Free ranging in the woods?

[V-NH]

What do you think about free ranging chickens in a wooded area? I have a wooded acre on my property that I would love to set my chickens loose on when they are full grown. Do you think they will come back on their own from a wooded area? Will they lay eggs out in the woods?

I'm also a little bit concerned about predators. I have seen bear tracks in the woods behind my house, but I have never seen a bear out there during the day. I'm not sure if I should really worry about it as long as I keep them in my sight. Should I put chicken wire up around the acre or just let them go?

What would you do?

 

[flockandgarden]

Let me know when you find out exactly how you are going to do this. I have 10 acres of dead orchard, trying to slowly remove but loaded with tic's (have had lyme disease 3 times, never again). To me the idea of letting 50 chickens just loose would be ideal for both of us. But I obviously want to keep them safe. Have been trying to figure out how to keep them safe from the sky predators.

 

[flockandgarden]

I was thinking of using the 48" goat/poultry netting electrified the kind you can move around. But again it is the sky that I have no idea what to do. I thought I was seeing bear tracks but put hunting camera's around and it is not bear it is bobcat. Obviously just as bad for my chickens. I know if we build a chicken house/tractor that is secure on wheels and keep them in it and not let them out for a week they will come back to it every night. I was thinking about using door's that have timers. But here we go we are talking money. The goat/poultry netting is around $180 dollars for 165 feet then the solar charger (I have that but the woods hummm sun may be a problem) Obviously 165 feet is not enough. Then building ANOTHER chicken house tractor, honestly don't know if I can afford it right now. Let me know if you can think of any other way.

 

[mrwoodboat]

we have about 3 acres of mostly wooded land and let ours out but only when we can sit out there with them- every time we have them out, we have a hawk come and perch nearby- usually if I pick up a young hen and get her sqawking, it will entice the rooster to crow, that usually is enough for the hawk to fly away.

 

[TroyParr]

I have 24 ladies that run the woods

 

[TroyParr]

The predators you need to worry about are the raccoons at night and foxes. I set human traps out for them. All my ladies come home every night and lay eggs daily.

 

[salt and pepper]

I free range my birds in the woods all the time. I have a rooster who takes care of his ladies, the hens lay eggs in the coop, because I kept them in the run several weeks before letting them free range, and the still sleep in the coop. just make sure they are used to where they should sleep and lay eggs, and you should be good =) Also, I have a LOT of predators around my house. Bears, coyotes, foxes, snakes, possums, raccoons...etc

 

[V-NH]

How do you keep the rooster from fertilizing the eggs? I'm new to this, so I am trying to figure this all out. It seems like it might be a good idea to send a rooster out with them.

 

[keesmom]

If you free range, you're going to lose a bird (or more) at some point. Rooster or no rooster. No way around it. Hawks are a big problem around here at the moment and I've also seen a pair of coyotes during the day. What's wrong with fertile eggs? As long as you collect them every day you'll never know the difference.

 

[youngchooklover]

Mmmmm my chickens free range and we have a lot of land but they always come back to the coop to lay. I thing you should keep a rooster with the hens ow roo attacks crows and also go's crazy when there's a hawk around.