do you stay with your flock while free ranging?

[Jefferybny]

Some people that live away from roads are pretty safe. They go up in the trees at night. We have had ours free ranged before until they got all eaten by a bobcat. We this time have made a huge chicken coop for them and have a fence for them to be able to eat the grass and go outside any time during the day which still makes them free ranged. Although they are limited on how far they can go. I worried a few times cause they would play on State Route and go far into the yard and we have 60ackers of land. Good Luck though!

 

[cthrash1]

I stay with mine now because the neighbor puts out scraps for bunnies and such next to his burn barrel and my girls found them...They make a beeline over there as soon as I open the gate and walk away. So I have to keep them off his property because he grows tomatoes back there too and the girls will eat them when they start turning. He said he wouldn't mind about the scraps but was worried about his tomatoes so I keep the girls home now.

 

[bakerjw]

I try to let the girls out as often as possible. Sometimes my days are too long and I don't have the time. But then there are days like today where I'll grab a cool drink and go watch them for an hour as they do their chicken things. I love to watch them.

 

[ChickenToes]

If I had more acreage, I would probably just let the ducks roam. But I live close to a road, so I usually stay outside with them to make sure they stay in the backyard. It's my responsibility to keep them off the road, and I would feel terrible if one got hit by a car because I was too lax about keeping an eye on them.

 

[bosoxbratt]

Well we have been letting our girls and roo out this week for a few hours a night they seem to really enjoy the time to get into whatever they can find in the back yard I have been sitting out there with them as I am afraid a hawk may show up or something . The only bad thing is now when ever I go out back to give them treats or just to watch or talk to them they want out and just almost beg to come out :-( I keep telling them in a few more hours they can LOL not sure they understand but I feel so bad but I dont want anything to get them if I can help it

 

[NYRIR]

Mine are 12 weeks old now. I have 12 RIR and 3 RS. They have a 12'x7 coop. I open the door in the morning around 8 ish and they free-range all day on about 3/4 of an acre. I have american fencing 4 foot tall all around the backyard.I also have lots of cover,at least in the summer.I have seen a few hawks show interest but a few kids banging pots together sets them straight.I have not lost any yet

I am a bit worried about winter time but for now I am on the side of letting them be a chicken.They are sooooo excited in the morning when they hear me coming to open the door that I would not take that away from them.They love to laze about at the edge of the woods under a pine tree next to the fence. The fence is there to deter dogs and deter them from leaving the yard.They can get to the front yard if they really wanted to but they haven't yet.I just try to picture what it would be like if I never got in my car because I MIGHT have an accident. I feel the same about my cats and my chickens. I do however live in the country (although the dirt road is quite close to the house) and so far it's been ok. I DO expect to eventually lose a few but feel they are happier going out.If it became a huge problem I might have to improvise but for now all is good

 

[NC29mom]

Ours stay in the coop all day - but it's not a SMALL coop by any stretch of the imagination -they have a palace!!

We usually let them out after we eat our dinner, around 7pm. They absolutely LOVE digging in the bushes for bugs and dusting in the garden. We usually sit and watch them, they are so entertaining. The rooster is the first to go back to the coop every night, and he will call his girls - and YES THEY LISTEN! So, we don't have to worry about getting them back in the coop. It's the funniest thing ever!!

And people thought chickens were boring, stupid animals.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

 

[pgpoultry]

My chickens free range all day and every day over 6 fields. I have been lucky so far and apart from one problem (?fox ?rooster injury) have not had anything untoward happen. At the moment I have 8 week old chicks who have just started to go out, but, as my big boys know I feed the chicks often, they hang around the back door with the chicks. (I am very lucky in that the huge Brahma boys let the chicks feed from under their feet).We are a good distance from a minor road.

We have buzzards and kites overhead, but they do not venture by the house. Ravens and other crows are potential problems, but our Border Collie delights in seeing them off the premises.

I acknowledge that the strategy may be rather risky, but the particular dynamics that prevail seem to have rendered the environment relatively safe.

We also have a cat and a goat. the cat helps to deter fling predators and the goat smell keeps the foxes away (In fact the smell is enough to keep anything away).

I think that the decision to allow free ranging depends upon what potential predators there are and what you can do to lessen the risk from those predators. No doubt that the birds love the freedom. Oh, and never have to clip their wings, the Brahmas are just too heavy to fly and the others know how easy it is for them to get their food. Having the power of flight is useful if there are any prowlers,

Sandie

 

[jossanne]

Quote:
This sounds just like our routine. It works very well for us, and our birds live happy, free lives.

 

[Beekissed]

I free range at all times and the pop door stays open night and day. I even leave for four days at a time with the birds free ranging.

I live on an acre that is fenced with perimeter cattle fencing and a road frontage fence of woven wire and I don't live near the woodline...I am surrounded on three sides by large pastures.

I have two very capable LGDs and various places for quick shelter from aerial attacks. In the four years we have been here, we finally lost two birds to hawks this year due to my "hawk dog" getting older and less active. She no longer is vigilant when it comes to warding off hawks and the younger dog doesn't key in on that threat like she always did. They also have a roo as a flock master and he does an excellent job.

I am willing to accept the risk of predation from hawks to allow my chickens to experience their lives as fully as they can before they are repurposed into a food source. They just cannot do this in a stationary pen and I feel they are healthier from their lives on the wide expanse of fresh grass, the interesting places to dust, the multitude of bugs and the different forages. I also do not have the time to monitor their play

Healthy, hardy and self-sufficient chickens are what I like. I like the fact that they can go to bed when they please, awaken and forage in the cool of the morning if they wish, dust where they wish, eat what they want, and basically lead their lives as a chicken as much as possible.

I do not consider this irresponsible behaviour on my part...I consider it being a choice of quality over quantity of life for my animals. I don't tie up my dogs by their necks or place them in a pen, I don't force my cats to live only inside so that they can stay "safe" and I don't keep my chickens cooped up for that reason either.