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

[roosterhavoc]

Good luck! Sounds feasible.
I think the moral to all these stories is that if we let our chickens out of whatever predator proof enclosure we have them in, something might get them.
I have a philosophy for life: I'd rather live a short happy life than a long unhappy one. My chickens LOVE to be out running around the yard, the neighbors yard, raiding my garden, you name it. I allow them out when I get home and they raise hell and have a great time doing it. If I lose one or more, I know they had one great life. I will obviously be sad, but this is all part of life.
I fully respect those who choose never to let their chickens out of their enclosures though. To each his or her own.

I totally agree. I free range every bird I can. It’s better for them in the long run. Most people who free range birds aren’t constantly dealing with never ending illnessess and bumble foot either. Some people don’t want to admit it but the reason their birds get sick so often is because they’re jammed in a small pen/coop 24/7 rain or shine.

 

[townchicks]

For me at least, THIS is the real question: "How do you keep dogs that will guard and not EAT the flock!??"

That is a good question. Of course, it depends on the dog. For me, I have a high prey drive dog also, but he's older and mellower these days, and has had a LOT of training. I did not let him be loose around the chickens for almost 2 years, but they became old hat by seeing them through the fence everyday. He still does not ever get left alone with them. If they were to start running, he would chase them and that would be the end of them. This summer, he did chase a hawk off that was trying to get at my doves. He got lots of praise for that!

 

[townchicks]

She may look sweet and cute but that right there is 9.5 pounds of sheer terror!

LOL, you don't have to tell me. I worked at vet for 15 yrs. Loved having the Dobies come in. Min Pins, we drew straws as to who had to go in the room with them! If they didn't want you to do something, they tell you in language nobody could misunderstand. Outside the clinic, though, yes, they are cute! Love that prance.

 

[llombardo]

For me at least, THIS is the real question: "How do you keep dogs that will guard and not EAT the flock!??" If I were to let any one of my 3 dogs out with the chickens, I'd have no chickens. All have tremendous prey drive. The Doberman and the rat terrier actually got a squirrel last week. And the min pin, she'll kill first, ask questions later! She attacked the feed tube to a venturi pump I had set up for my gold fish pond because she heard the hissing.

I would never have them with the chickens. My chickens are in a pen with electric fence. The dogs don't mess with the chickens because of the fence but they hang in the area. The dogs are pretty used to the chickens and ducks, but I would not trust them with them, well 5 out of the 7 dogs. 2 of the dogs are actually trustworthy.

 

[Kessel23]

I have 2 pairs of red tailed hawks nesting on my property. Crows definitely do not deter them well, I saw a murder of crows harassing the pair behind my coop for a few weeks but they soon gave up after they realized it was a waste of time and the Red tails did not care. I have not lost a chicken to a hawk for the past 2 years. We had a Cooper's hawk attack a small cockerel a few weeks ago and my 21 other roosters and cockerels did nothing, which disappointed me, luckily my brother was able to get out there and spook the hawk away. The most recent hawk attack besides that one was like last March, it was another Cooper's hawk and it tried to catch a duck. I had 5 ducks and they saw the hawk coming, instead of running they just sat up next to the wire on the run and squawked like crazy, the hawk was like 5 feet from them and then they all jumped out of the way and it almost hit the wire, he failed that attack and flew off.
I don't know why the Red tailed hawks never attack, they are supposed to be the number 1 chicken hawk. I think it is because they are scared to come down on a bird while there are so many dogs around. The coop is in between 2 dog kennels and there is a third dog kennel a little further back. We have 12 German Shepherds. My neighbors lost 3 hens in one day to Red Tailed hawks last March. Red Tailed hawks are my favorite raptor, I once saved one when I was a little kid. We were on a walk through our woods after a big storm and found a juvenile RT on the ground, we brought it back and kept it in the chicken coop, I fed him ground beef, moles, mice, and chipmunks. At the time I was not aware that it was illegal to keep a hawk, he did survive though and eventually left after he was confident with his hunting skills.
Btw, my chickens free range, unsupervised, from 6:00 am till 8:00 pm.

 

[DobieLover]

Of course, it depends on the dog

Agree 100%.

 

[Cayuga momma]

My chickens free range with my rottweiler. They also spend alot of time in a thick patch of woods that is separate from the rest of my woods. I also trap raccoons, etc. I haven't lost any birds, yet
Winter will be a different story. I will be turning their run into a 50' x 10' plastic green house with ventilation.

I'm sorry you have been having so many problems with hawks.

 

[DobieLover]

Some people don’t want to admit it but the reason their birds get sick so often is because they’re jammed in a small pen/coop 24/7 rain or shine

Agree!
I have one of those TSC prefab coops. Supposed to house 4 chickens. The woman I bought if from had 4 hens and a rooster in it. OMG! I have ONE small pullet in there for isolation and I feel sorry for her. I can't imagine keeping them in such small quarters.
Lots of folks quote the 10 sq feet per bird in the run and BASICALLY I'd say that would suffice as a minimum. I went with 2x that and still let mine out as much as possible because they are MUCH happier that way. And their run is not a stinking hole!

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Most of mine hatch out in the woods somewhere free ranging from day one. I saw a hawk the other day after hearing a commotion. He left when he saw me. The next day I saw piles of hawk feathers in the pasture and after a head count all the broods were accounted for. Looked like the hens did their job, hawk barely escaped with his life, and I have't seen him back. Not all chickens are an easy meal. Just depends on their breeding.

WOW!m Mine won't even scare away a squirrel eating all their food and veggies, sigh -- what kind of chickens do you have @varidgerunner

 

[Cayuga momma]

Agree!
I have one of those TSC prefab coops. Supposed to house 4 chickens. The woman I bought if from had 4 hens and a rooster in it. OMG! I have ONE small pullet in there for isolation and I feel sorry for her. I can't imagine keeping them in such small quarters.
Lots of folks quote the 10 sq feet per bird in the run and BASICALLY I'd say that would suffice as a minimum. I went with 2x that and still let mine out as much as possible because they are MUCH happier that way. And their run is not a stinking hole!

I completely agree. I ended turning my whole 10'x10'x15' shed into a coop for 10 chickens and 2 ducks. Their run is 500 sq ft atleast and they still get out as soon as they can.