Free Range Questions

[Chickmate]

I'm totally new at this, but really want to let my chickens free range. I have 5 acres completely fenced with 5 ft. farm fence (4x4 squares, I think?). Obviously the chickens can go over the fence if they want to, so I'm wondering if anyone clips wings to keep their chickens at home, or does that leave them completely defensless? I have neighbors with dogs on both sides and a mile of woods behind me, not to mention a road in front that apparently has no speed limit. Oh, I have a gate across the drive as well. Here in SE Michigan we have coyote, fox, raccoon, hawks, and owls as far as predators go, but I have heard that all sorts of things come out of the woods when you get chickens. I guess I won't be surprised if I find a chupacabra or a yeti or two lurking around the coop some night. Do you just let them out and hope for the best? Lots of people around here have chickens that you see pecking along side the road as cars whiz by, but I want to keep them as safe as I can. I want them safe, but I don't want to keep them locked up all the time. My 23 chicks are 3 weeks old now and I'm hoping that I will be able to let them out to free range some time this summer. Any advice on this would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I let mine free range...when I'm out there with them. I lost a big Barred Rock hen to a hawk in January. I didnt have a rooster then, but I do now. My yard is fenced and my chicken pen has pens within pens as a layered defense. There's also 2' wide small diameter chicken wire apron going all the way around the pen that's buried in the soil. My coop sits up 3' off the ground on stilts. Nothing can get into my pen except snakes. They cant get into their house though, I had a tough lesson on that years ago. You have to make your coop and pen like Ft Knox. You've named a bunch of predators that live where you're at...I wouldnt let them out free ranging without someone watching them with a gun close by. I actually had a small coon come into the yard under my fence in the middle of the day, I shot it with my shotgun. As a chicken owner, and for any animal that I own... it is my responsibility for their health, safety, and welfare. Good Luck.

 

[krcote]

No need to clip wings. They will not leave home... that's where the food is! They will faithfully come back each and every time they need to lay an egg or when the sun sets. You may experience some losses, with the neighboring dogs and all. But all in all, I do thing free ranging is worth it.

 

[Mattemma]

I think you will loose some.Even if you are right near them sometimes animals will attack them. I have never had issue with my hens flying over 4 or 6 foot fencing.They try to go under,lol. Some breeds are more prone to flying.

I stay near my hens when they are out,but I know that is not an option for most.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I live in the country and have all the predators you mention except maybe the yeti. I think it is just the wind making those strange noises in the attic, but who can know for sure. High winds may be when the yeti seek shelter.

You will get all kinds of different advice on here. We all have different set-ups and conditions. We all have different risk tolerances too. I can't tell you what will happen with yours. That fence with the 4" squares will not provide any protection for your chickens nor will it keep them in. That I can say with confidence.

I normally let mine free range on my 2 acres, but I am surrounded by pasturefield and the neighbors are not at all upset with the chickens foraging in their pasture. Mine do stay within about 300 feet of the coop almost all the time. They have plenty of forage in that area and no real reason to wander further. It is surprising how fast they can cover territory too. I'll see them in one area then just a few minutes later they will be in a totally different area.

I lock mine up securely at night to keep them safe. Maybe twice a tear, usually around daylight savings time change when my routine changes, I forget to lock them up. I have not lost one yet doing that, but it is a real risk. I really get aggravated with myself when I do that.

When you free range, you always take the chance that something will happen to them. It is a risk you have to take if you free range, whether you are standing there with a shotgun or just let them go. You can go to the predator section on here and read about how many people have lost chickens, sometimes when they were right there with them.

What I suggest is that you determine your own risk tolerance. Wait until they are a little older, (I wait until mine are about 8 weeks old and big enough to be less of a hawk magnet) and let them out close to nighttime when you can be with them. They may be relunctant to even go out the gate at first, but will eventually build up their courage and go exploring. When it starts getting dark, they will go back to their coop to sleep. See what happens. You might get to the point that you feel comfortable letting them out all the time. You might decide to let them out only when you are around. We are all different.

One thing to be aware of. When you let them out, they may be very difficult to get back in before dark. Sometimes you can train them to come to you when you rattle a treat bucket or call to them, but sometimes once you let them out, they are out until dark.

Good luck! I don't think there is a real easy answer to this.

 

[AMChandler]

We let ours out in the morning, and they wander all over until sunset, when they put themselves up in a bush. We go pluck them out of the bush and put them in the coop. So far, the only losses we've experienced have been at night. In the coop.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

Mine would jump out of my backyard until I clipped their wings. The neighbor next door has a dog, but they don't go over the fence. They can't fly, but they can jump onto their roosts and flap REALLy powerfully!

 

[Chickmate]

Thanks for all the great advice, you guys are awesome!! I 'think' my coop and run are pretty secure, they are brand new. I had them built by a friend last year. When I get a new camera (that's a whole nother post!) I'll post some pictures. The coop is 10x14, completely insulated top and ceiling, every crack is caulked and painted inside with three thick coats of white paint. I don't think even a mouse can get in there now. Lots of good ceiling vent and window ventilation as well as a heavy sheet metal "screen" on the inside door. The roof is shingled to match the house and it's wired for electricity. The only thing I don't have is water out there, but hopefully that will be remedied this summer. Just to spice it up for the girls the inside of each nest box is a different color: lime green, hot pink, mustard yellow, navy blue, white and lavender.

The coop is only 100 ft from my house so I can look out my slider door, through the window of the coop and into some of the nest boxes!! The attached run is 14x25 and built with 2x4s and 1x2 welded wire that is buried 1 1/2 feet into the ground. Now, just because I'm so paranoid, I'm going around the run again with a layer of chicken wire to help keep smaller critters (rats!) out. I've also heard that racoons will actually reach into the run and try to grab a chicken by the neck! To keep anything from digging under we dug a trench all around the perimiter of the run and buried chunks of broken concrete on top of the buried hardware cloth and covered it back up. The top of the run is covered in the same hardware cloth and then clear fiberglass roofing. I am pretty confident that nothing can get to them in the run either. I also have 4 Nighthawk predator boxes at coyote/racoon eye level on all four sides of the run. Oh, I also have roos. Not sure how many at this point (only 3 wks old) but I know a few are.

My plan is to let them out in the morning and lock them up at night. I do have lots of hawks around here, so I may leave them in the run if I notice a lot of hawk activity during the day. I'm retired and very much a homebody so they will be out a lot with me and the dogs. I realize and am prepared (well, not really prepared) to lose some to predators, but I want to do everything I can to keep them safe. I'm hoping they will come in at night on their own before it gets too dark, or at least with a little coaxing and treats.

I don't own a gun and don't know if I could shoot anything if I had one. I just can't bring myself to kill anything, but who knows, if it was taking off with one of my hens, that yeti may have to go down!! I guess I really do need to think about buying one. Geez, can I just walk into Walmart and buy a gun? What kind? BB, pellet? I'm afraid I'd kill myself with a shotgun. I mean, not on purpose!

 

[AMChandler]

That sounds like quite a coop! Can't wait to see pics.