do chickens need to be free range

[Beekissed]

You CAN have both, you know!

Mine now free range all the time and are very safe. I have two dogs that protect them from predators and they do it very well.

They have a mutually beneficial relationship...the dogs love chicken poop, the chickens love the dog poop, the dogs love to find eggs and eat them, the chickens will pick up stray dog food pieces when they find them. They both share the same dusting spots and they live side by side in their own respective houses. They even share waterers at times.

Free range does not mean that your birds are just hanging out there on their own with no defenses.

 

[annie3001]

if you can free range a few hours a day. do it.

ours are happier when out of the run..... kinda like being all coooped up and all!

if you cant, like everyone here said "try and give grass clippings, bugs, or you may want to add some different stuff to their diet"
good luck and have fun!

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
I can tell you what I have. We have 30 acres and I have about an acre fenced in for my dogs and my coop and run is inside that fence. I will have a couple every once in a while get over the fence but it's not an everyday thing. I wish now I would have fenced in more but oh well....

Mine free range from morning till night. They put themselves to bed and I just close it up.

Missi

 

[calichicks]

I have not had the courage to let the girls out yet mostly because of the dogs around us. I am afraid they will fly over the fence and we have several dogs in other yards that would gladly have them for lunch. I have never clipped wings before and don't know if I want to try, the fence is 6 feet can they fly over a fence that high?

 

[HorseFeathers]

Need, no. Want? You bet!

 

[sreihart]

My coop isn't finished yet, but I have an 8x8 tractor that I push around the yard. About an hour before they go to roost I let them out to run and free range the yard. They are packed tight at the door waiting to be let outside. When I open the door they all charge out and go for a run and a short take off & landing. You can almost see them smile! They are so happy to be able to get out and really stretch. My little neighbor kids come over all the time to see them and asked me why I don't keep them inside all the time (they don't like the roo because he sometimes chases them home). I told them that they are just like you kids; they like to get outside and play for a while every day. And come dusk they all head back to the tractor for the evening snack and then it's off to bed. I sure love these chickens!

 

[RobinZ]

We let our girls out a hour before dusk. That way they get out alittle each day, don't get to do much damage to our yard/garden and go to roost when it gets dark. Everybody's happy,

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[RobinZ]

Sorry I didn't read your post first before, we do the same thing and our chickens behave the same way, they're soo cute waiting at the door to get out. You just can't not let them out.

Quote:

 

[VVolfpack]

I have not had the courage to let the girls out yet mostly because of the dogs around us. I am afraid they will fly over the fence and we have several dogs in other yards that would gladly have them for lunch. I have never clipped wings before and don't know if I want to try, the fence is 6 feet can they fly over a fence that high?

Mine made it over my 6' fence before I clipped their wings (which is very simple, there's instructions here on BYC for it), I didn't think they'd be able to make it over 6' until I found one of them in the neighbors yard. My other 2 neighbors have dogs which they don't even like being near the fence on that side so I can't imagine they would hop over there.

Forgot to mention, now that there wings have been clipped they can't make it over the fence anymore​

 

[welasharon]

I drag a chair up and the water hose in case a cat gets too bold and enjoy letting them out for an hour or so before dark. Lately I have been weeding the flower beds and they like tagging along but I stay out there with them.
sharon