First day of free ranging!

[Laura08]

Yesterday we had a lot of yard work to do so we decided to let the chickies out of the coop. It took a couple hours for them to get used to being able to go where ever they want. At first they wouldn't go more than a foot away from the door with out me being there with them. By the end of the day they were out and about running around:]!
This morning they are having a blast! They run back in their coop to jump on their perch just so they can jump off of it and fly out into "the great out doors"

! Big plus for me they are keeping my weeds down! Every body is happy happy happy!

 

[RuralVirginia]

Thats great! I occasionally let mine out to free range and they LOVE it! Its so healthy for them too. Be careful of predator though for they can strike at any time (especially hawks). With reasonable supervision and protection its great for them. Do you have a rooster?

 

[Laura08]

No I do not have a rooster :/. We do have plenty of hawks so I constantly go out to check on them. I put out an old cart thats low to the ground for them to run under just in case. They still don't really go out too much unless I'm out there... and then they just peck at my toes for about 5 minutes because I have shiny nail polish and rhinestones on haha! I go out there with them and sit on the cart i put out and they hop up on it with me and just relax :] I love having chickens

 

[galefrances]

Hello, I'm very new to raising chickens and I'm curious as to how much land you have for them to free range on. I have just under 2 acres with neighbors about 100 ft away on each side. Do they stay mostly near the coop? Right now mine have a 10x20ft run, but it's soon becoming just dirt. I've been afraid to let them free range because we have a number of hawks here and also I didn't want them wandering onto the neighbors property. It sure would be nice to let them be free while I'm outside. Maybe for an hour or so just before dusk to start out.

 

[Edwards24]

I have a question regarding this topic. I do have a rooster and the ladies follow him everwhere without getting to far out of site. How well does a rooster do if a hawk does decide he would like to get him a chicken?

 

[Laura08]

My chickens free range on a little less that an acre plot. Most of which is Asphalt, but there are a few orange and lime trees that they love to go under. Unfortunately, my two bird dogs broke out and killed all but two of my precious chickens :[. Now that we've made sure the dogs can't break out anymore, the two left are allowed to free range again, but they mostly stay under the lime tree thats right next to a really thick bush that they will get up under as well. We just picked up 7 more chicks to raise and start over.
As for a rooster Vs. a Hawk.... I really don't know. I would guess the hawk would win but I don't have any experience with roosters... or hawks

We plan on building a run for our birds very soon.