Free ranging without a fenced backyard

[Jgrice]

Hey there,

I have 6 chickens that I keep in a 10x10 run. They have plenty of room to move around; they arent cramped. However, I’d like to let them free range, but I live in city with an unfenced,although large, backyard. I typically let them free range for an hour a few times a week, because I have to monitor them. Any advice on letting them free range unmonitored? I just worry about predators.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm looking at electric poultry netting as my solution for protecting chickens and keeping them out of my SIL's flower garden (our new property is shared with her).

 

[Mrs. K]

Without a fence they will not stay. The more you let them out, the farther they will go. And I am telling you, one phone call to my mother, in which I was only saying, I will call you back, the chickens are out, is all the time they needed to demolish my garden. If you like the SIL don't let them out un supervised.

Mrs K

 

[centrarchid]

First consider what the free-range setting can provide. Make so the area provides that resource as needed in a relatively short amount of time before getting birds back into the more protected environment. I value quality forages that are abundant enough to allow rapid crop fill before birds go back to pen.

 

[Pghelp]

Hey there,

I have 6 chickens that I keep in a 10x10 run. They have plenty of room to move around; they arent cramped. However, I’d like to let them free range, but I live in city with an unfenced,although large, backyard. I typically let them free range for an hour a few times a week, because I have to monitor them. Any advice on letting them free range unmonitored? I just worry about predators.

We used to let our flock have free range of the backyard which is fenced, but trust me, they will go to the limits of that fence and anything is fair game. When we decided to garden, we fenced off a quarter of the yard for the chickens. Chickens don't know boundaries except for a fence they cannot get over or under. If you let them free range they will do so as far as they can go, including the neighbor's yard and the neighborhood or beyond. Either keep them in their 10 x 10 or expand the area. We have a neighbor a couple of streets from us who let their flock roam, and we frequently see those free-rangers dead in the street.

 

[3KillerBs]

Without a fence they will not stay. The more you let them out, the farther they will go. And I am telling you, one phone call to my mother, in which I was only saying, I will call you back, the chickens are out, is all the time they needed to demolish my garden. If you like the SIL don't let them out un supervised.

Mrs K

Indeed!

SIL would be devastated to have chickens in the dahlias.