Free range questions

[tiapet]

Hello, completely new to chickens at all. Our 6 babies are 7 weeks old now and I was wondering about free range. We do have dogs in the neighborhood and I don't want them leaving the yard, but how do you prevent that?? Also, how do you ever catch them again if they don't come inside for the night?? I would live them to be able to run around and be happy healthy chickens, just very protective and we have a yard that would be very difficult to chase them down in.

 

[olgreenie]

First off, install a fence. As for them returning at night. They will return to the chicken house to roost around dusk. You will never keep them in your yard without some sort of fence. I would really kep any eye out for them if there are dogs around. A dog may not really attack a chicken but more less play with them resulting in death. Chickens can be very tempermental and if startled by a dog they can have a heart attack. Good Luck!

 

[cntrywmnkw]

About the only sure way to protect them from neighborhood dogs or any other predators is to build a fenced in area in your yard for them, with a coop, otherwise, you will have losses from the dogs & other predators.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Personally I consider dogs to be one of the worst predators. If you have roaming dogs in your neighborhood you probably won't have chickens for long if they are also roaming about. I would highly suggest making a secure coop and run for your birds and perhaps letting them out in the yard when you are there to supervise. Many dogs will go to a lot of effort trying to get at chickens so you might even consider electric poultry netting around their pen.

 

[tiapet]

Well our "yard" is practically impossible to fence. The dogs don't generally come around except for night. For now they will just stay in their secure coop/run. I heard that a few people let them out for a few hours during the day. How do you get them back in when you need to then?

 

[cntrywmnkw]

If they have a coop/run they're used to, they'll go back to it on their own at night to roost. I have over 5 acres I let my girls free range on in the evenings when I can be out there with them & just before sunset they go in the coop by themselves, all I have to do is secure the door.

 

[4 the Birds]

Well our "yard" is practically impossible to fence. The dogs don't generally come around except for night. For now they will just stay in their secure coop/run. I heard that a few people let them out for a few hours during the day. How do you get them back in when you need to then?

As mentioned, they will go back to the safety of the coop at dusk. If you can't fence the yard then fence a free range area. Even netting with push in rods would be better than nothing. Certain dogs can get over about any fence but some type of barrier will help create a range area. A fortified run/coop will keep them safe.

 

[TheReadyBoys]

I would say put up a fence. This will keep them from getting out, and the dogs from getting in. They aren't hard to catch either. You just try to corner them and then pick them up, but if they have been in the coop long enough, they should know that is their home, and always go there after dark. Good luck!

 

[dirtsaver]

You say that it's impossible to fence in your yard. Is that due to budget,HOA restrictions or maybe rental limits? Without a fence you will always have problems and lose chickens so be prepared for that. We live out in the country with no neighbors for 1/4 mile but lots of predators on the ground and in the air. We've been lucky,even with 1/2 acre+ fenced in we've had a fox attack and stray dogs trying to get to our girls but no losses. It's just one of the things about raising chickens you learn to live with.

 

[tiapet]

Our "yard" is a 1/4 acre of jagged lava rock with extremely brushy trees. The only level area is what the house, catchment tank and driveway cover. They really have nowhere to go even if I do let them out.