Free Range or Not? What Does Everyone Prefer?

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RileyB

RileyB

Chirping
7 Years
Jun 7, 2012
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In other threads I've noticed that posters can be pretty opinionated one way or another regarding free ranging. I figured I'd start a thread that takes the pulse of what people on the forums here think about free ranging in general. So...post your thoughts! Do you agree with free ranging? Why or why not? Do you think runs are a better idea? Why or why not?

I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts!
 
I prefer to free range because I think it's good for chickens to be able to get out and run around and eat bugs and plants and drink water out of puddles. (They seem to prefer puddle water to water from the waterer) Because I free range, I accept the fact that there will be losses now and then. So far it's been a good summer, but you never know when a coyote, fox, hawk or other critter will decide to enjoy a chicken buffet. I also have runs for my birds so I can keep them penned if I feel the need. I prefer not to, if I don't have to.

ETA - My chickens are locked in a coop at night. There are way too many varmints out here for them to spend their nights outside.
 
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I don't think hardly anyone is opposed to free ranging, true free ranging, as a concept where a chicken gets to live a chicken life based a lot on it's jungle fowl heritage. Who wouldn't want that? It's great, healthy, and a wonderful thing to contemplate. The eggs are richer, the bird is often healthier. It's all idyllic. Right? Except for that one huge problem.

Predation.

Some folks who have lost so many birds to critters on land and from the air, that they have just about abandoned the practice entirely. It is very, very tough to lose your birds that way. All the cost, effort and labor of love goes for naught. It isn't a panacea. It is what it is. Be informed and make informed decisions.
 
free-range. obviously, penning has it's place in some situations, but if you can free-range, than you should. And just because you do free-range, still always have a run available, you'll need it. And another thing, you can have a "free-range" flock even if it's confined by a fence of some sort, portable or otherwise. I think that because the main advantages of free ranging are variety, space, natural grit, dirt (not poop or bedding) to mess in, and of course, all the greens (or leaf litter) to forage in, bugs and that sorta thing. so if there's a fence around them but they still have those things to enjoy, well, it can still be considered a free-ranging flock. Ff course, not by commercial standards, by which "free range" simply means not in cages, and that's all!
 
Fred's Hens said:
I don't think hardly anyone is opposed to free ranging, true free ranging, as a concept where a chicken gets to live a chicken life based a lot on it's jungle fowl heritage. Who wouldn't want that? It's great, healthy, and a wonderful thing to contemplate. The eggs are richer, the bird is often healthier. It's all idyllic. Right? Except for that one huge problem.

Predation.

Some folks who have lost so many birds to critters on land and from the air, that they have just about abandoned the practice entirely. It is very, very tough to lose your birds that way. All the cost, effort and labor of love goes for naught. It isn't a panacea. It is what it is. Be informed and make informed decisions.
Click to expand...
Right, but remember. There are solutions. LGD's are a good one. As is secure electric fencing(doesn't work for BOP's). Some people have success using geese. And even if free ranging, they should always have a predator/weather secure place to spend the night (and times when you want them penned for whatever reason). And there are many other options, of course.
 
I prefer free range. But my yard is fenced and most of my chickens are too big for the hawks to carry off. I enjoy watching them be chickens in the yard. they are hilarious.
 
We got chickens with the express plan that they would free range. However, I do have pens attached to each coop, plus 2 of our over 5 acres is perimeter fenced with livestock fencing and driveway gate kept closed, so they free range within that 2 acre area.

We live on wooded mountain property with almost every predator you could name except for those specific to the northern areas and have never lost a bird to a predator-at least, not yet, in our almost 7 years of keeping chickens.

Flocks range on a rotating basis and I credit my awesome, watchful roosters for the lack of predator loss. I realize the odds are my number will be up soon, but I want eggs from free range healthy hens who eat varied forage, not from penned hens, so I will continue to free range as long as I have a rooster or two with the hens.


ETA: We are retired and home most of the time. The birds are penned when we are not home, never left out.
 
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As mentioned by other above, you can also accomplish much of the benefits of free ranging by moving large tractors and/or moveable fencing. Of course, this opens the debate as just what "free ranging" really is, as opposed to "pasturing", "yarding", or "tractoring".. A conversation which bores me to crocodile tears.
lau.gif
 
chickens need space, when they don't have space, they get mean to each other. I like to free range too, and I have lost birds, I live real close the the middle of no where, and we have great predators.

Once my roo turned a year old, then my daytime predation stopped. My hens are kind of ragged backed, but it don't seem to bother them, and they are alive.

I have a fort knox run/coup combined. If I am gone overnight, or if it is extremely windy, (I think predators can sneak up if it is tooo noisy out) I keep them couped up. They are locked up at night. I also do not let them out at the same time every day, the schedule varies from day to day, and predators move on. But mostly I think it is the roo.

If you must keep them penned, remember less chickens mean more space per chicken in the coup/run. Just yesterday someone kept getting chicks, till by Christmas she is going to have 27 full size birds..... that will take some space.

MrsK
 
I would certainly prefer to free range but given the coyote and loose dog population around me it just doesn't make sense for me. I currently have just a small flock and it could easily be wiped out by just one passing dog. So my girls have what I consider the best of both worlds. They have a safe coop/run and they have access to a securely fenced pasture during the day. They are out of their coop/run and scratch about the barn and field all day but are reasonably well protected from predators. They are happy, I'm happy, it works very well for us.
 

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