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

[LaurEliz]

I free range mine. I had a hawk issue too. I got a decoy owl and a decoy hawk for my yard. I hung up a bunch (and I mean a bunch, it's ridiculous) of CDs all over the trees in my yard, too. Having a bunch of trees and bushes for chickens to take cover under helps, too. Having a good rooster will also do you wonders. Mine warns everyone when he sees a hawk (or any other bird, or an airplane, or a particularly large leaf... ) flying over and casting a shadow on the ground. They all run and hide when he does.

Since my decoys and CDs, I have lost significantly fewer birds to hawks. Some have gone "missing" and those could be hawk deaths, but I'm not sure. I don't let mine free range all day, either, to lessen the time frame a predator could get them. I try to be around the house when they're out so I can go check on any strange sounds or just peak out at them every so often. Even so, there are times they're out when I'm at work or in classes, still.

If you free range, you're just going to lose some, unfortunately, but I don't lose nearly as many as you'd think I would with the amount of predators in my yard.

With previous flocks, I didn't free range and all would be well until a predator would somehow find its way in ONE TIME and then the entire flock would be slaughtered at once. At least with free ranging, there's lesser chance of losing them all at once.

 

[ScottKelly1974]

We had a hawk land a couple of times in our yard, I put up some cds in the trees and made a scarecrow, I'm hoping that works, haven't seen the hawk in a few days.

Princess Buttercup

• wenwar
• Jul 16, 2018
• 3

Buttercup on the fence, prior to clipping

Someone told me they used CDs, and that worked at first. Then the hawks learn the CDs don't do anything to them, and the CDs become ineffective. He did say they shot one hawk and that made the other hawks more weary.

 

[FluffyButt789]

Our chickens are smart. They run quick when they see a predator. Our worst is hawks, but we have many huge bushes for the chickens to hide in. They stick close to the house. Lots of cover - bushes, trees, porches, whatever!!!

 

[Digby57]

I leave my birds out from sun-up to sun-down every day. I'm not home the majority of the day. I have had good luck with two things. A) The breed I chose: Liege Game. These make great flock masters because of their size, athleticism and disposition. I would feel safe adding hens of any other breed to my flock and getting the same protection. B) I downloaded some MP3 tracks of crows and made a playlist I play on repeat when I have young birds out on pasture. The first time I played it it took about 45 seconds for 6 crows to come inspect what these other "crows" were going on about. After about another 30 seconds they figured out it wasn't real crows and they've never come back, even after weeks of not playing the sounds and then turning it back on. I knew crows were fairly smart, but that surprised me.

This is in Florida and we're on a 3,600 acre farm. There is a lot of pressure from hawks and everything else you would expect in Florida.

 

[ScottKelly1974]

I built some nesting boxes for a farm this year. They have a set up where there are dogs and pigs on either side of the chicken area. They told me the dogs being out there all the time has put a stop to predators coming after their chickens. Having seen their set up, it is clear why they have not lost any chickens. Anything on the ground would have to get past the dogs to get to the chickens. As for hawks, they could get a chicken, but they hawks may not know the dogs are limited to where they can go.

 

[Doctorbeer]

I free range ducks and chickens. It's a matter of luck and numbers. Having a big rooster helps, he'll get loud if a hawk or something else is around. I find hawks will perch and watch him, calculating whether or not it's worth trying to tussle with a rooster.(He has fought and won fights with hawks.) They also seem to hesitate if the ducks or chickens are in a big group.
The most important part is just to have a presence in the area, and if you do leave them unattended, that's just the risk you take. I leave them unattended for most of the day, but I patrol the area by walking around every few hours.

 

[fur-mum]

I saw a hawk in the yard Saturday. I live in the 'burbs and haven't seen a hawk in a couple of years, but I heard a ruckus from the girls and looked outside. They had all run for cover under the patio table and compost bin. I'll be more wary now that I know it's back, but I'm keeping fingers crossed that there's enough for them to hide under that they'll be alright. Mine are used to free-ranging so they get pretty restless if I confine them to the run.

 

[quackingdom]

We have pretty much every predator there is here. Our ducks have free ranged for almost the entire 4+ years we've had them, and we've never lost one to a hawk that we knew of. Two disappeared without warning or clues, but I think that was during the night (usually they all get in their pens for the night, but not always). Even day-old ducklings free range if their mom is willing to go out with them. They free range from about 6:30 AM to 6 PM or whenever it gets dark.

Our neighbors, on the other hand, have only had their chickens for one year and have already lost two to hawks, or maybe more.

Our secret?

I think it's all the bushes and buildings. There are about five LARGE structures/bushes, plus numerous other smaller ones. The ducks are rarely more than fifty feet from safety, even though they use about three acres of our land. I've seen hawks go over many times, and their presence is almost always followed by a massive flurry of wings flapping and scurrying to the nearest large object.

So, if you want to free-range? Plant stuff. Hibiscus bushes grow fast and provide thick cover. Their flowers are pretty too. We have four berry bushes beside three soursop trees, and those create a heavy, fully shaded canopy that the ducks love. It won't protect from any other predators, but at least it will keep hawks at bay. (Although we've never had issues with other predators, either.)

Oh, we also have four geese, as well as a GSD. I'm not sure if they make much difference, though, because we've only had the geese for eleven months and the dog for six, and the ducks have free ranged for much longer than that.

Being Muscovies rather than chickens might make a difference, but I don't know.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I free range all my poultry and waterfowl. They do have coops that are covered with electric fence.. I just turn the power off in the morning, back on at night. I'm retired so I have the free time to be outside most of the day. They have a bull, cows, 5 goat does, 2 goat bucks and 3 wethers overseeing the pastures and the pond. Nothing we have here challenges that bull. My pit mix fella is also a fantastic guardian. I have found a large guinea flock and my geese help with overhead predators also, and of course a few good roosters. A hot electric fence keeps the rest out!

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

We free range our birds but ONLY when we are home. Even then ive had hawks try to attack them when we are not far. Ive noticed if we stand in the yard with them they wont attack when flying over but if we are just sitting out there or the hawk doesnt see us they go for it. Our birds move together as a flock and dont spread out. One will sound the alarm and they run under our porch which makes the hawk lose his target. Just sunday i was cuddling with our cat in bed getting ready to settle down for a nap when i heard the alarm. I looked out the window and saw a small hawk just sitting there with no chicken as a prize. I screamed "hawk!" And ran outside neglecting to put on pants. By the time i was out there my SO was already on it and the hawk had flown away.