I'm afraid to free range!

[joebryant]

I share your fear; however, I prefer letting mine roam freely in danger than be penned up all day in the run. What I do is take 250 feet of 3-feet-tall 2x4 farm fencing and run it into the yard, over to the wooded area, down the yard's outside fence line and attach it to the the fence outide the back yard and then to coop's run only with wires. It stands by itself stretched around trees, but there are no posts to support it. The chickens don't challenge its integrity. I can move it to any shape I see fit. I have another 50-foot roll of the wire that I'll add to it soon.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

My chickens free range, although I have a 6 foot soild fence around my place so no free ranging dogs to worry about.

But you mentioned that you are worried about them getting to closer to your neighbor's.

Have you trained your chickens to come when called?

If they are trained to come when called then you can do what I do.

I let mine out while I work in the yard and then when I want them to go home I bring treats out call them and toss the treats into their pen. Everyone comes running from where ever they are on our place to get the treats and then I am able to lock them back up.

It is very helpful to have it this way... means no chicken chases when they need to go home.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I'm with you Sunket. I just have four hens and can't afford to lose any of them to predators. I keep mine entirely enclosed.

I know they would be in paradise if they were loose, but I don't want to lose them.

 

[Malou-La-Croix]

What about cats? I live in a downtown neighborhood and my backyard is enclosed by chainlink. I let my 2 girls (3 month old golden comets) run free in the yard from morning until late afternoon. A couple of times I have looked out and seen my neigbors small cat in the yard watching them from a few feet away. He runs off as soon as I go out. Do you think cats are a big problem...and I am talking about pet cats who have plenty to eat at home?

 

[Katy_didnot]

I figure it's the same with chickens as it is with kids. Yes, you could keep them with you or inside where it's safe, but you trade off in their quality of life.
So I let my children drive and go rock wall climbing and fly cross country, and when the chickens are a little bigger, they will have free run of the yard.
On the other hand, if you can't stand to let the chickens out, you're not going to ruin their lives either.

 

[AnnesChicks]

I share your fear, I have only eight hens and would be so sad to lose even one. My yard is not fully fenced, we live at the edge of a wooded area, my neighbor lost both cats to coyotes, there are a lot of loose dogs in the area, not to mention almost daily sightings of hawks. A couple times a year I see evidence of a hawk or cat kill near my wild bird feeders. My neighbors have even found bear droppings in their backyard. Too scary for me!

I don't let mine out, but make a habit of providing them fresh cut grass/weeds daily. When I weed I watch for bugs to add to the bucket and dump the entire thing in their run. I also keep a couple pieces of wood along the inside edge of their run and about once a week flip one over so they can have a great time chasing the bugs that are hiding underneath. So because they live to eat, as long as the menu is varied, and the run/coop space is adequate, your chicken's will be healthy and happy and alive.

 

[DesertChickLover]

I don't free range. My hens are fine in our dog run and plus, we have too many neighborhood cats.

 

[annecros]

I've only been free ranging during the day in my fenced back yard for a couple of weeks.

The neighbor's had expressed appreciation of the chickens and are looking forward to eggs. The girls wanted out so bad they could taste it. My dog would kill them, but she is an old girl that lives in the house and the front yard.

I was so scared. I trimmed the flight feathers so they couldn't fly over the 4 foot tall chain link, and let them out. They didn't go 20 feet from the coop the first day. In and out of the coop and run all day.

Now, they range the entire back yard all day when I am here to watch them. The best part of the day is the morning with me and the girls and a cup of coffee, watching them go slug hunting. They are getting really good!

But, it is a personal choice. I would be devastated if anything happened to any one of them - but they are so happy!

 

[mkeawsh]

I just posted this to another to another posting -

My chickens free-range and I live in the country in a hollow surrounded by woods and then hundreds of acres of farmland. I had a hawk come down and grab one of my roos but could not hold on to him and Stripes was all boogered up on his head and face but survived. In the past three years I have lost at least a dozen to Barred Owls, Redtail Hawks or Cooper's Hawks - which have short stubby wings that help them maneuver between trees to ambush prey. I had a coyote take two of my silkies this Spring and two years ago before I got the nightguards I had raccoons that grabbed five of my chickens in three straight nights by the heads through the chicken tractor, but none since. Flying predators are my biggest threat. I have two cats that are outdoors and they could care less about the chickens. Also, my fainting goats hang out with them so that protects them.

I have weighed letting my little ones confined but they are so happy to be out and miserable when they are in, that I find it worth the risk to let them run and I enjoy, holding, feeding them by hand daily and appreciate them while I have them and if they disappear - well that is nature and I thank God for the time and fun I had with them. My best bud and best leader of the flock - Ugly (Bantam RIR) - got taken over a year ago, I know doing what he has always done so well, protecting his hens and it hit me hard but I know it was over in an instant since most of the time when hawks grabs it breaks their neck.

Every single one of my chickens, I have incubated and brooded in my livingroom under the watchful eyes or my five indoor cats and I would not change a thing.

Gail

 

[Judy]

Definitely a personal choice. Good variety of viewpoints here.

Cats will kill chickens -- usually baby chicks, not full grown ones, though it can happen. Usually not, though. Usually cats tease or watch but are actually afraid of them, probably having been pecked on the nose in the past, or they just ignore the chickens.