Needing advice...or therapy. Too chicken to let the chickens out...

[MrsAuberry00]

Ever since I lost Lady Sybil to an unknown predator on November 12th and my dear, sweet Anna the very next day to a hawk or an owl, (because we could find NO trace of her and we've seen both,) I haven't let my remaining three hens out of their coop/run. I'm terrified that whatever got the other two will take one or more of them.

Since I got them all in April of 2017, they've been allowed to free range on our 3 acres of yard, bordered by woods on all sides. Their coop has ample space for them to roost and their run is a 6' x 12' covered dog kennel. Since the dark days of losing two of my girls, because I've been keeping them "inside," I added a metal tub filled with soil from their favorite dust bathing spots around the yard and there is limb for them to roost on if they choose to do so. I bought suet blocks and the container they go in and hung them from the side of the kennel so they have something to do. The surface of the run is sand and I'm worried they aren't getting in the scratching and foraging chickens need to keep from being bored. Should I change their run flooring to a deep litter? If so, how do I even start? Should I be keeping them penned? Am I being a bad chicken mom by not letting them out to free range? I feel like a monster when I walk away from the coop and they are pacing back and forth and clucking at me like, "Hey, Mom, why can't we go outside?" I want to do what's best for the girls, but I'm so very frightened of losing more of them!

Help!

 

[Trish1974]

Ever since I lost Lady Sybil to an unknown predator on November 12th and my dear, sweet Anna the very next day to a hawk or an owl, (because we could find NO trace of her and we've seen both,) I haven't let my remaining three hens out of their coop/run. I'm terrified that whatever got the other two will take one or more of them.

I would suspect a ground predator as hawks an owls usually do not carry away their kill.

Normally keeping the survivors locked up for a couple weeks would suffice. Most predators would move on. But since you aren't really sure what you are dealing with and you are seeing hawks and owls there is a good chance those will attack, too. Also with this nasty weather predators get desperate. Can you let them out for a little while and be out there with them?

 

[centrarchid]

Ever since I lost Lady Sybil to an unknown predator on November 12th and my dear, sweet Anna the very next day to a hawk or an owl, (because we could find NO trace of her and we've seen both,) I haven't let my remaining three hens out of their coop/run. I'm terrified that whatever got the other two will take one or more of them.

Since I got them all in April of 2017, they've been allowed to free range on our 3 acres of yard, bordered by woods on all sides. Their coop has ample space for them to roost and their run is a 6' x 12' covered dog kennel. Since the dark days of losing two of my girls, because I've been keeping them "inside," I added a metal tub filled with soil from their favorite dust bathing spots around the yard and there is limb for them to roost on if they choose to do so. I bought suet blocks and the container they go in and hung them from the side of the kennel so they have something to do. The surface of the run is sand and I'm worried they aren't getting in the scratching and foraging chickens need to keep from being bored. Should I change their run flooring to a deep litter? If so, how do I even start? Should I be keeping them penned? Am I being a bad chicken mom by not letting them out to free range? I feel like a monster when I walk away from the coop and they are pacing back and forth and clucking at me like, "Hey, Mom, why can't we go outside?" I want to do what's best for the girls, but I'm so very frightened of losing more of them!

Help!

When I feel iffy about predator issues, I let them out only during the latter part of the day and put a feeding station out in location that has some cover yet easy to see. Then I stay out doing yard work and do a quick head count after birds penned up to detect losses not observed. Having a pet dog out can also help.

I am from southern Indiana.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

When I feel iffy about predator issues, I let them out only during the latter part of the day and put a feeding station out in location that has some cover yet easy to see. Then I stay out doing yard work and do a quick head count after birds penned up to detect losses not observed. Having a pet dog out can also help.

I am from southern Indiana.

Northern indiana here. I dont think youre being a bad chicken mom. I see free ranging as a choice. Its good for them to have some variety in their diet but its not terrible for them to not. In fact the more they eat stuff off the ground the worse they can be as far as salmonella and bacteria. We choose to free range and have had problems with hawks ourselves. Our neighbor a couple of doors down had a red tail come in his coop and kill his rooster...flew off with it. It was a full grown rooster too. Its a risk that you take. We try to always be aware of where our birds are and provide them with places to hide. Chickens have excellent eyesight and will more than likely see and alert to the threat before you do.

 

[MrsAuberry00]

I wish we still had our rooster. He may have been able to save my girls. I'm probably being over cautious, but...

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I wish we still had our rooster. He may have been able to save my girls. I'm probably being over cautious, but...

No no. I get it. We dont even have a rooster. We havent been letting them out to free range because theres so much snow on the ground. I feel bad about it because they are pitching the biggest fit in the run but id rather their feet stay dry. Theyll get out when its greener. And then the hawks will leave them be.

 

[MrsAuberry00]

@centrarchid I'm in Vincennes.

 

[centrarchid]

@centrarchid I'm in Vincennes.

You are way west. My family is in Spencer county nestled between swamp / river bottoms and upland areas.

 

[Doc7]

Keeping your chickens in a safe coop and run is not terrible, no.

 

[llombardo]

You are protecting them, that is a good thing.

A serious question..when they do free range, how far do they go?