Free Ranging 6 week olds, will I lose them to predators?

[HighNDryFarm]

....most likely....but with that said, I free range and yes I've lost to hawks during the day. The young one's are the easy target. I have a roo and different age ranges which helps but let me tell you, the best lesson for the flock is when they witness a hawk attack. Thankfully, the hawk warns when he's coming and they all run to the barn, their coop or under their favorite boat! I seem to lose one of every young group I get because they like to feed in the round pen, the only spot on the property without trees overhead. The roo is very good about warning and those girls listen! Once they are of size the hawk isn't such an issue but I would recommend a run. There are times that you will need them penned up and you don't want to just have a coop....unless you have a really big coop!

Have fun but I'd push for the run....

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
We have a black lab out of champion lines - a good hunter. He was introduced to the chickens at 8 weeks old (he's 8 years old now) and I've never had a problem with him. I trust him 100%. He still hunts pheasants, but leaved the chickens alone. So I believe they can be taught. I won't let my chickens out of their run when my son is visiting with his golden retriever who has never been taught to leave the birds alone. (He's not a hunting dog, either, but as you mentioned, instinct....) All of the predators you mentioned will hunt during the day also. I personally wouldn't let my 6 week olds out to free range, but that's my choice. Have you thought about a portable pen for them outside? It would most likely deter a hawk (your back yard is plenty big for one to come in and get to your chickens). Not sure about something big like a bobcat, coyote, coon or fox, but it could maybe slow them down enough for you to get outside and scare them off.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
I agree with this 100%.

And a hawk has no problem dropping down to take a chicken, especially at that age. That's how they hunt rabbits, squirrels, mice, etc.
It's possible to lose more to dogs, even yours than wild animals.
I've lost the most birds to dogs, possums next, then hawks.

I had chickens in a 3 ' high 5 ' wide hoop pen 30' long and a hawk had no problem flying all the way through that tunnel to the coop and flying all the way out with a 5 week old meatie.

 

[lynnemabry]

I live not to far from you and I almost lost chickens to a young mountain lion two day ago.
I saw it and scared it off. Now the chicken are stuck in to coop until I figure it has moved on. May be a while.

Last year I lost 2 to a bobcat. It came back for seconds. And then 2 to a neighbor dog. BAD DOG.

Free ranging is a risk. I try to only do it if I am home and even then that doesn't take away all the risk.

I don't have a run. Just an open air coop. And if I let the chickens out there is no way to get them back in until dusk.
We have 40 acres of trees on Cobb.



I have excepted that some loss is to be expected, it just gives me a chance for chicks each spring.

 

[lynnemabry]

Quote:
Given the opportunity and need, all of thse predators will hunt during the daylight. They are adaptive and opportunistic.

so true, both the bobcat and the mountain lion were during the day.

 

[Eggcessive]

You first have to put the chicks in their barn and lock them up for a week before letting them out to range, so they'll know where home is. I agree with chickmom, to start them free ranging late in the evening 1 hour before dark--they will come in to roost in their barn when it is getting dark. Mine were 8 weeks when they started and have not lost but 1 to my golden retriever when 1 jumped over the fence into our yard when I was home. I tried to be home during their first weeks of freedom, but it got to be hard to get everyone back in the run locked up if I needed to leave, so I just started leaving them a little at a time. Yours probably will go back and forth during the day. Perhaps the in-laws could peek at them if you are away until you are comfortable. I also would have a run--you always will have a reason to use it at some point.

 

[Dutchess]

Yea, they will come day or night. Last weekend we went camping and asked our neighbor to just check in on the chickens. Well, they were left out to free range all day then went to their coop at night, as always, exept the coop wasn't closed up.

I lost 5 out of 6 chicks about 12 weeks old all during the day that weekend.

I say during the day because I saw where each chicken was taken from. No sign of any leftovers or struggle, just a small pile of feathers.
At first I thought a hawk, and it very well could have been a hawk in addition to the fox. I found fox tracks where some feathers were.
The next night we were in our bedroom when we hear this awful noise, like a raspy bark coming from the backyard. My first thought was a fisher. Then a fox. I immediately jumped out of bed concerned about my chickens even thought they were locked up, and went to the deck out back waiting for it to make the noise again, and it did. It sent shivers up my spine! I started mimicking it and it called back! Over and over, it obviously wasn't scared. It was so loud and scarey sounding it had to be close, so I jumped back inside the house then started to yell at it through the door. CREEPY!
I googled it the next day and found that a fox makes the same noise I heard that night. It is similar to a fisher, but not quite as "musical" as the fisher. I believe a hawk and a fox were my predators.
I have since bought more hens, but they won't be free ranging all day without supervision!

 

[speckledhen]

I do free range, but I wait till they are closer to 12 weeks old and have some size on them. Six weeks is so small that they are a target for almost everything, even cats, who don't normally bother larger birds.

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

i let mine out at about 6 weeks and a hawk came. luckily no one was killed or injured and ever since they have never been attacked again knock on wood

 

[trailchick]

I would give them another few weeks to get some size. Even tho a pen may be unsightly, it will come in handy often enough, to justify having one....