Limited Free Range?

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Wow thanks so much for all the helpful replies! Great information...
As of right now I have RIRs, Golden comments, Easter eggers, a barred rock, cuckoo maran, black austrolorp, golden sebrite, Cochin bantam, and will be getting a speckled Sussex hybrid this weekend. I have heard that some breeds do better free ranging than others.
 
Check out these girls! They're at my friends barn right now. I'm not sure what the Sussex was mixed with to make a chicken like this. I think they're so pretty.
 

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I truly think if chickens have always been confined in a large, secure run with cover, they don't miss free ranging, having never experienced it.

Just like indoor cats are safe and sound and not off killing song birds etc. Better than the worry that one day they won't come home.
 
Having a Pyrenees is a big plus. Our neighbors had one and he used to come over here and hang out a lot, and never ever bothered our chickens. (not so great for the neighbors' chickens, lol)
 
That's awesome! But also forgot to mention that they will be in a coop at night...it's a big shed we're converting into a coop.

Also i say limited free range because it's really just a big sectioned off part of our backyard. They'll be in closed with a 4 foot high chain link fence.
 
Flock of Many Colors said:
That's awesome! But also forgot to mention that they will be in a coop at night...it's a big shed we're converting into a coop.

Also i say limited free range because it's really just a big sectioned off part of our backyard. They'll be in closed with a 4 foot high chain link fence.
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That's kinda what we did we turned our barn into a half goat/sheep pen and half chicken coop.
 
Flock of Many Colors said:
Hello! I am new on BYC but have seen so much good stuff.

So I have 12 pullets right (10 standard and 2 bantam) now in a 6.5ft x 30ft temporary run. We have a section of our back yard that we don't use very much and it is very woodsy. There are lots of shrubs and trees for the chicks.
We do have a cat who is wayyyy too interested in the chickens.
We also have lots of hawks and a couple owls around our neighborhood. I should also mention we have a Great Pyrenees and Lab mix who will be in the first section of the backyard and when I train them not to chase the hens then hopefully they will be integrated. I have high hopes for them because they train easily and are good with all other animals.
I asked someone who works at TS about her free range chickens and she said even though she lives way out in the country where she's seen any predator you can think of, she's never had any of her chickens get eaten.
I was wondering if anyone has had experience letting your chickens free range or do limited free range and how it went? I know there is always a chance something could get them, but I've heard if there is a dog in the yard and lots of cover for the chickens its a big turn off for the predators.
Thanks!
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Hi, I think free ranging is worth the risk. With hiding places for cover, and two dogs, we've had great luck so far. The hawks lurked when they were small chicks but the dogs love chasing hawks so that helps.

We taught our dogs to be chicken friends and they also became protectors. We had them lay calmly before seeing the baby chicks since they were really excited at first. We'd make them leave if they got too tense or leaned forward aggressively. And gave them treats and praise when they were calm and still. They quickly learned and grew comfortable with the chicks that we call "babies" like we call the dogs "babies". (It's nice when you call babies & the chickens come running and funny when you say hi babies to the dogs and get stampeded by chickens).

They've become best buddies. The chickens recognize the "hawk bark" and run for cover when they hear it. They trust the dogs and hop onto their back and walk around and under their feet. They hang out with us or the dogs and if we all go inside, they stay on the porch, under the carport, vehicles or go close to the chicken house or big leafy bushes.

We also picked our chicks by personality, looking for alert ones with good survival instincts so that might help. And we taught them free ranging in short outings while tiny, at our feet, with a box close by to run for cover, like a mother hen. The dogs were always nearby and every time a scary shadow flew over the dogs barked loudly and they ran in the box. They soon realized the connection to the hawk and the bark so the trust was built and they treat the dogs' hawk bark like a rooster danger call and run for cover. We also lure them into the chicken house with a treat before sunset since we have owls that come out early.

I'm sure nothing is completely safe all the time though. But chickens really thrive on free range and it's so nice to have them happy and hanging out with you. They develop more complex personalities and act more like pets. They're so much fun too!
 

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