Letting them out?

[polishchickens111]

I am wondering if I could let my birds ferr range when I'm out during the day. No one is home from 8:00-7:30ish. My family insists that they can be out safely, but we have hawks and neighborhood dogs that will attack them the second no one is watching them. Plus, our own dog isn't too friendly with them either. And while we live in a quiet neighborhood, our yard isn't fenced and are bordered by roads on two sides. And I don't want them in the neighbor's yard. My family is being insistant that they go out though. THEY SHOULD STAY IN!!! I told them this and they don't listen.

 

[Tripp16]

Sounds like where I live. Honestly I would keep them in just to keep them safe.

I take my girls out in a huge dog wire crate with no bottom and let them hangout in the grass. They looove it!

Sorry if Im not too much help...

 

[flnatv]

I wouldn't leave a Polish out all day... they have enough trouble seeing anyway...
I think it would be a disaster.

 

[7L Farm]

I wouldn't let them out.

 

[Bengalcats1]

Yea you can but you take great chances of losing some, hawks, dogs, whatever you have will be all over them. I let mine out here and there and once in a while I notice someone missing

.....some people just take the risk. I think they'd be safer if there is a lot of hiding places they can go BUT dogs will get them no matter what. If you want to be totally sure they are safe then you Can't let them out.

 

[Niss]

It's a risk. I thought we were prepared to take it (considering one of the main reasons we got the birds is to eat bugs). However, in one morning we lost 9 birds to a neighbor's dog. The solution for us was doubling the run size and keeping them in through the week.


Let me add they still have their run of the place on weekends and if they were better behaived I'd allow them out in the evenings too.

 

[bryan99705]

A chicken tractor or two with skirting sounds like the way to go. Otherwise run electric fence and take your chances with the hawks.

 

[akcharlie1960]

I second the tractor. Good and sturdy.

 

[tuckertori]

I only have 3 girls so I can't imagine putting them at risk! My yard is secure from dogs. They would have to go through the fence and we do not have dogs running free. However, we do have hawks and an occassional eagle. We let our girls out when we are in the yard and/or our 2 dogs are out. They spend most of their time in the beds on the perimeter of the yard, so are under cover. I do like the idea of a tractor if you want them out a lot when you can't be with them, especially if your land is not fenced.

 

[louclare]

if you have no fence, i would keep them in. knowing our chicks, pretty soon they would be out of our yard...