Keeping Chickens Free Range

[Sylviaanne]

We don't free range but they have a pretty huge run. The bad things about me free ranging is that;
1: We have a bird dog. He has been trained not to kill livestock but who knows. There has been a chicken out and he just stared at it.
2: Will they stick together?
3: Will they get into the road? We don't live to close to a road but could they get that far?
4: Will they put themselves up at night as usual?

I have one dog that I fear might kill my chickens if she is out there and 2 more that just love to chase the chickens. Needless to say, the dogs do not go free.

My birds stick together for a little while but then they scatter and don't come back together until they roost.

Yes, they will get into the road. Mine haven't for a long time but they have.

Mine have not been trained to go back to the coop at night so we are just learning/teaching.

 

[cowhlb]

I have one dog that I fear might kill my chickens if she is out there and 2 more that just love to chase the chickens. Needless to say, the dogs do not go free.

My birds stick together for a little while but then they scatter and don't come back together until they roost.

Yes, they will get into the road. Mine haven't for a long time but they have.

Mine have not been trained to go back to the coop at night so we are just learning/teaching.

My dog is a farm dog so he stays outside pretty much all day. He is a German Shorthaired Pointer. He has been trained not to kill livestock but idk.

 

[Mister B]

I am in the process of setting up a free range system. I tried just letting them roam, but they became part of the food chain. So, I tried restraining them and putting them in another pen. Again, they got eaten. Now, I have them in their original pen. I lock the coop at night. Nobody has been eaten in a week. My plan is to enlarge their coop (it was built for 5 hens), and open the small pen to a larger pen with a small gate I can close/open when I want to.
About feeding. When I free ranged them (before they were eaten) they ate significantly less of their feed. I kept feed for them as a supplement to make sure they got all the nutrients they needed. I had the feed available as free choice. In the mornings, I would put out some scratch and the leftovers from dinner/breakfast. But yes, I would continue to keep feed available for them.

 

[troy4]

I am in the process of setting up a free range system. I tried just letting them roam, but they became part of the food chain. So, I tried restraining them and putting them in another pen. Again, they got eaten. Now, I have them in their original pen. I lock the coop at night. Nobody has been eaten in a week. My plan is to enlarge their coop (it was built for 5 hens), and open the small pen to a larger pen with a small gate I can close/open when I want to.
About feeding. When I free ranged them (before they were eaten) they ate significantly less of their feed. I kept feed for them as a supplement to make sure they got all the nutrients they needed. I had the feed available as free choice. In the mornings, I would put out some scratch and the leftovers from dinner/breakfast. But yes, I would continue to keep feed available for them.

we had that prob put our dog right on them foxes! Never have seen a fox yet,of course mihnes were surviving after words(The new Hens are survivors@!)

 

[rc4u]

my coop is right behind my shop and since they were day old they have had loud music and even in there coop they can here the music from the shop...and i do this as it keeps the coons and fox and coyotes away...they dont like rock n roll. but the dang great horned owls dont care...have lost 3 to them...but now there 10 weeks about and they keep an eye to the sky..and they also go in 3 hours early now...but put a radio fairly loud in or around the coop and it does keep ground prdators away.. jeff

 

[dipilu2]

I'm on my second pair of silkies after first pair died if cioccodiosis. I learned A LOT from that experience and it broke my heart because, yes, I loved my little black hen and my proud funky rooster! They would run to me for hugs everyday after work. I kept them in the yard by day and they happily returned to their coop by dusk. My new set are white silkies and had the same disease, but I caught it in time and fed them anti initibiotics, kept their bedding extra clean and warm. They aren't ready for the yard yet, but already running all over my toes, rushing and playing on the dogs and singing to me when I wake then up! Although silkies are delicate and high maintenance, Owning chickens is better than tv!

 

[LadyBroody]

I'm on my second pair of silkies after first pair died if cioccodiosis. I learned A LOT from that experience and it broke my heart because, yes, I loved my little black hen and my proud funky rooster! They would run to me for hugs everyday after work. I kept them in the yard by day and they happily returned to their coop by dusk. My new set are white silkies and had the same disease, but I caught it in time and fed them anti initibiotics, kept their bedding extra clean and warm. They aren't ready for the yard yet, but already running all over my toes, rushing and playing on the dogs and singing to me when I wake then up! Although silkies are delicate and high maintenance, Owning chickens is better than tv!

Sorry about your silkies.

That's so true! I would rather sit in the chicken coop, than watch tv!! So much more entertaining.

 

[Bayou Lena]

Mine free range on 10 acres all day. The goose herds all the ducks in the barn at night and I shut them in. The chickens can fly out the back door and out over the cattle panels if they want at night.
I rarely give them supplemental food in the summer.

 

[dipilu2]

Tha

...

Sorry about your silkies.  That's so true! I would rather sit in the chicken coop, than watch tv!! So much more entertaining.

 

[dipilu2]

Thanks LadyBroody, it's amazing how you can get attached to chickens!