Finally Free Ranging

[mountainbunny]

After 2&1/2 years I've finally gotten the courage to free range my small flock (4 hens). I honestly had gotten tired of dealing with my hens because I only let them out if I could be out there with them. I didn't feel like they were getting enough time out and about just being chickens. It felt a shame that we live in a very rural area on 3 acres and they weren't getting to enjoy all of that because I was trying to protect them from all the predotors out here. I tried to re-home them with no luck. Last week I decided to just go ahead and free range everyday. I don't want my girls to get attacked, but I hated that they were cooped so much of the time. So they are very happy chickens right now and I don't have to micro manage them any longer. I know there is much more of a chance for attacks/loss now, but I'm happier knowing they are happy and getting to be chickens. I just lock them up at night.

 

[LaurEliz]

I free range my chickens too. Before, when I had other flocks, I didn't free range them. As someone who's done both, I think free ranging is so much better. It's less food for you to buy and the chickens clearly have a lot of fun exploring.

Depending on what predators are in your area, you could do things to make it even less likely they will be attacked. I have lots of trees and shrubs my chickens can take cover under. A good rooster is also helpful in warning everybody if there's a predator, so I would suggest that, too, if you're allowed to have one where you live. I've put up decoy owls and hawks as well, and hung old CDs and DVDs in the trees to reflect light when they spin and drive away any birds that might be hunting chickens.

I have lost a few here and there. I keep mine locked up for a few days after I lose one because the predator almost always comes back for more. Even so, with previous flocks that I didn't allow to free range, every once in a while something would somehow find its way into their coop and murder all or almost all of them. At least with free ranging, if a predator does get one, it's less likely to get the others in the same swoop. That's how I see it. I think it's better to lose one or two here and there rather than have nothing going on for a year and waking up to all of them slaughtered one morning.

 

[mountainbunny]

After 2&1/2 years I've finally gotten the courage to free range my small flock (4 hens). I honestly had gotten tired of dealing with my hens because I only let them out if I could be out there with them. I didn't feel like they were getting enough time out and about just being chickens. It felt a shame that we live in a very rural area on 3 acres and they weren't getting to enjoy all of that because I was trying to protect them from all the predotors out here. I tried to re-home them with no luck. Last week I decided to just go ahead and free range everyday. I don't want my girls to get attacked, but I hated that they were cooped so much of the time. So they are very happy chickens right now and I don't have to micro manage them any longer. I know there is much more of a chance for attacks/loss now, but I'm happier knowing they are happy and getting to be chickens. I just lock them up at night.

Thanks... Nice hearing from someone that is doing it already. I love it so far, and of course the girls do too! My main predators of concern are hawks and dogs. We have PLENTY of trees and shrubs for the hens to take cover unfer, and as for dogs... The ones that come around here have paid them no mind so far. As far as roosters go, I've had one. He was great at ptotecting the girls, but horrible at everything else! After he attacked a eldely friend and drew blood, he was seen to rooster heaven. I don't plan on adding to my flock, so once these girls are gone they are gone. Like I said I don't want anything bad to happen to them, but I want them to be happy, so if something happens, it's part of nature and chicken owning.
I am curious to see how long a feed bag lasts me now! On that note, I'm going to let the girls out!

 

[Perris]

Good luck with your new strategy - I do the same, having tried to pick predator-wary breeds. It failed with the first flock, but now I know not to let them roost in low branches of trees. Their lives may turn out to be shorter than that of hens kept safe, but I think they prefer being free, and this lot, unlike the last, choose to return to the coop to roost .

 

[mountainbunny]

Good luck with your new strategy - I do the same, having tried to pick predator-wary breeds. It failed with the first flock, but now I know not to let them roost in low branches of trees. Their lives may turn out to be shorter than that of hens kept safe, but I think they prefer being free, and this lot, unlike the last, choose to return to the coop to roost .

Thanks. So far so good. They put themselves to bed at sundown and we just go out and lock up their coop.

 

[Perris]

yep, that's the way I do it.