Free range or enclosed run?

[Scottiemom]

Our coop is part of a huge, enclosed run. However, I can open that run to a larger, fenced area that is just for the chickens. We live in a rural area with deer, wild turkeys, eagles, great horned owls, coyotes and, more recently spotted, cougars. That said, in 4 years I have not lost a single chicken to a predator. I like to give them room to roam, but I also want to keep them safe. It has worked for us. ☺

 

[silkie10]

I used to keep my chickens closed up, but when I got more than my coop could hold comfortably I started to free range them. I think free ranging is good if you don't have predators to get them. If you are concerned about keeping them in the yard I found that hay bales keep them nicely occupied. I wouldn't suggest free-ranging if you again have predators, or you know they won't go back into the coop at nighttime. this was something that I didn't have to teach my chickens to do. Ever since the first day of free-ranging they always went into the coop at nighttime. If you want to free range but getting them back in the coop could be a problem I found that you could lure them in with some kitchen scraps or maybe even just food.

 

[SW31]

I have a largish electric fenced run and a smaller enclosed run.

I let them out into the electric run in the morning. When I’m at home I let them free range in the afternoon but under my supervision. If I have to go out close when they are due to be locked up for the night in their coop I lock them up in the enclosed run, they go up into bed and when I return I then lock up the coop. That way nothing can get to them.

I had two seriously injured birds due to a neighbours dog so no unsupervised free ranging, sadly.

 

[MissChick@dee]

I have 200 sq ft fully enclosed run. It’s my chickens choice. A lot of times they choose not to come out. A lot of times they spend much of their time hiding and napping out in the yard. I can provide activities for them in the run. Just raking up the deep liter gives them hours of scratching and pecking. People keep chickens differently for different reasons. Just like raising children. We can all learn but nobody is truly going to tell you how to do it. A hunger for knowledge and viewing other people’s experiences is helpful. But at the end of the day it’s a individual’s choice.

 

[Kat2141]

I know for some this won’t be important but for me it is.
The free range chickens here have a choice. Their coops are always open as is my house and a couple of outhouses. If they preferred a more secure environment they can make the choice to enter these places.
Sometimes they do.
Some people are not in a position to give their chickens a choice, Some people don’t believe a chicken is capable of making the ‘right’ choice.
I believe chickens can and do make choices which often we don’t understand. A chicken shut in a run doesn’t have a choice.

Love it! My girls would choose my house every time. They were raised in the living room (in a large dog crate) for their first 6 weeks or so and seem to think that they should still be allowed in there. LOL I love leaving my doors open for breezes in the summer but they make it tough, but they've learned what "out, out, out" means

 

[Shadrach]

They come in and out all day here.

 

[aliciaFarmer]

I think it depends upon your setup and space. I have a small (maybe 250sf) totally enclosed pen off the chicken house that opens up to about a 1300sf run (or 800sf more when I open the gate to the duck run), but because 30 chickens can murder that much grass and greenery in no time, I free range them every afternoon until roost time. I'd rather play in grass than mud anyday too. They are WAY louder when in the run (because they want out) and quiet as can be whilst free ranging. I usually wait until they seem done laying for the day because a daily egg hunt would take too long in the upper 3ish acres they roam around in but I'm sure I lose some eggs here and there.

I was nervous to let them free range at first due to predators (we have hawks, bald eagles, coyote, bobcat, cougar and occasional bear) but they are a billion times happier, eat less of their expensive organic feed and lay way more eggs. Out of my 30, two are boys are only 12 are laying so far but I get an average of 9-10 eggs a day despite short days, no lights and nights in the 20s and 30s. I'm totally convinced it's because they get to run around all day -- before they were free ranging, I was getting maybe 6 or 7 a day and only have 1 new layer since then (and only as of two days ago). So, I think free ranging is a quadruple win, personally.

 

[nine9d]

I have a bantam flock and they are in a run and I feel like I am doing them an injustice by not letting them free range. I do from time to time, but only when I am outside, and they love it! It would break my heart if a hawk or eagle came and grabbed them. And they are always hovering over my house. It makes me sad to even think about it.

 

[farmerladyjulie2]

I free range my flock spring through early-mid November, then lock them down for the winter in their enclosed runs.

 

[nova022]

My standard sized chickens, ducks and turkeys free range during the day and are locked in their coop at night. I keep the Bantams in a coop/run set up because we have so many hawks.