Do I need a bigger run? I hate keeping them locked up...

[fullhouse]

Rhett&SarahsMom :

We have a neighborhood Peregrine Falcon. So unless I am home and sitting with the girls. They will be in their run. They wont be safe any other way.

Us too! They are big!​

 

[pvc coop]

I have seen Hawks catch birds off bird feeders, in Mom's suburbia back yard while I was watching thru kitchen window, so I'm sure chicks won't be safe unless your in the backyard too. However my chickens are about 3 months old and almost grown, and they free range my yard. So I could lose one too.

 

[brookwoodpat]

I admit I let my chickens (6-7 weeks) free range, and I feel very guilty about it. They mostly stay under cover and often hang around my porch. I go out periodically to check for hawks and to send out the dog, so the hawks know she's there (a big GSD). I've seen hawks checking out the chickens and at times I shoo them in their run. I get nervous when the chickens go too far from cover. I would hate to lose one - they are fast becoming pets -- in fact they've yet to spend the full night in their coop as I am too nervous about night predators. But they so enjoy cruising the yard, and scratching up all the undergrowth of every bush, and roosting in the shrubs, and eating wild strawberries and raspberries (still unripe) and honeysuckle berries and all the variety of foods they wouldn't get in a run and I just don't want to keep them penned up. They've been doing this about 3 weeks now, and so far, so good, but I know there are no guarantees. It's a hard decision, to let them live penned up but hopefully safe (predators get in runs too) or to let them live a fuller life if a riskier one. I'm still trying to decide, and watching the sky...

 

[Jacky'sMamma]

Quote:
I feel the SAME way! They seem to so LOVE wandering and I love to watch them running around trying to catch bugs outta the air!

AAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

the family that owns the barn I board my horse at has a flock of free ranging chickens. They go into the coop every night, but have the entire place during the day. Heck my horse has his very own pet chicken

I have seen them go completely still and silent when anything bigger than a robin flys over. Or they make a mad dash for the coop or barn, whichever is closer.

My mom has a family of redtail hawks near her. One in particular likes to sit on the top of her dogs 8 ft tall enclosure.

Fullhouse- I havent seen "her" up close. But the wild birds will go silent when she is around. She sits all the way on the top of the fir tree's in the neighbors yards and the little park we have. Sits and calls. Nothing like hearing her. I plan on making sure the girls are safe from her, the racoons, the cats and the dogs that some of my neighbors let roam