Do you free range your chickens?

[centrarchid]

We have red tailed hawks and bald eagles nesting on or near our property. I hear/see them often. They're the reason I haven't thought seriously about fencing in the side yard for our chickens.

I could fence out the neighbor's dog. Maybe the raccoons, though they'd get in from climbing the trees, so I have to think of them as "somewhat aerial" predators too.

There are people about a mile away who let their chickens roam their front yard. I wonder what kind of losses they've had...? They have little to no cover at all.

I have multiple neighbors running chickens free range. They are taking consistent losses although they have the means to "re-bird" with point of lay pullets and hens. I do free range over several acres with very little losses. My losses are to one of my one dogs that simply does not like Guinea keets.

I'm the only one close that has kept birds for more than 4 years in a row and actually has a self-sustaining flock.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm the only one close that has kept birds for more than 4 years in a row and actually has a self-sustaining flock.

What are you doing differently?

 

[chicChickChick]

house if I leave any doors open, which is NOT cool if you don't want chicken poop in your floors).

Hahahaha

 

[chicChickChick]

Also, we free-range our chickens twice or once a day under constant supervision for about an hour.

Oh my gosh-how do you get them back IN before dusk? I hate chasing chickens. It’s worse than herding cats!!!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh my gosh-how do you get them back IN before dusk? I hate chasing chickens. It’s worse than herding cats!!!

Do yours not go back in at night?

 

[chicChickChick]

Do yours not go back in at night?

Only at night. If I were to let them out midday for just an hour, I’d spend another hour trying to get them back in.

 

[fluffycrow]

Only at night. If I were to let them out midday for just an hour, I’d spend another hour trying to get them back in.

Do you chase them around? I just use a long stick and hit the ground. They know that means it's time to go inside, no need to chase after them

 

[chicChickChick]

Do you chase them around? I just use a long stick and hit the ground. They know that means it's time to go inside, no need to chase after them

You’re invited to come round up my girls. It’s cartoonish how much chasing and dodging it takes.

 

[Red Mangrove]

What are you doing differently?

Healthy chicken breeds take care of themselves. I just started with chickens two years ago but my flock has been
"extreme free-ranged" from the beginning and I've went from 23 to around 80 birds so far

If anything, the problem here is that my free range chickens multiply too fast

I live in and next to a large forest though, and I only keep tough breeds.
Quality chickens and quality land are essential

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Oh my gosh-how do you get them back IN before dusk? I hate chasing chickens. It’s worse than herding cats!!!

Since my reply had been made, we have switched our free-ranging up a bit. Now, the older chickens are out all day (minus the young Bantams and the other chicks), but we have a camera to keep watch of them. The older chickens already go into their pens and roost when the time comes－no chasing required.