Do you free range your chickens?

[katycouts]

So I’ve been terrified to let my girls free range for many reasons. One I’m worried they won’t come back (silly I know). Two I’m worried about predators. We live on about 25 acres so lots of possibilities. We have had issues with our neighbors young dogs jumping the fence so they are my main concern besides cats. Most other predators come out at night. Thoughts? Am I nuts? My family thinks I’m over thinking it. PSA they have a big outdoor area and we have 20 chickens.

 

[DickMidnight]

i live on 5 acres and don't allow them to free range for several reasons.

the main reason is the risk of predators. the second reason is that i don't want chickens, and their poop, on my deck, patio, fire pit, etc.

my compromise was to fence in a 60x60 enclosure behind their predator proof coop/run in a wooded area for them to graze in.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Some are free range, others aren't. Right now more are because of housing issues, but come spring I'll be back to none but the mixed flock free ranging

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I live on 5 acres, river front surrounded by Nat'l forest. I have a winter time temporary fence that I put up on one side to keep them away from my garden, deck, landscaping. They are already fenced away from my dogs. But on the open side, they can roam all of Mt. Hood Nat'l forest if they want too. I've lost 1 chicken in 20years to a predator IN MY RUN, not while free-ranging. We have eagle to fly up and down river every day. For some reason they don't stop at the Chicken dinner drive thru, they are much more interested in fish. I always add my 2cents on free-ranging to this very common thread because you will get a lot of the other perspective to not let them free-range. It's up to you, there really is not right or wrong answer or way. You can walk or run. You can let them have "a little free time" or "all day." You have the benefit of them coming back to roost at night so you can work your way back from there. When I started out, I would let them out in the late afternoon for just a few hours of being free. Now it's all day, all winter and in the summer I take down the temporary fence and they stay in their run but it's absolutely huge so I don't have crowding issues. Do whatever works for you.

 

[NestingMillenial]

When I was living in a rural area, as a kid, we had chickens free range all day... Well all night too actually, because they didn't even have a coop proper. They had high perches and hay filled old wooden drawers, nailed high up on the walls too, in the horse shed. We only once had a problem with a smart fox who figured out how to frighten them into flying down from their roosts, and thus managed to get to them that way. It's worth noting that those were bantam/game-like chickens - small and quite good at flying if they needed to, so it might have helped.

 

[Isadora]

Predators are a totally valid concern. And I find dogs to be one of the worst offenders since they often kill for sport, not because they're hungry.
The reality is you will lose some at some point if you free range on a regular basis. There's just no way around it.

 

[3KillerBs]

I do not free range because we have a large assortment of predators in this area and because I don't want chickens destroying my garden or my SIL's treasured landscaping.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Mine free range all day every day... However, they have 2 large dogs that are on call for predator removal 24/7.
If I didn't have the dogs, I probably wouldn't free range. Or I'd do supervised free range. Predator risk would just be too high for me to be comfortable with. If there are predators around you can almost guarantee your chickens will face them at some point.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

No because last time i did two dogs wiped out my birds then a fox wiped out more wasnt worth it and i cant have all my free ranging because i need my breeders pure

 

[WingsysRoost]

My birds free range when I'm home. I close them in their run if I'm not there to supervise because there are, at minimum, several species of hawks (which usually the smaller birds keep in check by mobbing them and driving them away), free-roaming cats, foxes, raccoons, and mink, as well as coyotes and possibly a wolf (though less concerned about the last two). I am not always out with them but I am always checking on them through the windows and I also pop out frequently throughout the day to make sure that everything is running smoothly.