Free-ranging is overrated. :/

[angie3881]

Oh and I know what you mean about the poop. Poop on the door step is never a good way to start the morning!!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

All my birds free range, ducks, chickens, geese, guinea fowl you name it! They wander around the yard all day and go in when it gets dark, all I do is shut the door. I'll loose a few birds here and there to predators but I think thats a small price to pay for the rest of the flock being free.

The eggs taste much better from free-run hens then hens cooped up in a run.

 

[ellieroo]

Quote:
Mine are the same as the above But I knew what I was getting into with free ranging.There are 550 acres that my chickens could be in but they stay within the pasture fence and the backyard.Wouldn't change it for anything ! Good Luck !

 

[debs_flock]

My girls are all cooped with an attached run. I constantly bring them treats, fresh grass, veggies, etc (even flower petals). They would look lovely moving about the yard, but my hubby keeps about two acres around the house landscaped. They would look great, but I think shortly his lawn, shrubs, flowers, furniture, etc would go downhill.

Many years ago, I did free range all my birds in my two acre yard. Poop on the doorstep is never fun..............try it with several peacocks! Like stepping in a large glob of road tar that stinks!

My garden is just about finished for the year, when I pick the last of the tomatoes, I will let the girls into that fenced area while I am out with them. Around here everything is fenced to keep out the deer and the wild turkeys!

They eat EVERYTHING!

Deb

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Ditto. Free ranging is all my birds have ever known and it's all they will ever know.

 

[Gullygarden]

While I prefer complete free ranging, I did switch to a run due to neighborhood dogs killing my hens. Now I have an electric mesh run and I smile when I hear yelps from my back yard. I like this because it is easy to move, big enough so they are pretty content, and was easy to set up. see my byc page. good luck!

 

[Dora'smom]

My experience is different from most of what I see posted here. I live in the city, but on a quarter acre, very near the edge of a canyon that is not populated. I hear the coyotes at night, and see raccoons during the evening and hawks during the day. I occasionally find feather rings in the yard, where an occasional winged predator has had a nice meal, or see a large hawk fly out of one of the very large trees along our fence line, with a large chunk of red meat in its talons. Though we are in the city, the predators are right here.
We made a decision before we got our first birds, that they would be in the coop or attached run at all times. None of them has ever been free-range, and though it would be nice to see them running around in the yard, I prefer that they be safe. We also have two large golden retrievers. One of them has a very intense prey drive, so I would not trust her around them if they were loose. My birds seem to enjoy their life, and We are happy with the arrangement.
Also, when I checked out the idea of having chickens, prior to buying our first chicks, code enforcement told me that their most frequent complaint was chickens on the road, or not confined in public areas. Currently there is nothing in city code that refers directly to chickens. Any issues would have to be addressed under sanitation or noise ordinances, so I don't want to become part of a problem that would make things tougher for anyone wanting to keep birds, locally.
My girls get lots of treats, and have things in their coop and run to amuse themselves with.
I think free-range is nice for those who can, but coop/run works just fine for those of us who are in different circumstances.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

I live in a very rural area. One home in 4 has chickens, from what I see free ranging around and a few suspected chicken coops I have been watching since I moved.

I have 4 hens, and I love to see them in the yard. The rules here are non-existent. We're zoned for agriculture and the neighbors are all tolerant and respectful. It seems to be the only rule 'round here. I spoke with my neighbors before we got the chickens and said I wanted to free range. They all have done so at some point and were very supportive of my plans.

I get SO annoyed when I see the girls at the closest neighbor's. It is the farthest place they go, and not far, but it drives me nuts. The neighbors tell me all the time how much they love it and I smile & laugh at their stories and then turn around and use every treat in the house to get them into our yard again.

So, next year, before I get a few more hens, I am building a bigger coop and a huge run. HUGE. I think I will put the whole thing on skids, too. So they can get fresh forage regularly. I think I will still let them have some time each afternoon out a few days a week, but I am just not comfortable with my hens on other people's property.

I never thought I would feel this way either. I thought free range was the ONLY way. Til I did it. It is still free range if they have a huge movable fence.

Gullygarden, your set up looks GORGEOUS, but I couldn't get the picture to get bigger. I would love to hear more about your electric fencing.

 

[heatherindeskies]

Do what suits YOU so having chickens is not a chore. Mine free range all the time and get themselves in the barn where I lock them up each night. I lose one every couple of years or so but I think the quality of life they have is worth it for me and them. They seem to stay near the barn and never some close to our house but do show up in the yard sometimes.

 

[CSWolffe]

I to live in suburbia, on a small lot(.2 acre), and while our city did recently pass an ordinance specifically allowing chickens, we are only allowed six birds and they must be confined to a coop/pen at all times, at a minimum of 40' from a residence, school or church. I would love to let my girls run loose in the yard, hunting for bugs and digging up all my favorite plants, but I can't risk the citation. So they have a nice large run and get plenty of treats. They seem pretty happy and just this week the first one started to lay.