Am I wrong to not free range?

[SkyWarrior]

I'd love to give my chicks and eventual chickens the option of free range, but I don't think they'll live long.

I live on about 10 acres next to state land that has bear (seen it in my front yard), mountain lion (seen scat, footprints and heard it), coyote (seen them), wolves (seen the tracks and heard them), and various other fauna. We have golden eagles and bald eagles overhead. What's more, the road to my neighbor crosses through my property and we do occasionally get traffic.

Basically, I feel nervous about letting my chicks (or adult chickens, for that matter), roam loose over my property. I have a barn where I set up a kennel and a coop (dogs can't get to the chicks) and they're all used to each other. I might be able to have the chicks walk out in a covered run, but honestly, that's about the extent of free range. The chicks are housed in two 6x6 runs in the barn. I've separated out the meat birds from the layers so I have the 2 goslings and 6 cornish crosses in one (I will add the 2 turkey chicks soon) and the 15-- 3 to 10 week old chicks in the other. Does this sound like an okay set up? I've been bringing in dandelions and grass for treats as well as bread and yogurt.

I know they'd probably be happier outside, but I suspect I'd lose quite a few. So, am I a weenie?

 

[gumpsgirl]

If your chickens do not ever get to free range, they will be just fine. Actually, it sounds like they will be better off!

So do you have a run outdoors or indoors for them? I'm taking it is indoors. What if you build a good sturdy, covered run outdoors for them? As long as you use hardware cloth and 2x4 fencing they would be okay outdoors during the day. Be sure to lock them back in good and tight at night though.

Lots of luck to you and your flock! It sounds like you are off to a good start with them.

 

[Dar]

do what is best for you and the chickens...

a quick note though.. I let my chickens out to free range about 90 min before sundown so they cant go far... and for the first little while i used to baby sit them while they were out

 

[NonnasBabies]

No not when you know they'll probably not survive. I think your making a good decission. Just make sure they have plenty of room so they don't get bored!!

Missi

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Not in the least. Safety is the best course.

I ONLY let mine free range on the weekends, when I am home to supervise. Even then, they're just out of the run and into my large back yard. Well, they go in and out of the run at will; I just open the run gate and let them out. But during the week-days, noop, gotta stay in their run.

I might start letting them out in the evenings after I get home from work, so they get an hour or so to run around the yard, in a while. Since it's light much later now...

And I just started doing this last weekend...

 

[peepacheep]

I am in a similar situation, surrounded by timber land and all the critters that live there. Predators range from bear, fox, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, mink, weasel, bald eagle, hawks, and a chicken killing husky up the road. My neighbors who range range their chickens lose birds all the time. I have kept my chickens enclosed since I got them a year ago. They have an 8x12' coop with an covered hardware cloth 10x40' run. The hawks and eagles have glided by and perched near the run, raccoons tracks are often around the coop/run. If the chickens were not secure they would be somebody's dinner. To keep the chickens busy I gave them sunflower heads in the fall, and heads of cabbage through the winter. Now I have been bringing them piles of weeds from the garden, roots, dirt, and all, to eat and dig through for bugs. Maybe not as interesting for them as free ranging but so much more safer. For me, keeping them penned is to avoid heart ache. Your concern is perfectly understandable!

 

[SkyWarrior]

Quote:
Thanks! I have a three part barn. Indoor runs that they're in currently. The barn, itself, but I don't have the openings completely fenced off when I open up the doors (I'll be fencing that off before it get hot), and a semi-covered outdoor run on gravel that I need to cover (again, that will be covered eventually). The chicks get a lot of sunshine and airflow from the open door during the daytime, but stay dry because of the roof. It's not the ideal or perfect coop, but they seem to be okay with it. I go out several times a day to give them different things to peck on (like the dandelions or bread).

 

[JustinBieberpets]

not at all! They don't have to be free range if you do not want them to be but you can let them out ever once in a while!

 

[Bridget399]

Quote:
I do the exact same thing and I don't have any problems. And I live in "the woods", where coyotes often visit. I also let them out earlier if I know I will be outside (cutting grass, working in the garden, etc).

 

[Bridget399]

Quote:
I do the exact same thing and I don't have any problems. And I live in "the woods", where coyotes often visit. I also let them out earlier if I know I will be outside (cutting grass, working in the garden, etc).