Free range vs run

[The_crazy_chicken_girl]

I have around 50 chickens, and I have a main big field for my main hens that’s almost like free range it’s so big, and they go to a big shelter for bed that has a light operated door on, and then the rest have smaller enclosures but I let them out in the morning and away again at night and that seems to work great they have a entier 7 acres to roam around and a big pear tree that if they ever get hunger they can fill on and there all super healthy because of it.

 

[Chicken_loverXx]

Mine just free range because I have the land to do so. (I have 24 chickens 3 ducks 1 guinea fowl) and of course they have a shed with pirches and nesting boxes where they sleep/ lay and are locked in a night so no predators get them.

 

[MamaRaych]

So I have a run attached to the coop for when I'm not home, whenever I or anyone else is home they free range in our backyard. They seem pretty happy with that scenario. Personally I think they are happiest when they are free, since they are so social, they love to visit with us and my dog. But they have everything they need in the run, so the best of both I guess.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Our hens + guinea fowl have a big 100m squared run with open top plus dug in high fencing. They go in a close-topped wire run of 10m squared when we are out.

Can't let them free range because we are in the countryside so they could go in the fields, road, lane etc (the guineas do anyway sometimes) and there is a horrible fox in the neighbors' field...

It is kind of semi-free range and they love it. Their area has trees, bushes, long grass and all sorts so it is really natural. There is a great variety of food, dust baths and climbing structures because of it!

Putting up big fencing can be very time-consuming though.

 

[Mayhaps Moss]

I used to keep my flock entirely free-range and didn't have a problem for years (apart from wild birds eating all the feed out of the automatic feeder). However, last year the entire flock was eliminated by an unknown predator in one night.

I think that while chickens love to free-range, you need to carefully assess your circumstances and what kind of threats would be in your area. I believe chickens can be just as happy in a large, secure run with perches and (dry) earth to scratch at - it just takes a lot more effort to maintain.

 

[Vicker]

In recent years we have switched to a covered run in part because we’ve also done some landscaping/planting produce. But we’ve had more attacks with a run; I think because when something does decide to have a chicken dinner, the dinner has no where to run. The falcons have been especially bad. At one point, one perched on the fence and hopped under the cover and chased down the chickens in the run. I’ve never heard of using crow decoys. Are they effective for all birds of prey? Or just hawks?

All we have around here are hawks and owls. I don't know how much owls and crows interact since they are active at different times of the day. I've definitely seen crows chase hawks away. A hawk landed right in front of my husband and my chickens. Two crows flew down from a nearby tree and chased it away. I watch crows chasing hawks behind my house quite often.

 

[Vicker]

Needs have a more secure cover, eh?

Doubtful.
..oh maybe this owl needs to be painted black?

That doesn't even look like a real owl--just a hunk of plastic to that hawk. I use the crow decoys that are designed to attract crows for people who hunt them (not sure why they hunt them--maybe protecting crops?). Anyway, they are very realistic looking. Maybe the decoys are effective because they attract crows and not because the hawk thinks they are crows.

 

[589205]

I free range mine on the hills, downsize when I feel the necessary need to & keep my favorites nearby the house during winter.

 

[589205]

You gotta outsmart the predators!

 

[589205]

I got the land to ruin but I'm not going to let that happen. I choose to make better choices to try to preserve mine. Need to make the most impact while we're still here on Earth, ya know?