Need Advice from other who allow Free Ranging

[BreezyMeadowsNJ]

I am new to the chicken world andove my little chicks. It was important to me that they be allowed to free range. We have 16 acres of which about 3/4 of an acre is a 4 ft fence adjacent to the house. I allow the chicks to sort of free range in there. They have their coop door attached (a barn) and go in and out during the day but we lock them up at dusk when they go in. Problem...there is now a large grey owl who sits in a tree about 2 acres into the property who watches them in the early evening. When I start to walk back there he flys away but I have seen him there the past few nights.

Question...those of you who allow your chicks in wide open areas and not totally fenced in, how do you do it? I am a nervous reck worrying about Hawks and owls but I really want them to be able to roam. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cutipatooti]

For me the whole reason I got into chickens was for free range healthy eggs and tick control. The downside is we loose a few to Hawks and such. I hear a goose could help if it were to get along with your chickens or a specially trained guardian dog. I don't think you can free range with no real protection and expect not to loose any.

 

[centrarchid]

I have done it for quite some time. Adults fare much better than young and adults can protect young by simply being present. You can reduce risk of loss by restricting time out. Also look into use of a chicken tractor.

 

[CozyFanatic]

I allow my chicks and older chickens to free range, but they are trained to go into the pen before dark and I make sure I close it tightly every night. This pen is around a group of trees with lots of undergrowth to give them cover from predators. I keep my smaller chicks in a small fence with a house inside this where I can readily see it from my bedroom window, and also I fasten them up at night too.
At one time I purchased strips of lumber and made a frame and covered this with chicken wire on 3 sides and the ends and I can move this around and this is where I keep the baby/babies when I first allow them out of the brooder.
Lots of luck! I know a free range chicken is a happy chicken!

Anne

 

[Primo]

Fact is if you free range your birds unsupervised sooner or later you will loose some. You may go a year or more with no issue then out of the blue it happens. Or it could be tomorrow. Even the best laid plans with gaurdian dogs, shelters, roosters etc it will happen. If you treat them as pets and the associated heartbreak you would have loosing them this way then do not free range. I do not treat mine as pets and deal with the occaisional acceptable loss as i feel the benefits of free ranging outweigh the losses.

 

[youtubeminer]

if you are worried to Hawks look up to the sky and if you see and bird going in circles that means it's hungey and founded prey but owls and falcons don't do that I always look that them when they are outside

 

[BreezyMeadowsNJ]

Thank you all for your advice and help still chasing the owl away every night...maybe he will get frustrated and move on...though I doubt it.

 

[centrarchid]

Thank you all for your advice and help still chasing the owl away every night...maybe he will get frustrated and move on...though I doubt it.

Owl is likely hunting on you for rodents. Pen birds early and release late is no other preventative measures in place. Then work to reduce rodent abundance. Are you hearing an odd nasual sounding call at night? That could indicate young owls are using your place as a loafing area while waiting for parents to bring them eats. That is my current boat and those same owls will really challenge my keep until dogs give them a good scare.

 

[Chknsmkmehppy]

I have free ranged my chickens for the past couple of years as well. We have an acre covered in mostly mature trees. My flock tends to stick close around the buildings and other foliage and I do not see them out in the open area much. I have a neighbor who has a bird feeder collection that is amazing and I see lots of hawks over both our properties so I have always been worried about it.. He has seen several hawks even pick birds right off the feeder. I put a fake owl by the chicken coop to deter the hawks as I have heard they do not like owls. So far so good. I am wondering if there is anything that might deter the owl? Scarecrow? lol Sounds like you have a much larger area to deal with and there may always be a risk in such an environment. Good luck.

 

[BreezyMeadowsNJ]

Owl is likely hunting on you for rodents. Pen birds early and release late is no other preventative measures in place. Then work to reduce rodent abundance. Are you hearing an odd nasual sounding call at night? That could indicate young owls are using your place as a loafing area while waiting for parents to bring them eats. That is my current boat and those same owls will really challenge my keep until dogs give them a good scare.

The owl could be hunting rabbits as we have tons of them that feed in the meadow where he is perching. I will keep my fingers crossed on that. Thank you for responding to me.