Need some opinions on free-ranging please!

[georgialee]

I'm getting ready to move my flock over to our land which is several miles down the road. There will be two horses over there, a large barn and a 4-strand polywire electric fence. My husband is building a coop that will be raised off the ground and predator proof. Do you think the chickens will be okay to range during the day as long as their coop is inside the fence? We do have predators but most are nocturnal (coyotes, fox, racoon, etc.). Our land is pretty heavily wooded so they would have plenty of places to hide/fly to... and hawks shouldn't be too much of a problem b/c of all the trees. What do y'all thing... yay or nay?

 

[Uppity Peon]

Well....
OK you have perimeter fencing? 2x4 no-climb or something, electric top and bottom? I do like raised coops, and they don't really need ramps. Chickens can fly up 3 feet to reach the entrance.

Hawks and owls might be the biggest threat.

Are there any people nearby who can keep an ear peeled? A trustworthy dog would be a great asset too.

 

[LegHorn-BusHorn]

Any time you free range, you take a chance with preditors day or night. Most of time your ok but free ranging means you are taking a chance of loosing some. Good luck.

 

[Big C]

Ours "free range" inside a fenced perimeter with 4 strand high joul hot wire. Will bring a big man to his knees easily. All have a "free range" of approx 100 sq ft per bird or more.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

I think that there are a lot of things that can slip around, over or under 4 strand horse fence. You would need something like netting.... Will the coop be locked up at night? If not there are things that can go in and out the same door the chickens do........Dont want to be negative, I love free range, but just my thoughts!

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

Also another thought.... My horses got out into the yard one morning and destroyed part of the chicken tractors trying to get to the feed. Guess they smelled that there was corn in it. You might want to think about that as a possibility also!

Best of luck!

 

[chicken obsessed]

I have 25 chickens and I let mine free-range all day long, at night they all go back to their home to roost and all I have 2 do is shut the door, I haven't lost one yet. they have a 3.5 acre lot.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

I do the same with mine, although the coop is off my big yard. They have the option of the whole farm, but I think that they have been better protected from being closer to all the other predators on the property---the people, 3 dogs and 9 cats that 'own' this territory. I dont have electric fencing, but I think all the action keeps predators away. My brother keeps his in a huge covered chicken tractor out on the back of his farm, with no problems, but it is secure, huge and heavy with an indoor and outdoor part and only one locked door to get in. He moves it when needed with the tractor.

 

[joetzu]

If we want to "free range" about 25 (meat)chickens in a fenced in area, how much space would we need ? I have been reading all kinds of books and articles, but can't get a handle on our space needs.
Also, we were thinking of keeping about 6 layers and having them sepated from the meat birds ? Good idea or won't it matter ?
Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

About all you can do is try it, if you wish, and see what happens.

Dogs can easily get through a four-strand horse fence, so a lot of it will depend on how often you have loose dogs around (and whether any of your horses is of the persuasion to attack them, as some horses will). For sure lock the chickens up as soon as it starts to dim in the evening (not just after it's mostly dark).

Good luck, hope it works out for you,

Pat