Free-ranging is overrated. :/

[LilyD]

I only free range when I'm home because we have lots of two legged predators around here. For me it's safer to only do it when I am home. It also lets the girls lay all their eggs in their nesting boxes before they are let out for the day rather than laying them in the bushes

.

 

[Justhatched]

I would like to have our chickens free range but we have dogs that would harm them. So they have a run and once in a while I lock the dogs up and let them out. Usually about an hour before it gets dark as I watch them. They seem to like that. I know they are safe in the run. That is what is most important. Their safety.

 

[Azriel]

I am total country, on 320 acres on top of a mountain, my nearest neighbor is over a mile away. I do what I call modifed free ranging. I have a large coop with 3 areas, layers, breeding, and growout. Each area has a large secure run I can use if needed, but I also have 4 fenced "free range" areas that are just about an acre each. Each flock is loose in their area all day every day with the 4th area being used as needed for grass hopper control usually by the layer flock. Each area has trees, large sage, and a wild berry bush that the locals call quail berry. My 1st rooster was a real butt head with his girls and I did loose 1 last year to a hawk. This year with my new roo's I have not lost any, but when they get under the bushes, you cannot see them,they are great hiding places, but also great for hiding eggs. When I have a few days of less eggs I know to look under the bushes. I have trained the coyotes to stay away from the fences with a very strong electric fence with 2 strands of wire, I do have to weed wack a few times over the summer, and when I saw a bobcat hanging arround I put another 2 strands of electric on top of the fence. I do have to keep them locked up more over winter, it is nothing up here to get 3-4' of snow in one storm, and temps can get in the -40 degree range. The layer flock has a covered run for the winter, but haven't gotten the covered run for the other 2 areas yet. This has been a 2 year work still in progress, but I like it, and my chickens are happy and healthy.