How wrisky is free ranging during the day in New York (Westchester)?

[Rich Marshall]

I was originally going to build a chicken Tractor to keep my hens in but recently have been tempted to free range them although I do realize the risks of preditors.
Should I be worried about the hen during the day if free ranging or just during dusk?

 

[cupman]

It all depends on what types of predators you have in your area.

Hawks are the big time day killer in my area. Another thing to consider is how easy a dog off a leash could get into your yard. I keep my gate shut because nobody around here walks their dogs on leashes.. all it takes is a minute or two and an entire flock can be decimated. Predators such as raccoons and coyotes you are probably safe from. However, they will attack in the day on rare occasion.. just this past summer a mother raccoon and her four babies came for my flock in broad daylight afternoon. I shot em all but if I wasn't there it could have been a disaster.

 

[corgiscatsandchickens]

You probably have more predators than you think in your area. We only free range ours when one of us can be with them to watch out. The folks who live on our road don't fence or leash their dogs

. We have raccoons and coyotes and foxes--all of which will take chickens, usually at night, but they've been seen in the daytime, too. Skunks and opossums are around, so are cats, bobcats, and we have hawks and owls like crazy here. If I free ranged my flock without supervision, they'd live two days, maybe three.

It all depends on the area. We've got almost every predator you can name here.