It depends on where you live. Where are you?
I wouldn't have a heated coop. That cost would negate any financial benefit of having chickens.
There are lots of breeds that can do well in a free range situation. Yes, you will lose some but not all.
There are lots of people who free range big flocks without losing them.
I keep flocks of Penedesencas free ranging and don't lose very many birds if I lock them up at night.
I don't have bears, cougars, bobcats or wolverines here but have virtually every other North American predator. I doubt any of the aforementioned predators could catch these birds during the day.
I wouldn't keep the average backyard chicken in that situation. Orpingtons will get picked up by a fox before they even know it's there.
Depending on where you live, aside from the Penes - Campines, Andalusians, Hamburgs, Anconas, Catalanas, Javas and Minorcas might be choices.
I wouldn't have a heated coop. That cost would negate any financial benefit of having chickens.
There are lots of breeds that can do well in a free range situation. Yes, you will lose some but not all.
There are lots of people who free range big flocks without losing them.
I keep flocks of Penedesencas free ranging and don't lose very many birds if I lock them up at night.
I don't have bears, cougars, bobcats or wolverines here but have virtually every other North American predator. I doubt any of the aforementioned predators could catch these birds during the day.
I wouldn't keep the average backyard chicken in that situation. Orpingtons will get picked up by a fox before they even know it's there.
Depending on where you live, aside from the Penes - Campines, Andalusians, Hamburgs, Anconas, Catalanas, Javas and Minorcas might be choices.