Freeroaming opinions

[Beakz]

I'd just like to get everyone's free roaming opinion. My coop is in my goat pasture it's about a half acre and has a four foot high fence would they fly over it? Is free roaming a good idea?

 

[Y N dottes]

In my oppinion, letting them range in as large a spot as they can is the best option. Of course, not everyone can do that. As for the fence height, they could probably get over that, easily...the thing is, they might not choose to ever.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

A four foot high fence, yes they would probably fly over it unless you clipped there wings! Free roaming would be a good idea if your neighbours don't mind, lol! Free roaming cuts your food bill and puts them on a better diet, as well as giving them an awesome time!

Note: Chickens will tear up grass and eat plants so if you are worried about that then Free roaming would not be such a great Idea.
Good luck!!

 

[kizanne]

I have something similar. Except right by the chicken coop is our property line and no fence. I wanted to let them free range. After they ended up in the neighbors yard I put up a very flimsy 2 foot tall chicken fence. Then whenever they would try to go around or over I'd call them for treats back to our yard. They now don't go over or under which they easily could. Of course I only let them out about 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day but they pretty much stay in my yard even though they could fly or walk to other yards.

 

[gg706]

I free range mine on 2.5 acres my fence is about 5 foot high in most areas 1 side is 3 foot high...they do not try to get over or under it. I am a huge fan of free ranging! Be warned once you start free ranging it is difficult to go back to keeping them cooped. My brother in law came for a visit and brought his dogs, I did not know if they would kill my chickens so I kept them penned. BOY I heard about it ALL DAY...the hens would pace the fence and cackle protesting to be let out. They also punished me by not laying for a couple of days! Once they get a taste of freedom they expect it daily.
Mr. MKK FARMS is correct. They WILL tear up all kinds of stuff. We have mulched planting beds and they LOVE to go scratch around in there. By the time they are done most of the mulch is in the yard. It drives my husband CRAZY!!! In a goat pasture I am assuming the scratching and such would be acceptable. You may just have to try it and see how the birds behave. They may have so much to do they wont think about getting out of your fence.

 

[sezjasper]

My girls free range in my yard which has a privacy fence (about 5' tall). They have gone over the fence twice into the neighbor's yard. But in both cases they used the roof of their coop as a step...from there to the fence, from the fence to (oh boy!) new grass! My neighbor is a really nice guy but the problem is, he has two large dogs. I didn't want to clip their wings so what I did was attach deer netting from the top of the fence to tree branches that overhang the coop and run. Now, they can still jump up on the roof of their coop, but the netting keeps them from being able to jump up on top of the fence. It's worked like a charm! Elsewhere in the yard, I just make sure not to store anything up against the fence that could be used as a step.

 

[theemon]

What is deer nettin

 

[sezjasper]

What is deer nettin

It's lightweight plastic fencing material. People use it to deter deer because it's cheap, easy to install and re-install as needed, and supposedly it keeps deer from going where you don't want them to go (although I don't know how, because it's so flimsy!) It also works really well for what I needed because it was wide enough to stretch from fence top to tree limb and flexible enough so I could bunch it and staple where I needed to on the fence. On the tree, I used those plastic fastener things (can't think what they're called) so I wouldn't have to put a lot of staples in the tree limbs.