Free ranging too far?

[Folly's place]

I have Belgian d'Uccles, and love them! Thy do fly well, a real asset out there. But, bantams are easier for raptors to grab, and the hawks have been my worst predator issue with them.
Your birds are all still babies!!!
Mary

 

[Rysktal]

My run is partially in the woods and has plenty of long grass in it...so my birds are not officially free ranging but they are happy and I am happy that I know where they are. We lost a few hens last year without the run, hoping for less losses this year with our new set up.

 

[RWise]

I free range all day, lock up at night, and I must accept when a wild animal comes in and takes a bird. Not saying it happens often as it does not, at least here. In the past I have had more issues with others pets (dog/cat) than the wild life.
Hiding places for them will be a life saver, a deck they can get under, an old camper shell set on blocks, etc..
Good luck!

 

[Shadrach]

The Chicken tribes here have virtually unlimited room; 12.5 acres on this property and the rest of the National Park if they wished.
What they use is about 4 acres, depending on how many tribes there are.
Having other animals can help. The chickens here use the sheep shed and the donkey stable as safe havens.
You can't protect your chickens and give them their freedom. It's the cocks job to protect the hens and a good cock will make you look blind, deaf, and completely unreliable.
What you can do is provide cover for the chickens in your yard. There are many ways of doing this but a cheap and easily constructed shelter can be made with a length of stocknet fencing and a sheet of plywood.
Stocknet comes in rolls and the rectangles that make the fence are progressively larger from the bottom up. Cut a 3 metre length of stocknet from the roll and turn it upside down so the larger rectangles are now at the base. Cut off the top 3 rectangular sections (the smallest rectangles) and join the ends of what remains with some tie wire. You should now have a circle with the big rectangles at the bottom. Cut a sheet of ply (round if you can) that matches the diameter of the stocknet circle, and drill holes around the circumference of the plywood about an inch in from the edge. Place the ply on top of the stocknet and tie the ply to the stocknet in a few places. I drive a couple of stakes into the ground and tie the stocknet shelter to the posts.
You can make a few of these, depending on the size of your yard. I put a bit of food in to start things off. The chcikens don't take long to figure out that a hawk with open wings isn't going to get through the holes.
I lose a chicken every two and a half months on average and cry a lot.

 

[Mrs. K]

One of the problems is the predators do not know that you have these delightful lunches. So you don't get hit... and the human thinks, "I don't have a predator problem." My chickens are safe... until birds just fail to come back. They just disappear. They have found you, and can wipe you out. Or randomly pick you off.

And they ALWAYS GET YOUR FAVORITE BIRD FIRST!

 

[bobbi-j]

One of the problems is the predators do not know that you have these delightful lunches. So you don't get hit... and the human thinks, "I don't have a predator problem." My chickens are safe... until birds just fail to come back. They just disappear. They have found you, and can wipe you out. Or randomly pick you off.

And they ALWAYS GET YOUR FAVORITE BIRD FIRST!

Yes they do!