.  I still think they deserve some freedom though.

I had a hen last summer start to lay her daily egg under some shrubs right by my kitchen patio. Well that was so handy I put three china eggs in there to encourage her and soon they were all using that spot. Very convenient collection!

 

[kwissykat]

Hi what great information. I am a new chicken momma. Hubby went over board and bought me 30 tetra tints 20 Plymouth barred rocks 5 RIRs and 2 ducks. He doesn't do anything small. Lol anywho. They are fast approaching the time when they will be put out to free range. We are converting an old she'd into a coop. We live in the country so no worries about neighbors. How do I go about letting them out and free ranging? How do I train them to go back in at night. Like I said I am new and have read a ton but cannot seem to find what I am looking for. Thanks for reading