Free ranging...

[Guinea Goonie]

Free range from 7:30 A.M. till dusk.

Then they are locked into two "wire mesh" stalls and the barn is closed up as tight as it can get. No barn is predator proof, so the stalls are employed. They have about 20 acres and a good distance from the tree line for free range.

I do leave them on their own. We have about 12 Guinea fowl and 6 big roos.

 

[Wifezilla]

My ducks free range in the back yard with a 6' fence during the day. Locked in a pen at night. The pen is covered and it has a hutch inside so they can go in there in bad weather.

 

[vnploveschickens]

We keep our chickens locked in a coop at night. It has an auto door that closes when it gets dark and opens when its light enough outside. Very handy.
The pen has a gate and is covered with poultry netting. This is where they can run around till we open the gate.
It opens to a grassy playground that has temporary fencing that we can move every so often. They can stay there unless we are going to be gone for a long time.

 

[ibpboo]

I have a fenced acre mine free range on. But they are in a pen, locked up at night. I don't always let them out, but most of the time I do. There are spots in the fence they can get under and they go play under the neighbor's tree sometimes. But mostly they stay home.

 

[Eggie and Me]

Our girls (6 wks) are out in their yard all day. Their yard is completely fenced including the top. The first 2 days we had to round them up and lock them in. Now when it starts getting dark, they all go in on their own. Then we close their door. We still have a heat light on, but we probably don't need it, but it makes me feel better...

 

[gocrow77]

I have mine in a coop and run that they have access to all the time. They are young - I just started my flock- so they are only free range when someone is home whether it be me or hubby. I feel a bit guilty (hubby helps with this by telling me chickens will be mad at me) when I don't get around to letting them out til later in the morning. But, I feel better thinking they are a bit safer with someone around the house supervising a bit. We have a court date with our neighbors for June since their dogs seems to think our animals are for killing or their private buffet. ( they have nver killed any chickens though - yet ) All of my dogs have a fenced in yard around the house they got outside to. So, I would say whatever/however you can do some free ranging AND still feel safe is the best. Everyone's situation is a little different. The only reason we free range our at all is that the neighbors have been visited by the local PD a few times and seem to be making a sincere effort ( hubby also patrols our property with a few handguns in his holsters ) to keep their dogs on their side of the property line now - they know we will shoot the dogs if it comes to the safety of our animals and children. Yes, they have nipped and chased our kids from the bus stop to our house. We don't mess around when it comes to the safety of our children or our animals; and we don't apoligise for it either.

 

[bonkers]

I never thought about using bright orange paintballs to shoot a dog that is after the flock or the herd! Awesome idea!

I can't bring myself to shoot anything--so the paintball gun would be good for me!

 

[consdrs]

Quote:
Boy do you got that right!!

The pen has a gate and is covered with poultry netting. This is where they can run around till we open the gate.
It opens to a grassy playground that has temporary fencing that we can move every so often. They can stay there unless we are going to be gone for a long time.

Same set up I have. 275sf of secure, locked run. then 900sf of cheapo, movable, plastic, only while we are around fence.

Connie​

 

[bubra007]

The girls are free to roam our backyard (we live in a neighborhood, so its small) during the day and at night get locked into their coop that has an attached run. We have 9 chickens, and I've got 9 eggs in the incubator and a dozen more due to be shipped later in the week

 

[ChikeeMomma]

My chickens free range when I'm home, which is quite a bit. If I'm gone during the day, the chickens are just out in their run. I do lock them up at night.