Free Range

[Lakeland Lady]

Good day from Lakeland Florida! I have known about this site and have utilized its information for a very long time. Up until six months ago a had a small free range flock (10 chickens and a turkey). The turkey flew over the fence about 7 years ago and made herself part of the flock. To our knowledge she was wild. Slowly my chickens began to disappear. Keep in mind these chickens had been free range for 7-8 years. I have always had hawks and owls. Well something changed and they anhialated my flock one evening (The last 5 were dead - heads missing or necks broken). The chickens put themseves up in a coop at night. The owl must have flown into the coop and scared them out. There were holes in the chicken wire about 2' up on both sides. (No paw prints in the dirt so it was not a coyote/cat/raccoon) The turkey was the only one left and she became very lonely. We now have a hen who flew over the fence from who knows where, and has been taken hostage by the turkey. All seems happy now. I am debating on whether or not to get more chickens. I like the free range life, however, I do not want to feed hawks/owls. Has anyone found any methods that would deter them?

 

[SueT]

I let my chickens free range half of each day. But I also have a big run. Over top is bird netting, which I believe will protect them from hawks and owls. They are locked in a secure coop each night. I have occasionally lost 1 or 2 birds to predators, I believe coyotes. After each loss, everyone gets locked in the run for a few weeks, and then we have gone months without a loss. Nothing has ever tried to breach the run. I raise replacements each year to replace those lost, but I have never lost a large amt. of birds at once like you. I would lock them up for 2-4 months if that happened.

 

[Lakeland Lady]

I guess I should have mentioned they free range on an acre. They have a big coop. I could fence it in and cover it. I was just trying to avoid that. Thank you for the input. It just may be what I have to do.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I'm so sorry for your experience. I've read of people providing lots of cover for them (shrubs, low trees, teepees from tree branches, etc) to give them places to scatter in the event of attack. A property down the road from me made a big (and I mean really big) tent from long posts that support bird netting. I don't know the owners, so I can't tell you how well it has worked, but it couldn't have been too difficult or expensive to construct. Keep researching for ideas that will work for you. There has to be something...