Free Ranging Chickens

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I have 4 girls who have lived in their chicken

tractor

 

[JesNflock]

I have an escapee she has been out for 2weeks in all the heat, the garden she is in is perfect. With trees , undergrowth I have seen her and she has outrun and flown into trees, I have started leaving pellets and water out for her to keep her close, any ideas on catching her

Hi babo! Welcome to BYC from Florida! Have you tried tossing out some BOSS or some other treat that she likes?

 

[JesNflock]

As for my 30 free range girls, after seeing a hawk above made me stop and think how to protect them a little better. I remembered seeing a TP polr type tent on here so we have started building a couple of out of old cedar trees. My girls LOVE them. I'm not even finished and they are helping me! They are all on,over, and in it. I'll post some during and after pics. Later. Oh, the hawk isn't happy!

That sounds great! I just recently had a hawk scare (it perched it the neighboring tree waiting for a chance to grab one of my girls but I locked them all back inside until it got bored I guess and flew off) I was thinking I need a lot more protection in my wide open yard. I have a few really nice trees that give shade/protection and some bushes but nothing in the wide openness that most of my yard is. I need to come up with a plan...lol The wheels are now turning!
Can't wait to see pics of your cedar tent. I bet it will look amazing!

I got so excited about your tent that I almost forgot to say WELCOME to BYC!!!

 

[GrusGrus]

I let mine free range whenever I am in the yard, and keep them locked up in a quite roomy run at all other times. We have cars, hawks, eagles, foxes, somtimes even lynx or wolf here, so I don´t dare to let them range without me keeping an eye on them.
They are clever enough to hide in the bushes or under one of the outhouses when they rest during the day, though. They return to the coop by themselves when it gets dark.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

NOW mine are fully free ranged from sun up to sun down . whether anyone is home or not . i have 5 acres of unfenced fieldish yard and woods for them to play in the 3 ducks have 3 baby pools to share w the 2 geese - who i must say are awesome yard dogs . i have a half mile drive way. - pretty safe - always risky i know

now i did train them to come when called so they dont ever go to far - they know the range limits and i used to have to go round em all up using sounds and clicks esp if i needed them in early - at first they were only supervised free range now theyd look at me like i was crazy if i even tried getting them in the barn before they wanted to go in . so whatever.
good luck!