Free Ranging Fears

[savingdogs]

I'm so sorry, I should have suggested you hold them by the legs and hang them upside down. Then they are real calm. I don't know why. When mine are upset to be held (some of mine are friendly, some not) I carry them by the legs upside down. Sounds weird but they get calm when you do that. And usually after you have done that with them and talked softly and sweetly a few times while doing so, they are less afraid of you. If you hand raised all yours from chicks then they probably are more tame than some of mine, I have a flock of about 25 and some were hand raised and some were raised by hens so they never got as tame.

 

[rhodered10]

free ranging is very dangerous for chickens, my dad consructed a nice little fence for the girls to go out into conected to their actual run and about a week ago i let them out at dusk as i usualy do and when i went out to check on them i heard one of my girls raising the alarm so i ran as fast as i could out there just in time, i found a ferrel orange cat inside the fencing along with all of the chickens! i was furious so i chased the cat screaming out of the fencing, thankfully none of the girls were hurt, some of them went into the coop while others escaped from the fencing. that was the second time that cat had almost had one of my girls, but thankfully i havent lost a single one of my girls yet thanks to my dads excelent coop and run construction. id say pets, especialy wild ones, are one of the biggest dangers to my flock. what i do is use the same fencing and i just sit out there with the girls with a book for about an hour or so, they love to get out!

 

[Stoney22]

I've never had a problem letting them out well im home. I had a problem well I wasn't yesterday somethings got into my run though.

 

[Mattemma]

You could build a HUGE enclosure,or maybe run some fishing line across the yard(fence to fence) to deter the hawks.Well,atleast slow them down a bit.Most times it does help if you are outside,but there are times when hawks and dogs will ignore you and go for the chickens. I would be more worried about the 3 dogs than the hawks.Pack mentality can get really bad.

 

[Amigo]

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[vclark321]

I am in Bonney Lake, Washington and I let mine out of their chicken tractor when I am home only. If I leave I heard them back into their run. When I work they have to stay in their run all day, which they dislike. I work graveyard shift. I know there is the chance of predators even if I am home, but the idea of letting them out for about an hour before there bedtime is a good idea. Mine are in bed by 8pm. When I go to work they must go to bed early so I can lock up their coop.

Good luck. Stay vigilant, it is easy to get comfortable.

 

[Jerseycoop]

Thank you all for your great advice! I let my flock of 7 out three times today for an hour each. They decided when they wanted to go back in and my one girl Lily, whom I'm convinced is a rooster would usher them back into the coop each time. The sky was clear with nothing in site so today was a good one! I have to say they did stick together like birds of a feather which made it easier for me to manage. Thanks again for all your advice

 

[pollo curioso]

I'm on a pretty bare acre - not many trees. I've been building little "run-for-cover" shelters to place out on my lot where there are no trees or bushes. Aside from that, the girls are happiest free-ranging and with all the likely ailments and diseases that chickens can expire from despite proper care, a predator's end is much more humane than a sickly, wheezy, heat exhausted, wormy slow decline. Happy chicken first; worried chicken owner, second!