"free range" vs chicken coop

[Super Admin]

I left my girls out at night in there run, had no cover on it and had a fox get into it and get one of my girls. I was up, ran outside, saved her but it was a horrible ordeal. The next day I covered their run and now I LOCK them into their house at night only! They get out into the yard for hours on a daily basis. I have had neighbors dogs come into the yard and it is very NERVE racking. I worry about them...for REAL! You get attached to these ladies and they are your responsibility and you want to care for them and keep them safe. Have fun and enjoy your birds. WELCOME!

 

[FaereChicken]

I free ranged my 4 birds when one of them was a rooster - still lost one of the hens, probably to a fox. Now that the roo is gone, the girls stay in their yard and coop, because they don't have anyone to protect them, and they're meals walking, if you will. As long as I move them once a week to fresh grass, couldn't be happier!

 

[tea]

What if we let them free in a fensed in back yard during the day and lock them up at night. Will chickens try to escape over a fense? Ty

 

[fargosmom]

How high is your fence? They don't necessarily want to "escape" but you know the grass is always greener . . . . especially if you're a chicken.

 

[kagedgoddess]

depnds on how tall your fence is and what kind of chickens. mine dont go over the 4ft one *much* sometimes the coop door is ajar and they perch on that and over they go. but they stand right next to the fence and squawk till i come and help them back.

 

[Sillystunt]

mine can clear a 5 ft fence but i taught them not to! I free ranged but it just got to messy and they killed all my plants. I made them a very large run and they love being in there.My plants came back and no more chicken poo all over my patio~

 

[SallyF]

I lived in a neighborhood with a flock of "feral" chickens left behind by some neighbors who moved. The chix roosted in trees, pretty high up, and could easily fly over a six foot privacy fence, much to my neighbor's dismay! He used to go out at 3 a.m. and spray the rooster with his garden hose to make the roo stop crowing.

 

[Zahboo]

You need a coop to let the chickens have a safe place to sleep, escape the heat, lay, and plus so the chickens know where home is. You can even have them in a run with supervised free ranging to escape losing hens. Hawks and other predators love domesticated meals.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
possibly, depending on whether they happen to feel like it. (No good way to accurately predict that).

However, remember that a fence will not stop hawks at all, and EVERYwhere, even cities, has hawks around; nor will a typical yard fence completely stop things like raccoons or loose dogs. Not saying don't do it, just saying, be sure it's what you want.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[wildorchid053]

we live in ny and have predators so we built a large coop and large run.. when i am home to supervise they are free of the run and out on the acerage.. but when i am not there to watch they are locked in the run..they beg to get out and it breaks my heart but i also would have my heart broken if one got attacked while i wasn't home.. i know i take a chance free ranging them but my dog and i are very good babysitters when they are out and they tend to stick close to us. good luck and welcome to byc... you will soon become as addicted as i have .. hehehe. now if it would just stop raining so we can paint the coop