I'm not sure I'll ever free range again!

[mstricer]

Quote:
X2, I totally agree with you. I think it is beneficial for them to do what birds do. Just watch your young babies, they like them a lot. I lost 6 chicks before I knew what was happening. I covered the run with a temporary deer netting to keep them safe. Haven't seen any in our area for days. But we did have a cold snap and tons of rain.

 

[polishchickens111]

I just lost two while free-ranging, not sure what happened to them. Haven't seen them since Tuesday. My other four have been dying to get out. I'm NOT letting them out without supervision anymore.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

Quote:
X2, I totally agree with you. I think it is beneficial for them to do what birds do. Just watch your young babies, they like them a lot. I lost 6 chicks before I knew what was happening. I covered the run with a temporary deer netting to keep them safe. Haven't seen any in our area for days. But we did have a cold snap and tons of rain.

X3 I could not have chickens if they had to stay in dirt runs. Quality vs Quantity of life and I just can't see keeping them caged. I would try lots of other things like livestock guardians if I had problems. I expect losses, I will get more.

 

[NellaBean]

I free range and have had hawk attacks (and losses).

I lost a bunch of d'uccles and young cochinX that were free ranging in my yard. It was taking one a day for a while. I sold off all the bantams that free-ranged and locked up my mottled cochins in a pen with a bunch of scarecrows. I added a few extra roosters to the yard so they could help with hawk/predator calls.

I had a few large fowl birds get attacked by hawks but those girls fought them off and survived mostly unscathed. All were white leghornX birds. Haven't had any hawk attacks on my dark colored birds.

I haven't had a hawk loss here in a long time....probably a year? I still see them, but the only birds out in the yard are bigger birds, I have a GREAT rooster, and there are lots of hiding places.

I still continue to allow my birds to free range and my cochins to live in a huge uncovered pen with scarecrows. If I was continuing to have losses I would have to change things. But it seems to work for me.

 

[dirtsaver]

We have been lucky so far. There are always a few hawks around along with both main breeds of buzzards but we have not had any losses. Four-footed varmits are in abundance too! Our run is made from chain-link dog kennels and we have nylon bird netting designed for fruit trees over it and that seems to work when they are confined. We do let the girls free range at least a few hours every day and many days they are out all day.

We have our grow-out coop in the free range area along with an Igloo doghouse and there are several shrubs for them to hide under too. We have noticed that if our dogs start barking the girls take notice and head for cover. We don't have a rooster but some of the girls seem to take charge of watching the sky for problems!

 

[simplynewt]

While working out in the yard today making a hay feeder for my goat girls, I noticed a few of the winged preditors circling my place. Yep, not going to free range them any time soon and when I decide to let them do this, it will be under strict supervision.

Thanks for the pic Nicole. Awesome run you have there. Gives me a couple good ideas on how to better my run.

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
X2, I totally agree with you. I think it is beneficial for them to do what birds do. Just watch your young babies, they like them a lot. I lost 6 chicks before I knew what was happening. I covered the run with a temporary deer netting to keep them safe. Haven't seen any in our area for days. But we did have a cold snap and tons of rain.

X3 I could not have chickens if they had to stay in dirt runs. Quality vs Quantity of life and I just can't see keeping them caged. I would try lots of other things like livestock guardians if I had problems. I expect losses, I will get more.

That's true, but 7-8 months out of the year is winter and snowy grounds. I love our run, we are winter proofing it, so no snow can enter. Then they can have use of the run all winter long vs keeping them locked up in the coop.

My chickens LOVE the dirt. When I free range, they head right to the dirt areas in the back woods. They never graze in the grass. I guess they feel more protected with the trees. We are working on our landscaping, planting more trees and shrubs. I think I'll try and get some thornless blackberry bushes.

I can't imagine losing any of my girls. I've grown so attached to them. I have a chair I bring in the coop and each of them jump up on my lap. It's so sweet.

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
No problem. We are covering up the run with plastic once it snows. Then they will have access all winter long.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
X3 I could not have chickens if they had to stay in dirt runs. Quality vs Quantity of life and I just can't see keeping them caged. I would try lots of other things like livestock guardians if I had problems. I expect losses, I will get more.

That's true, but 7-8 months out of the year is winter and snowy grounds. I love our run, we are winter proofing it, so no snow can enter. Then they can have use of the run all winter long vs keeping them locked up in the coop.

My chickens LOVE the dirt. When I free range, they head right to the dirt areas in the back woods. They never graze in the grass. I guess they feel more protected with the trees. We are working on our landscaping, planting more trees and shrubs. I think I'll try and get some thornless blackberry bushes.

I can't imagine losing any of my girls. I've grown so attached to them. I have a chair I bring in the coop and each of them jump up on my lap. It's so sweet.

Mine love the snow, they would be awefully mad if I tried to lock them in over winter!

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
X3 I could not have chickens if they had to stay in dirt runs. Quality vs Quantity of life and I just can't see keeping them caged. I would try lots of other things like livestock guardians if I had problems. I expect losses, I will get more.

That's true, but 7-8 months out of the year is winter and snowy grounds. I love our run, we are winter proofing it, so no snow can enter. Then they can have use of the run all winter long vs keeping them locked up in the coop.

My chickens LOVE the dirt. When I free range, they head right to the dirt areas in the back woods. They never graze in the grass. I guess they feel more protected with the trees. We are working on our landscaping, planting more trees and shrubs. I think I'll try and get some thornless blackberry bushes.

I can't imagine losing any of my girls. I've grown so attached to them. I have a chair I bring in the coop and each of them jump up on my lap. It's so sweet.

Mine love the snow, they would be awefully mad if I tried to lock them in over winter!

I tried letting them out with snow on the ground. They hated it. It went well with covering the run. The ground never froze and I heated their coop. It ended up working better then I thought. They have more then enough space. I'm super thrilled the girls learned to free range in the thickest part of the woods. Plus they hit the jackpot with bugs, grubs, and army worms. We have army worms by the thousands this year. I've seen 5-6 different species of hawk this year already. I stand over my flock with a stick. A red tail swooped down just a week ago, but didn't get any of them. The hens were under a thorny tree/bush. I hear the hawks constantly all day long. I have no choice, but to let them free range with the hawks. There's plenty of thick hiding spaces and the hens leaned how to watch the sky.