Free range unattended?

[MissE]

So you think they are still too young to free range?

That's entirely up to you. Weigh the pros and cons and decide what works for you.

I use electric poultry fence in the summer which reduces risk, but like mentioned above, doesn't eliminate it. The only loss I had was almost 2 years ago when I forgot to turn the fence back on after a day of butchering meatiest. I didn't want them hitting the fence if they tried to escape. A pine marten found my mistake that night. So far there haven't been aerial attacks, but there is lots of clutter and hiding places.

They are secured in a covered run in the winter.

 

[NatJ]

So you think they are still too young to free range?

I would let them out to range only when you are present, and put them back when you are away, until they get older & bigger.

But that's me, not you. For yourself, you will just have to see what everyone says, and then make your own decision, taking into consideration the size of your own chickens and the predators in your area.

They are also a fast growing bird so they are larger than some others and full grown at 12 weeks so we're almost there.

Butchering age is not full size. They will continue to get bigger after 12 weeks, just like other chickens do.

 

[Jenwisp]

In that situation, I would just pen them until I get back from riding. Like I said, we get paranoid.

I am starting to lean toward free ranging myself. Right now we use some temporary fencing to section parts of the yard we want them to stay in. I have one culprit though, that regularly jumps it. She sticks around the area, unlike our red sexlinks who if they find any opening will leave and wander far.. Found them on the opposite side of our property, out of sight of the coop, near the woods.. We're new to chickens, this is the start of our second year. So not counting the 3 that went to freezer camp for bullying ( males ) we haven't lost any, yet. I know the odds are against me and eventually mother nature's pendulum is going to swing back the other way. Not looking forward to it but it is inevitable.

 

[RooStar Chicken Gang]

Yes U can free range them let them out when U go out. The chooks n rooster here are out all day, they go bed at night in an enclosed area in a shed now. However we use to just have coops out in the yard for them and left them open 24/7 even at night, chooks sometimes slept in them and sometimes didn't they did what ever they like, complete freedom. Never had issue with predators.. maybe the dog peeing n poopin around the place throws them off the scent or keeps em away, dunno.

 

[beebesknees]

That's entirely up to you. Weigh the pros and cons and decide what works for you.

I use electric poultry fence in the summer which reduces risk, but like mentioned above, doesn't eliminate it. The only loss I had was almost 2 years ago when I forgot to turn the fence back on after a day of butchering meatiest. I didn't want them hitting the fence if they tried to escape. A pine marten found my mistake that night. So far there haven't been aerial attacks, but there is lots of clutter and hiding places.

They are secured in a covered run in the winter.

Thank you for your tips! I have a lot to think about. We don't have a lot of stuff to hide under except on the outskirts so if I did a fence, they would have no where to hide from aerial attacks but with no fence, we have lots from the bushes. Ugh!! This chicken ownership can be stressful!

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens were jungle animals, and prefer shrubs and tree cover to open ground, especially after that first hawk attack. We free range here most days, except when there's snow (they hate snow!) or when there's been a hawk visitation.
We might loose one or two bantams each year to a hawk, not good, but far from the worst events we've had. Once a fox killed ten nice hens one afternoon, seen by a neighbor's workman, who just watched.
Another time our fencing failed, and one of our dogs killed over two dozen! Horrible!
We don't have bears, who can tear any coop apart, but canines of any sort are the worst!
Weasels, raccoons, opossums, and rats are much more of a problem if your coop isn't really predator proof.
'Really safe' means no free ranging at all, otherwise, there's always some risk involved.
Mary

 

[beebesknees]

Chickens were jungle animals, and prefer shrubs and tree cover to open ground, especially after that first hawk attack. We free range here most days, except when there's snow (they hate snow!) or when there's been a hawk visitation.
We might loose one or two bantams each year to a hawk, not good, but far from the worst events we've had. Once a fox killed ten nice hens one afternoon, seen by a neighbor's workman, who just watched.
Another time our fencing failed, and one of our dogs killed over two dozen! Horrible!
We don't have bears, who can tear any coop apart, but canines of any sort are the worst!
Weasels, raccoons, opossums, and rats are much more of a problem if your coop isn't really predator proof.
'Really safe' means no free ranging at all, otherwise, there's always some risk involved.
Mary

Hi Mary! Thanks for all the info. We do have bears here so we don't put food in the coop ever and remove it from the run every night. I am so sorry about your experiences. This is my first time with chickens free ranging so lots to learn. I'll need to toughen up I'm sure!
Jenn

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't free range because I don't want the chickens destroying my vegetable garden or my SIL's beloved flowers. but I have an open run made from electric poultry netting and accept the fact that I may lose chickens to aerial predators.

Even when they move into the Chicken Palace, they will still be rotated through alternating pens to work over the ground before I plant the garden so there will still be that risk.

The advantage of giving them the huge amount of ground to use inside the electric net outweighs the risk of losing one.

 

[beebesknees]

We don't have a garden yet. We are a work in progress. I do plan on having one soon so that is definitely something that I have to consider. Thank you for your input. I have a lot of thinking to do!

 

[Chuckie chicken]

I let mine free range all day with check ups every few hours. I built an adequate (not huge) run with free ranging in mind. We have mostly nocturnal predators that the chickens are safe from. I accept that the risk of daytime danger is there and live my life.