How do people free-range their chickens??!!!?

[Duck Hill]

Three years ago, my ducks voted.... and they keep voting the same way.

The first summer I let them free-range in my fenced-in back yard, which contained a gazebo tent. Every day I had to force them out the duck house door. They did not hunt for bugs in the grass. Instead, they made a beeline for the gazebo and hid under chairs. Dumb ducks! With the whole yard to play in! Stupid ducks! All they did was sleep instead of free-ranging. I kept trying to convince them to enjoy their freedom, but they were adamant.

At the end of the summer, a hawk killed a duck at my friend's house down the street. I realized: my SMART ducks had been hiding, and as a result they were alive!

I added a cover to the pen attached to their duck house. The ducks came out and looked up. They seemed excited. They insepcted the netting, then went outside! They walked around. When the hawk came, they stayed out. They knew the hawk couldn't get them. They enjoyed clearly enjoyed their protected kiddy pool and their protected run.

Whenever one or several or all get 'loose', they cast their vote again with their feet. They run to the door and ask to be let in. They want the "freedom" of their pen, where they are safe. They do NOT choose free-ranging, where the hawks can get them. Even if the grass is full of delicious bugs.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I let my birds range. I do NOT keep my seramas outside. My Cochin's and silkies do OK though. I lost 2 baby chicks to hawks, and I wont be letting them out anymore until they're grown. The hawks are tiny that I've seen so they won't be able to take my big gals and they stay in my barn a lot too.
If I see a loss of a mature bird then ranging will be over until I find a solution.

 

[cmom]

I leave the pen gates open to a pasture. There are only a couple of shade trees in the pasture but every pen has a nice shade tree in the pen and a shade/rain table. They rarely venture out into the pasture and stay in their pens. The pens are completely covered with a heavy duty netting.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I only let my chickens free range when I am home. We have cattle and horses and when they are out they tend to stay close to them. My gelding is a very messy guy so the chickens love him! I have a rooster who does a pretty good job keeping an eye out, but things happen and I still loose a hen from time to time. Last Sunday I lost my favorite Americauna Wheezie. Not sure what happened to her, she just wasn't there when everyone came in to roost at night. I don't really think there are any secrets, just luck.

I hoped my birds lingering around my naughty filly would help them stay safe and I think it does to a degree. It would take a very brave stray dog or feral cat to take one of "her" chickens (only our cats and a stray who's lived in the barn for years are able to get right up in the horse's space). But the hawks still can and the birds are only safe when they're with the mare, not elsewhere on the property. She loves the chickens. I have a showgirl who is always up under her and she freezes when the little thing comes by so she won't squish her and sniffs her with her big nose.