Free Range or Not? What Does Everyone Prefer?

[bobbi-j]

This might be subject matter for a whole different thread, but I wanted to share my thoughts - it seems to me that predators like hawks, coons, possibly coyotes and definitely stray dogs - are more of a problem with urban or suburban or "pseudo-country" (a development outside of city limits, but still close to a city or town and usually comes with HOA situations) than truly rural areas. Maybe because in the truly rural areas, there is plenty of other prey available? My chickens free range all day, every day whether I'm home or not. I haven't lost one to a hawk ever, and we have them and Great Horned Owls living in our grove. We've lost some to coons and coyotes in the past. (That was when I was gone for 3 weeks, only home on weekends, and the one at home didn't lock the coop up at night. But once they were secure at night, no more problems.) I'm just pondering this. Any opinions?

 

[honeybunny]

We have a lot of predators over here, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bears, etc. Including hawks, owls, and I've even seen bald eagles. When my chickens were younger I had a pen made out of dog exercise pen, I opened the coop door and the chickens would peck at the grass, scratch, etc. Now I just let them out while I'm outside, but I put them back in the coop at night, I'd really hate to lose any chickens.

I don't usually let them out while I'm not there, but I have before. We're thinking about building them a big pen where I could just get up in the morning and let them all out using a little door on the side of the coop.

 

[mickey328]

We do a sort of "modified" free range. We built (okay..DH built it a tractor type coop, and then he put together a movable coop as well. The coop area is about 9' x 9' so it's nice and roomy for our 6 girls. We move the whole contraption every 4 or 5 days or so, so they always have a nice fresh place to roam and scratch. When it gets trampled and poopy, we wait till they go to bed, close up the coop move it to the new spot then grab the run and bring it over and they have a new "front yard" when they get up in the morning.

So, they slowly work their way around the yard and they're always covered so predatory animals and hawks aren't an issue

 

[Yukonchick]

Well as far as letting birds run free around the property, no matter where you are, there will always be the risk of losing some of your birds, so i think the best bet is to just buy 4 or five more if your going to totally free range. We can't free range up here in the Yukon because of so many predators so I made sure my 13 birds have a nice long 35ft run.

Heres a photo of one bad boy I chased off with the dogs.
Scrawny little Black bear but we also got some seriously huge Grizzlies too.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well as far as letting birds run free around the property, no matter where you are, there will always be the risk of losing some of your birds, so i think the best bet is to just buy 4 or five more if your going to totally free range. We can't free range up here in the Yukon because of so many predators so I made sure my 13 birds have a nice long 35ft run.

Heres a photo of one bad boy I chased off with the dogs.
Scrawny little Black bear but we also got some seriously huge Grizzlies too.

Awww, he doesn't look so tough... But then again, he's not in MY tree!

 

[mickey328]

ROFL

 

[amsunshine]

Here's our modus operendi: A couple weeks ago, I interrupted our dog in the middle of a murderous rampage on one of our Spitzhauben roosters. Thank God I was able to save the rooster in time, but there were feathers everywhere. Now we've reached a compromise. At night and in the morning, while the chickens are asleep and then laying eggs, and the morning sun hits the barnyard, the dog runs loose (we live on a farm) and the chickens stay in the coop. In the afternoon and evening, when the barnyard is shaded, the chickens get to free range and the dog gets tied up under the shade of two faraway 60' elm trees with a massive rubber bucket of water. This is an old barn, but a new coop for us. The back barn was losing too many chickens to predators. The yard outside the front barn sees a lot of human activity when we're home, so predators aren't likely to arrive when the chickens are out. The new coop was the old milk room, and it is TIGHT for predators. Solid wood down to the concrete floor. The floor has a drain in it so we can hose down the whole room for cleaning. I put wire mesh over the windows so they can still remain open for ventilation, but no predator can get in. So far it's been working out well.

 

[janinepeters]

Now we've reached a compromise. At night and in the morning, while the chickens are asleep and then laying eggs, and the morning sun hits the barnyard, the dog runs loose (we live on a farm) and the chickens stay in the coop. In the afternoon and evening, when the barnyard is shaded, the chickens get to free range and the dog gets tied up

We have a very similar arrangement in winter, when we have to remove the fence around the chicken yard so we can plow the driveway. Our neighbors like to run their dogs (no leash law here), so they agree to run them only in the mornings, while chickens stay in. I figured they're busy laying eggs in morning, anyway, so they're not missing much by being locked in. In the afternoon, the neighbor's dogs go in, and we let our chickens out.

 

[TXchickmum]

This might be subject matter for a whole different thread, but I wanted to share my thoughts - it seems to me that predators like hawks, coons, possibly coyotes and definitely stray dogs - are more of a problem with urban or suburban or "pseudo-country" (a development outside of city limits, but still close to a city or town and usually comes with HOA situations) than truly rural areas. Maybe because in the truly rural areas, there is plenty of other prey available? My chickens free range all day, every day whether I'm home or not. I haven't lost one to a hawk ever, and we have them and Great Horned Owls living in our grove. We've lost some to coons and coyotes in the past. (That was when I was gone for 3 weeks, only home on weekends, and the one at home didn't lock the coop up at night. But once they were secure at night, no more problems.) I'm just pondering this. Any opinions?

-might be onto something, here. Our neighborhood (and, likewise, the surrounding ones) were developed in what used to be a rural area. The small town of little population and oak groves transformed into suburbia. -still see a stray fox, coyote, and an occasional raccoon while out on an evening jog from time to time. Hawks are prevalent and circle daily. (There's a wooded park and large lake surrounded by wooded area nearby - so there is still some natural hunting habitat left) -think that predators have to seek what's available now, whether small pets or backyard chickens. -AND, speaking of "backyard chickens", I originally found this website thinking that it was comprised of just that - backyard chicken owners. HA! -farms and acreage/flocks of 50+ birds just doesn't seem to fit such a profile. That being said, I welcome the vast knowledge and information found here.

 

[bruceha2000]

AND, speaking of "backyard chickens", I originally found this website thinking that it was comprised of just that - backyard chicken owners. HA! -farms and acreage/flocks of 50+ birds just doesn't seem to fit such a profile. That being said, I welcome the vast knowledge and information found here.

Some people's yards are just bigger than others

Prior yard - too small for chickens per city rules. New yard, big enough for hundreds, presuming one could safely free range unattended.

I'm quite glad it isn't just people keeping chickens in urban/suburban backyards. Chickens are chickens. Most of what I have learned is from BYC and most of it applies no matter the size of your yard.