Free ranging pros and cons?

[Nannoo2]

I forgot to mention that we give our girls scratch enriched with dried worms....OMG do they love that!!! Our alpha girl demands to eat it out of my hand.

 

[SoProlix]

Thank you so much for your thoughts and feedback, everyone! I think you have talked me into it. I am going to look for a dog to raise and train with the chickens, to protect them against predators. Thank you for the info on that, centrarchid! I am a little concerned about birds of prey though. I have quite a large area where I'm thinking of keeping the chickens in and letting them roam, but putting up netting for such a large area is going to be very expensive. Is there cheaper alternatives to keep hawks and other birds at bay?

I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard stringing fishing line at random above the run/yard can deter aerial predators. They don't see it and fly into it. Needs to be reconfigured occasionally to keep throwing them off. Certainly cheaper than netting the whole area! My birds have lots of vegetative cover, but I also have a couple sheets of scrap wood or metal leaned against things that they all run under when there's a hawk. Good luck!

 

[ChickInDelight]

Anytime I see a chicken run, it has no grass. I have free-ranged (cooped at night) and been fortunate. My biggest fear is predators. I lost one chicken once to a friend's dog inside my coop. Otherwise, I have been fortunate.

My friend (with the chicken-eating dog) lost 28 chickens to foxes. He set his coop near the woods, and had a run enclosed by electric wire. I kept telling him to either keep them in the coop / enclosed run, or let them free range. His enclosed run was just making foxfood easy sport. (I took his last survivor, and Aura Lee is thriving now on my 5 acres.)

I am worried when I put the babies out, that the neighbor's cat will be on them. (My own cats and dog know better!) I also worry about the eagles, hawks, coyotes, foxes, raccoons....

Give me liberty, or give me death.

 

[jbrianchamberli]

I have a question about part time free ranging. I've got the plans for a coop that has a run built onto it but I'd like to be able to let them out while we're in the back yard etc. Do they naturally learn to go back inside or how does this work?

 

[Gingersnap722]

I have a question about part time free ranging. I've got the plans for a coop that has a run built onto it but I'd like to be able to let them out while we're in the back yard etc. Do they naturally learn to go back inside or how does this work?

Usually for the first few days you'll have to put them in the coop at night. After that, they'll naturally return to the coop to roost for the night.

 

[Phoenixxx]

I have a question about part time free ranging.  I've got the plans for a coop that has a run built onto it but I'd like to be able to let them out while we're in the back yard etc.  Do they naturally learn to go back inside or how does this work?

It takes a day or two for them to learn that the coop is "home". Once they're comfy and settled, you can let them loose. They will return on their own at dusk but occasionally you may find one who's chosen a tree or your motorcycle to roost for the night so ALWAYS do a head count! If you want them to go home earlier, you can lure them in with treats; however, some may get wise to this and not fall for it after a couple times. I know that trick doesn't work for mine at all anymore

 

[ChickInDelight]

Mine naturally go in and out AND I have an automatic door that opens and closes. I notice they also hug the fenceline when the sun is high - avoiding hawks?

 

[GrammiChelle]

I'm So upset right now, and angry!! I have a coop with chicks I just got this year. We just moved to this property and we are renting it, here in Southwest Texas. The homeowners left chickens free ranging with no protection on the property. We thought they were going to take them, but they just never did. In the 3 months we have been here, I've gotten very attached to them, two roosters, Bruno and Stanley, and there hens. I named them.

Today the neighbors dogs killed Stanley. He died protecting a laying hen. He led them away from her. She and her clutch are safe for now, but Bruno is busy with his own hen and her one chick she has managed to keep alive. He keeps them in deep brush in the pasture most of the time.
I'm angry at my own inability to protect them. There were two dogs, so Stanley was out numbered. And I have no idea how to protect this poor hen. Her eggs should hatch soon. But I don't think I should move them, and honestly, the only thing really protecting them was Stanley. We found her and the eggs fairly easily. If the dogs come back, I'm sure they'll find her.
It also worries me that the dogs have the taste of getting chickens from my property, so I think they might come back. For the record, I'm a dog lover too. It was a lab and a golden retriever, but they should be kept home. Unfortunately, in my small farming community, dogs are often left loose on their land, and I haven't lived here long enough to know this neighbor.
Any advice on what I can do??

 

[Phoenixxx]

I'm So upset right now, and angry!! I have a coop with chicks I just got this year. We just moved to this property and we are renting it, here in Southwest Texas. The homeowners left chickens free ranging with no protection on the property. We thought they were going to take them, but they just never did. In the 3 months we have been here, I've gotten very attached to them, two roosters, Bruno and Stanley, and there hens. I named them.

Today the neighbors dogs killed Stanley. He died protecting a laying hen. He led them away from her. She and her clutch are safe for now, but Bruno is busy with his own hen and her one chick she has managed to keep alive. He keeps them in deep brush in the pasture most of the time.
I'm angry at my own inability to protect them. There were two dogs, so Stanley was out numbered. And I have no idea how to protect this poor hen. Her eggs should hatch soon. But I don't think I should move them, and honestly, the only thing really protecting them was Stanley. We found her and the eggs fairly easily. If the dogs come back, I'm sure they'll find her.
It also worries me that the dogs have the taste of getting chickens from my property, so I think they might come back. For the record, I'm a dog lover too. It was a lab and a golden retriever, but they should be kept home. Unfortunately, in my small farming community, dogs are often left loose on their land, and I haven't lived here long enough to know this neighbor.
Any advice on what I can do??

I'm So upset right now, and angry!! I have a coop with chicks I just got this year. We just moved to this property and we are renting it, here in Southwest Texas. The homeowners left chickens free ranging with no protection on the property. We thought they were going to take them, but they just never did. In the 3 months we have been here, I've gotten very attached to them, two roosters, Bruno and Stanley, and there hens. I named them.

Today the neighbors dogs killed Stanley. He died protecting a laying hen. He led them away from her. She and her clutch are safe for now, but Bruno is busy with his own hen and her one chick she has managed to keep alive. He keeps them in deep brush in the pasture most of the time.
I'm angry at my own inability to protect them. There were two dogs, so Stanley was out numbered. And I have no idea how to protect this poor hen. Her eggs should hatch soon. But I don't think I should move them, and honestly, the only thing really protecting them was Stanley. We found her and the eggs fairly easily. If the dogs come back, I'm sure they'll find her.
It also worries me that the dogs have the taste of getting chickens from my property, so I think they might come back. For the record, I'm a dog lover too. It was a lab and a golden retriever, but they should be kept home. Unfortunately, in my small farming community, dogs are often left loose on their land, and I haven't lived here long enough to know this neighbor.
Any advice on what I can do??

I called animal control. Where I am, only working LGDs are legally allowed to roam. I told the guy not to fine her (dog's owner), just impress upon her the consequences she faces in the future ($400 fine or impound). I haven't seen her dog back since. She did come to apologize and offered to replace the dead but I haven't seen anything yet.

You could always approach the neighbour yourself. Tell them if they can't keep their dog under control you'll never be able to give them eggs!

In the meantime, maybe erect a cage of sorts around your bush mama?

 

[ashums]

I think it depends on where you live. I live in the city and have a pretty nice size backyard with a 6 foot fence. Very small risk of predators. If you live in a rural area this might be different. I let my chickens free range all day they can come and go to their coop and stay inside their coop at night. I have not had any problems. In the summer time they rarely need feed. Also they are a natural pest control. For me the benefits out weigh the risks. My chickens are very happy free ranging in my backyard.