Free ranging pros and cons?

[SixChickFlock]

I have a question about part time free ranging. I've got the plans for a coop that has a run built onto it but I'd like to be able to let them out while we're in the back yard etc. Do they naturally learn to go back inside or how does this work?

I have moved mine three times this spring while building and modifying coops. Mine seem to be happy with each new roost location and habitually return to it with no prodding.

For each move, I let them into their old spot at dusk, as usual, and later carried them to their new home and place them on the roost. They wake up in a new place and seem to think of it as home. Amazing chickens!

 

[showgirl3]

Pros-
-yummier eggs
-happier birds

Cons-
-polish or other creasted birds can get lost
-predators can get them easier ( I suggest getting large dogs to keep predators away)



if you are worried about egg production wait till about three pm and they wont get lost. Most of the time they will come back at sunset

 

[Dizzydog]

My girls are confined to a small pen during the summer time as they would love to dig up my garden and flowers. However, I give them free run of my large vegetable garden during the winter. They do a fabulous job of cleaning up the garden. They turn over the old dead material an old mulch so it composts. They go through the garden with a fine tooth comb to root out insects and weed seed, and they fertilize the entire garden. There is always a lot less work for me to do in the spring to get the garden ready. One caveat: They will root out things like strawberries, rhubarb, and winter carrots so I have to cover or fence them out of those areas.

 

[nwhen14]

I have found my girls are smarter then I originally gave them credit for. They have a big covered run to protect from predators. Anyway, they free range during the day and I have found that if we aren't outside or the dogs aren't out with them they gravitate to going back to their run. Kinda funny actually. I also thought I was nuts at first, so I tested it. Sure enough if the dogs or us weren't out they went back under cover.
Second I completely agree about having dogs. I have 2. A beagle and a rottie. I thought that my beagle was going to be a problem, but after the original intro he loves them. Ok well, he loves that he can share their table scraps. My rottie is very protective. Which is the original purpose of the breed, much to many peoples amazement. When she senses danger she actually herds them back to their pen, then sits at their gate. And she hates when they wander apart, so she herds them back together. Funny to watch.
If you're looking to cut food costs, visit a restaurant or grocer. And get old produce. Good vitamins for $0. Veggies in the winter!

 

[Harborview Hens]

I am fairly new to chickens though I've been lurking here and learning a lot over the past month. I think I'm ready to take the plunge and get some chickens now. I have a fairly large area available and would like to free range my future flock. What are the pros and cons of free ranging? What are your experiences? 

I have 5 hens who "free range"a limited time each day. I usually go in the backyard to let them out of their run later in the day. I pick this time to bring out the dogs for extra exercise by throwing balls etc. This gives an added amount of protection as the girls scratch through bushes and under the trees. As the day winds down and the light lessens, they work their way closer to the run. Then, shaking their scratch jar or dried meal worm container, they run into the coop for their evening treats. It had worked for me 99% of the time? An occasional hold out can be coaxed into the coop by use of long green garden stakes(Home Depot garden center) held in a "Vee". and guiding the straggler in!

I have a secure run measuring 6ft x 14ft around my coop which is attached to the side of my shed. At the base, I placed sand then drainage pebbles on top then hardware cloth on top of that to keep burrowing critters out of the run. The run is surrounded top, sides and bottom by hardware cloth. Since it is a raised, portable coop, dust bath is placed underneath. I use sand for the flooring. it has worked great for me!

 

[Dizzydog]

I would try to rig a (temporary) fence around the nest until the chicks hatch. Then I would find a coop and chicken run for them. Raise them to come to coop at night and they will have some protection. The dogs will come back. Plan accordingly.

 

[LoganTW]

I would suggest having a BIG pen/run so they get all the pros of free range but most of the cons are gone

 

[Mountain Bear]

If you plan to free range you MUST be prepared to lose a bird one in a while. It may never happen but it does happen you must e OK with that. I have lost one chicken to our family dog. Our rooster had a run in with the same dog and has never been the same. After getting the dog away I actually came over to get him with the shovel and bury him. As soon as I tried to scoop the shovel underneath him he jumped up and hid under the deck.
I will always free range some birds even though I fully know I could loose some.

For me the pros outweigh the Cons. Unless I am raising them simply for meat, then they would stay in a closed in coop.

Pros
The biggest pro for me is that it keeps my blood pressure down. I love seeing them dig under the rose bush. and around the yard.
Eat less food

Cons.
They might die
Poop (I wear rubber boots all summer)
My garden takes a beating

 

[chickengirl1238]

We'll it depends on we're you live if you live in the country with big land it could be dangerous because of foxes,wolves,coyote,small rodents,etc.If you live if the city or basically a place with out as many praetors all you have to worry about is dog or other big pets. So it's up to you.

 

[scroy]