Free Range or Not? What Does Everyone Prefer?

[outdoorsii]

Even though I have 5 acres, whenever I let my chickens out, they insist on going into the one neighbor's yard who can't stand them and calls us up. So now, I just let them out when she's not home, but even then, instead of staying on our property, they are 2 or 3 houses away sometimes. But I can just go outside and call "Hey chickens" and rattle the raisin package and they come running.

Yea we're on 5 acres too, most of the backard is rocks and woods, the front is grass but they like the back, thank goodness they don't go that far back to the neighbors b/c there's about a 5 acre space seperating us I think.

 

[Yukonchick]

LOL, I dunno if it works for keeping away the birds of prey. They can,t get at the chickens anyway cause I've got chicken wire on top the run but the weasels can squeeze through the wire easily and I haven't seen a weasel yet but we've seen their tracks last winter in the snow. Had a bear problem once this summer, just a small one that i ran off with the dogs.

 

[CityGirl35]

Maybe it's where in the U.S. one lives? My friend has a large diversified farm about 60 miles from Richmond, where I live. He has 200+ chickens, cows, goats, pigs, turkeys, etc. A skunk got into the chicken house and ate 100 baby chicks...I think they just drink the blood...before my friend dispatched the skunk. Here in the City we have raccoons, possums, and the dreaded hawks. No problems with the night-time predators since we lock the gals up but it is possible the hawks can't find enough to eat in the City and so target our backyard flock more than would happen in rural areas.

 

[chickenlover89]

I take the bottle, shake it and say. where's my girls where's my girls ! and shake the bottle, at first I got only 4 chickens out of 6 to go into the pen but those who did not follow soon saw there was goodies given out in the pen. they came running and then I closed the door to the pen. each time I do this they all come now, fighting to be first to go in and get dried meal worms, scratch or some other treat. LOL, I should do a video of it, maybe when I have some time this week ! I also keep the pen open so they can go directly into the coop to lay. then they come back to the yard, they love the pen, if its open so they can come and go. i leave it open so they can do as they please. I bought a white set of gates that close to make a kennel on amazon.com,( you can see it in one of my pictures ) I fence off my tomatoes and porch with it so there not going to my door and pooping on my porch, or eating my tomatoes. it works wonderful.

I do the same thing, but I say "chick chick, chick chick". I trained mine when they were young and then when they were in the coop but not free ranging, so that made it easier. I love watching them all come running!

 

[TMCMURRAY]

great job! i'm a firm believer if the dog grows up with the chicks or vise versa they will not harm them and having a dog as a guardian is way better than anything else.

 

[TMCMURRAY]

I'm sorry to disagree about shooting at them without killing them. If you intentionally miss a coyote or fox all u r doing is educating them. I do know what I am talking about my husband has been around the country educating people on not educating predators. They do not think like humans they only have one thing on their mind when they are hungry and if they got away with it once they will come back and try it again especially if u missed them the first time.

 

[TMCMURRAY]

lol your neighbors have more bugs than u lol

 

[Yukonchick]

coyotes are like foxes, very sly and gutsy. they live in cities and become accustomed to being close to people.

 

[ChickSter99]

I tried the trick to get my girls back in the coop after foraging when I need them to come home. I took the ideas on here and used a medicine bottle, put three pennies inside and call "Come on girls. Let's go." I also have the scratch & worm bucket in my hand that I've used since they were old enough to have scratch. It took a couple of tries but after the second time one of my BRs picked up on it real quick and the rest followed (except for one RIR that is determined to wait until very very last). My ducks have even picked up on it (although I'm worried about them having scratch). This has been wonderful. Thank you for sharing your ideas.

 

[brownhousefarm]

What do you do about them laying eggs in the bushes and tall grass?