Any tips on protecting free range chickens ?

[Busickbill]

So I have 5 hens and a rooster that I have been letting free range and last night my rooster didn't make it home I looked for him and couldn't find him its very rural here and defiantly have all the predator's around I fear he probably got eaten. What are the different ways to protect them when free ranging? I have a game cam that catches a dog on it somewhat often and hear coyotes all the time but never seen one yet. I'm afraid to let the hens out this morning there is a chance he wandered over to the neighbors flock I going to go ask if they have seen him but I doubt it.

 

[MarkJr]

Protect free range isn’t really doable. Even with a good dog, twenty steps away would be enough to allow a snag and run.

Best bet is predator proof run.

 

[darkbaysfordays]

Unfortunately that's a risk of free ranging. Besides watching them, you could provide lots of hiding spots (like bushes).

 

[JacinLarkwell]

2 of my flocks are free range, but they have lots of hiding places and one flock atays up under our deck most of the time.

Unfortunately you can't protect free range chickens.

 

[Busickbill]

Thanks for the reply's. There is lots of bushes around for them to hide in half the time I cant even find them. I guess I'll try to keep em close today with treats and see if I can build a run from leftovers tomorrow. Its a bummer they look so happy free ranging around.

 

[centrarchid]

Recognizing there are multiple types of predators out and about, even in urban settings, I involve several approaches. First thing is some breeds are poorly suited for free-range keeping owing to small size, limited physical ability, or inability to see well. Silkies, polish, bantams and other smaller fluffy-butted breeds should not be out dodging hawks or foxes. Secondly, only part of flock is released at a time so losses not complete when a complete loss is not acceptable. I breed all my own replacements as purchasing more of what I have is not possible. Thirdly, many of the free-range birds are released only during the latter part of the day to keep them from ranging as far. The birds get most of the benefits of free-range while proportionally reducing losses with respect to time outside and vulnerable. I also spend time out and try to keep chickens concentrated in my dogs' sphere or awareness in the evening when the latter or resting up for night when they work the hardest. The subset of birds out all the time are thus less likely to go more than a hundred yards or so. Those birds out all day are expendable yet seldom lost. Then I make so the birds have a habitat that provides cover and good seeing. Cover is most important with hawks. Some hawks like Coopers Hawks will chase hens and immature chickens on the ground into heavy cover so I like to have fully adult standard-sized roosters that shut that down very well. We have fencing, especially electrical, that complicates life for foxes and coyotes looking for an opening. Then my big guns are dogs that free-range with chickens around the clock and that know what chicken alarm calls mean and respond appropriately. I have used traps directed a Red Foxes and taken out a small number with that approach although those takes have all been at night. The fox will get a bird once in while during and dogs will then step up their game in that area. We had a fox come in a couple times to take a couple chicks during the day causing dogs and chickens to make adjustments causing losses to stop even though chickens still free-range.

I expect to loose a few chickens every year to predators and that is built into my breeding program. If your flock size is small, then losses to predation are much more impactful so you may want to reconsider the practice. Free-range keeping is cheap on containment and sometimes on feed if you have good ground (mowed lawns ain't good ground), but is cost in you having to be more on your toes and being willing to make changes in your chicken keeping as needed.

Many people get set in there ways pretty quick.

 

[cmom]

I don't free range anymore due to losses in the past from predators. I do have large pens covered with good heavy duty netting, concrete under the gates and electric wires around the coops and pens. I have opened the gates to let the birds out and they do go out but not very far and it's not long before they are all back into their pens. I think they feel safer and they have shade. My land is mostly open pasture so there are no places for the birds to hide. I'm set in my ways like most people but everyone is different as well as their situations. I do what works best for me and my birds. I do hatch out all of my chicks too. Every year I hatch out around 200 (+/-) chicks. Good luck and have fun...

This may work for ground predators but not aerial predators.
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/

 

[RIR chicks]

Do you lock them up at night in a coop so, no predators can take them in the night. You could try getting a new rooster. If you have a big free range flock you could get 2 for double protecting but only if you have a big flock so the roosters won’t fight. My uncle has free range near the woods so the can hide in bushes. One day some animal got all the chickens except for 1. The have a cow pasture near the coop so the chicken gos under the electric fence to hang out with the cows. They have a cat named bugs which my big sister who is scared of all animals, rescued on one of her runs. Bugs name is bugs because there were a lot of bugs that day. We couldn’t keep Bugs because we have a dog so, we had to give them to our cousins. They use dot have a cat named Gary but he stopped coming to their house so, no cats could protect the chickens which is how the have only one. But now Bugs is trying to catch Gary(they named the hen Gary in honor of their cat) but, she always fails. So, Bugs ends up scaring any animals of by just roaming around. if you have cows then you can put the chickens near the cattle. Where I live someone put a coop in their sheep and goat pasture so the goats, sheep,cattle, and other live stock just scare them by being in the area because they are bigger than most predators and if not there are way more of them. The livestock might also attack predators if they are a mother and they think the predators are coming for their calf’s not the chickens.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

So I have 5 hens and a rooster that I have been letting free range and last night my rooster didn't make it home I looked for him and couldn't find him its very rural here and defiantly have all the predator's around I fear he probably got eaten. What are the different ways to protect them when free ranging? I have a game cam that catches a dog on it somewhat often and hear coyotes all the time but never seen one yet. I'm afraid to let the hens out this morning there is a chance he wandered over to the neighbors flock I going to go ask if they have seen him but I doubt it.

I’m sorry you lost your roo.

You didn’t mention the age of your birds or how long they’d been together, but if they’ve been together any time at all I’d be surprised if he’s wandered over to your neighbor’s flock. It would still be a good idea to talk with the neighbor as they might have some first hand knowledge regarding the type of predators you’re dealing with. It’s quite possible your rooster lost his life protecting his ladies. 🎖

You might try keeping them in the coop later in the morning and shutting them up earlier in the evening to avoid their being out at dawn and dusk when lots of predators are making rounds.

But if you’re set on free ranging you should expect to lose some birds and, sadly, once a predator has been successful on your site, they will be very likely to return for more.

 

[Busickbill]

Yea they get locked up at night. They are around 6 months old I bought 6 hen chicks at the local feed store turned out to be 5 hens and a rooster. I asked the neighbor before about predator's his most recent issue he thinks is a roaming dog he thinks got a few of his roosters. Coyotes, foxes, hawks ect they are all around I am on the look out for them. the hens are staying alot closer to the house since the rooster went missing. I guess I'll try to find a new rooster.