I've seen and read a lot on here about coups and runs, but very little about free ranging. Mine are all out during the day and they head to the coup at night.
Does anyone else do this?
There's lots of people that free range, but you still need a great coop at night. I don't think the majority of people free range, but don't worry, you're definitely not alone. I wouldn't have chickens if I could only cage them, and won't sell my chicks to anyone who won't free range them SAFELY, which usually takes some investment in fencing. I do this as a hobby, not as a business, and I'm not looking to sell my chicks. But some people request birds from me. So before every sale, I put on disposable boot covers and bleached overalls (to avoid spreading disease) and do a home inspection. If I don't think my chicks will have a wonderful life, they don't get sold. Each of my flocks has 2-3 free-range yards that are 1-2 acres each, and they get moved between yards every 1-4 weeks, depending on the season, as needed to provide adequate and interesting forage, but also to prevent excessive damage to the area. I've only lost two chickens to coyotes in 13 years, and both were before putting in dig-proof fencing. There's still the danger of raptors (tons of bald eagles and red tail hawks fly overhead, and those annoying but not-yet-dangerous tiny Merlins), but we've got lots of cover and two roosters with every flock, so the boys have learned to work together to protect the girls. We've only had 2 raptor attacks on hens, both non-fatal, both from young eagles who hadn't yet developed good judgment. We've had one rooster have his saddle feathers plucked by eagles three times in six years, but never any serious injuries to him (he baits the raptors while the other rooster gets the girls under cover, so he's the one who takes on the predators -- he's sometimes aggressive, but is kept because he is so valuable for protection). Everyone comes into their coop on their own every night, except the Red Dorkings which insist on roosting in the tree right in front of their coop. I climb a ladder to bring them down, but there's sometimes a few that are too high. It's a good full evergreen tree, and so far no owl has picked them off at night, and I string a circle of electronet around the tree to prevent raccoons from climbing up the trunk whenever hens have to be left up there. It's a risk, but I haven't figured out how to prevent it other than cut their wings (they're great flyers), which I'm reluctant to do in free range chickens that stay in their yard. My free range heritage turkey hens had to have their wings cut, unfortunately, as they were taking flight like wild turkeys and about once a month were flying all over the neighborhood (my neighbors actually love them, so that wasn't the problem, but I worry about stray dogs and coyotes if they didn't take flight quickly enough). When the flock almost got hit by the postal truck (in mid-flight), it was time!! The toms stay with the hens, so their wings weren't trimmed, and the hens can still fly a little, but they don't tend to do much because it is now so much work. They can fly just enough to get up to their 6 foot high roost, or sometimes over one fence, but then give up and want back with their flock. Their yards are in the center of the property, so over one fence still keeps them in a safe area.
Super happy birds! I feel very lucky to be able to provide them this type of life. But even when I lived in the suburbs on a 1/4 acre lot my three backyard hens were quite happy, free-ranging over the lawn and through the landscaping, sunbathing, dustbathing, doing what chickens do without the stress of confinement or overcrowding. For me, it's the only way to raise them.
