I think all chicken owners should.......

[horsejody]

My birds free range when we are home. They are locked in a coop at night. My predator losses have been to dogs. I consider that the dog owners' fault. It's their fault if their dogs end up dead, and I will take whatever legal action is necessary to recoup my losses from them.

 

[KMHunter]

I have a small flock, and i worry about them a lot. I let them out in the evenings when I get home and longer on weekends also when I'm home. I try to balance keeping them penned and letting them roam free so that they get the best of both worlds and I feel they are as safe as they can be. I know that at some point I may lose one or two, but I will do what I have to to not let that happen. ie: shotgun, rifle, electric fence.

I love my girls and want them to have as happy a life as possible, I feel I owe them that.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

My chickens happily free ranged for many years. Then housing developments went up all around me and the racoons, foxes, hawks and possums came looking for dinner and found it roosting in trees and running on my 3 acres.

After losing over 20 chickens I had to put up a large chain link pen and confine them to their predator proof hen houses at night....not an easy task. Had to clip some wings on persisitant escape artists and chase them down for many weeks.

Now they are all safe. I wish they could free range but it is no longer safe here. Sometimes I think about opening the run gate for a day but I don't know if they would all come back, so don't do it.