How do your free range chickens not get eaten

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
You've had good advice already, it's true that free ranging is a risk for your birds. As adult large breed hens, they will be less attractive to many hawks, but there's still some risk from them. Definitely they can't be let out when raptors are sitting there drooling over them!
Electric poultry netting or electric fencing is good for managing many land predators, if it's possible to use it on your property.
Having a predator proof coop and run is essential! Post pictures of your coop and run, if you want help with it here.
Mary

 

[Jennc-123]

Mine have plenty of trees areas for cover. The only trouble we've had is the neighbors dogs, and that won't happen again. We're planning to get LGD's. The only reason we're planning Ona fenced run is to keep Roos (the last one didn't like kids after the neighbors dog). We have lots of hawks, Eagles, turkey vultures and so far it's been safe. Winter will be a different game plan.

 

[ChuskaMtns]

I have lots of bushes and trees for them to run under. I also have a couple of Anatolians that keep watch over the chickens and ducks. The dogs live with the poultry 24 x 7 and no predators get near them. In the more open areas I have fishing line criss crossed over the area with CDs hanging from it randomly to deter any aerial predators from flying into the area. It's high enough to easily walk around and the CDs give the hawks a visual so they do stay away from that area.

 

[Kaesi2020]

Welcome!
You've had good advice already, it's true that free ranging is a risk for your birds. As adult large breed hens, they will be less attractive to many hawks, but there's still some risk from them. Definitely they can't be let out when raptors are sitting there drooling over them!
Electric poultry netting or electric fencing is good for managing many land predators, if it's possible to use it on your property.
Having a predator proof coop and run is essential! Post pictures of your coop and run, if you want help with it here.
Mary

Hi! Do not mean to sidetrack this thread but I had a question. When you say large breed birds are less desirable, would buff orpingtons count here? I have 21 week old buffs. The ones I most worry for are the red sex links I have who are smaller than my buffs and easter Eggers- kind of skinny actually and smaller bone structure? Thank you

 

[Folly's place]

Here almost all of our losses to hawks have been bantams and immature birds. 'Young and dumb' is part of it, and smaller body size definitely. We have most losses from Cooper's hawks, and some from red-tailed hawks. Other places will have other hawks, and owls, that may be able to take standard sized chickens easily.
Mary

 

[Phantom_k9]

Speaking from experience here, free ranging chickens will produce the best eggs you've ever eaten (and will decimate your grasshopper and other pest populations), but it is almost inevitable that you will loose chickens.
The highest thing on your to do list should be fencing in your property (if you haven't already), and periodically checking for holes or areas where animals have gotten through.
The hawks will provide you with the most trouble, in my opinion. They are not going to go away, and they will wait around your flock waiting for an opportunity, and if they get one they will be back for more. They are persistent, opportunistic, and nearly fearless. Some will let you walk up to them if they have their eyes on a chicken. I've heard all different ways to get rid of hawks (legally), but there isn't a sure fire way (from what i've seen). Fake owls supposedly work, as long as you move them around the yard every 2-3 days. Crows and small birds also help to keep the raptors away. But the best way to keep the hawks at bay is to have a covered run.
Things such as dogs, foxes, and other creatures that would attack in the middle of the day, can be "prevented" with a good fence and a closed in run.
Nighttime varmints are detoured by having a secure coop. We lost a few early on to a cat that would reach into the pen we had our chickens in and take their heads. If the chickens roost is in an exposed corner (like in the corner of a chain dog pen like ours was), something can reach in.
Snakes suck. They steal your eggs and might even take a chick. There is a powder that you can line your pen / yard with, I forget the name of it but any feed store will know what you mean if you ask for snake repellent. Snakes also don't want to put in a lot of effort into getting a meal, they will go for what ever they see first OR what ever is easiest. I.E. a weak or small bird, or an unattended egg. You can buy fake eggs (for really cheap) and scatter them around your coop / run / yard, and snakes might go for them and end of dying.

I hope this info helps, and if you do decide to start free ranging, I wish you luck!