Newbie here looking for more advice and help . . .

[cherrynberry]

I have had EEs jump over 6ft fences without touching it. And with clipped wings they could jump over 4ft fences. This involves my comets too.

 

[cherrynberry]

I free range my chickens, but watch them 24/7. Usually I would lock them into their coop at about noon due to hawks and vultures

 

[OmnipotentOrpington]

I am firmly on team free range, and I will say, I lost 3 birds this year... only one while free ranging. The other two were killed by a hawk. One in the run, and the second the hawk entered through the chicken door. But I totally understand a persons desire not to want to free range and have more control over the situation. And losing one chicken, in a smaller flock like hers, seems like a bigger deal than losing one in a larger flock

Yeah, we only have three chickens, and with bald eagle, hawks and owls everywhere we are SUPER cautious about free-ranging, and only let them out when we're outside. Depending on the flock, it can be more or less damaging to lose a hen.

 

[OmnipotentOrpington]

I have had EEs jump over 6ft fences without touching it. And with clipped wings they could jump over 4ft fences. This involves my comets too.

Yup, ours flew 7ft vertically off a fence to our balcony, and our Orp has flown 11 feet horizontally. Clipping wings is really important for our flock.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I am firmly on team free range, and I will say, I lost 3 birds this year... only one while free ranging. The other two were killed by a hawk. One in the run, and the second the hawk entered through the chicken door. But I totally understand a persons desire not to want to free range and have more control over the situation. And losing one chicken, in a smaller flock like hers, seems like a bigger deal than losing one in a larger flock

Agreed. Its also a bit of how you perceive your birds i think. My birds are not pets. They are livestock. I keep at any given time 8-15 up to 20 free range birds and i hatch 40 chicks a year to butcher. So if a free ranging adult (layer) gets taken, it sucks, and I try to prevent further incidents, but i can replace her with a pullet fairly easily. There is no emotional attachment.
For those whom see their birds more as egg laying pets, im can imagine the loss would be more greatly felt.

 

[Stephanie8806]

Agreed. Its also a bit of how you perceive your birds i think. My birds are not pets. They are livestock. I keep at any given time 8-15 up to 20 free range birds and i hatch 40 chicks a year to butcher. So if a free ranging adult (layer) gets taken, it sucks, and I try to prevent further incidents, but i can replace her with a pullet fairly easily. There is no emotional attachment.
For those whom see their birds more as egg laying pets, im can imagine the loss would be more greatly felt.

Most definitely. I certainly felt bad for my flock after the losses, as they were super stressed it for a few weeks, but if you rely on eggs from a smaller flock or view them as pets, it’s a different story. It’s basically down to each person to make a “loss” plan that they are most comfortable with. Would you feel worse if a predator cracked your defenses? Or would you feel worse losing one to free ranging? To each their own.

For me personally, I felt MUCH worse when they were killed in their home. It felt like a violation and the chickens didn’t even feel safe in their coop. It was sad. They were affected for weeks. When we lost one free ranging, the others were able to scatter and escape. One hen even escaped death because she had space to flee. Whatever it was got hold of her by the tail and ripped her tail out... but she escaped and now thrives. And the whole flock was normal the next day. But that’s just my experience!

 

[Flockincrazy]

So, . . I have taken to heart the comments I received from my intro post, this morning I spent 2 hours putting this little enclosure together in hopes of allowing my new little flock to get some "REAL" fresh air and stretch their legs. HOWEVER it hit me like a tittle wave "OMG" ! Do Chickens Fly?? Can they get out of this little play yard I'm trying to create?? I think I need some more help and advice. Its 4 feet, I'm 5'5" which creates a little problem not to mention the ground is frozen!! How do I do this, inexpensively and by myself ??

And please forgive me, I'm still learning how to navigate this website! Posting pictures, from computer rather than phone is a pain~ And keeping my posts to 420 characters, . . . well, I'm a talker so that's not easy either! LOL!!

I'm 5'5" too so I built an angled roof cause I did the same thing with the 4' walls of my run if at all possible for now get some berry bush net its inexpensive and works in a pinch oh excuse my burn pile

 

[Mamajewels]

I think what you have now will work until spring... but yes, chickens will likely try to fly out at some point.... but seeing as it’s a big extension off of where they were before, it should keep them happy for a while.

I don’t think I’d put netting over the top with the fencing so short... yes, it could help keep hawks out, but unless you had some sort of center post, it will sag in the middle. With netting only about 3 feet off the ground, a chicken might decide to try to fly and get tangled... and I’m sure the last thing you’d want would be for a chicken to die tangled in a net that was supposed to protect them.

Like I said, this likely fine until the ground thaws. But getting some fence posts(even if it’s just T-posts) and taller fencing would be a really good idea. The t posts are cheap and easy to drive in with a t post driver. I have a temporary run that looks a lot Iike yours that I use for juvenile chickens, if I need them out of the way for working on the coop or run. It’s T posts and the same fencing you use, but i got the 5’ fencing. The t posts don’t even need to be as tall as the fencing, it just helps keep everything sturdy.

Thank you!! This would all be so much easier to put together if I had a helper for a couple days. My husband is working away right now, we talk every day and night and see each other once a week or so and the last thing he wants to do is take care of chickens unless they are bbq'd!! lol
Seriously, great advice. These gals are my project and growing on me fast! So you know, the top I put up is not netting, it's an extra large tarp, honestly wad kind of comical putting up, I'm glad there were no witnesses!!
My parents are coming to visit later this week, I'll probably convince them to help me, and once my "Make-Shift" run and cover is seen I'm sure they will agree!

 

[Mamajewels]

I free range a flock with many predators around yet have very minimal losses. If you choose to do so too, there are 3 things that i would recommend.
1. Make your coop as difficult for a predator to enter as possible. Nothing is "predator proof" so get that out of your head. A determined bear, for example will tear your car apart to get the snickers bar you left inside if its big enough. So a wooden coop is nothing. But, most predators give up if they find it too difficult and move on.
Most predator attacks are at night so a secure coop will stop most attacks.
2. Do you have a dog? If so, train the dog to be around the chickens as often as possible or at least periodically throughout the day. It doesn't matter how big or small the dog is. The scent it leaves behind tells predators that there is danger around and helps deter daylight attacks.

If no dog, increase as much daylight outdoor activity as possible so again predators perceive risk and choose to return at night when birdsare safe inside the coop.

3. What is your level of acceptable risk? Free ranging chickens has many benefits but it comes with inherent risk. Despite all the efforts in #1 &#2 a determined coyote may come through, clever raccoon, or an attack in broad daylight from a bold fox may happen. Are you prepared to accept the fact that you may lose a bird or two or all of them along the way?

I lose an avg of 1 bird a year. Every attack has occurred in broad daylight either before i got my dog or when i took him with me to run errands all day and no one was around. My coop has never been breached. Knock on wood.

Free ranging benefits far out weigh the risk, as far as im concerned, but if you can't stand the thought of losing a bird, especially in the beginning as you feel things out, then a run and secure coop may be the best route to start on

Mtnboomer! That was a lot of information, Thank You!! Can I ask what kind of coop you have?? would you share pictures?? And you free range? Or did I misunderstand? What does your run look like? I can hardly wait for spring. I have 2 dogs, A Golden Retriever who makes a lot of noise, and a Husky we rescued 1.5 years ago. She was abused, and is still finding her way, but milestones have been made with her. However, that being said, the 2nd day I had the chickens, she got to me and them before I knew it, we lost a hen to her clutches!! I was devastated, felt so bad.
I don't really know how to safely allow the dogs around the birds. But they do see them all the time as the coop is right outside of the backyard fencing, trust me,, my Husky keeps a watchful eye on them, unfortunately I don't think it's to keep them safe but more to see when she can make a mad dash out!! Sooo, I have to keep the dogs locked up when I go out to clean coop and sometimes when feeding.
I don't have fox, but we do have the occasional raccoon and coyote, in fact I saw 2 about a week or so ago when I was leaving my house across the drive and in the neighbors yard. So I know they are around. My Golden alerts me all the time, even when the deer are present.
We are in Sagle Idaho and as you know from my posts, this is 1st time owning chickens, and I inherited them due to my oldest daughter recently going threw divorce. We were planning on chickens anyway, just happened sooner than what was planned. It happens, right?
Anyway, thank you again for your input, I have to get some shut eye, babysitting grandkids in the morning, I'll need my energy

 

[Eggs2chicks]

So, . . I have taken to heart the comments I received from my intro post, this morning I spent 2 hours putting this little enclosure together in hopes of allowing my new little flock to get some "REAL" fresh air and stretch their legs. HOWEVER it hit me like a tittle wave "OMG" ! Do Chickens Fly?? Can they get out of this little play yard I'm trying to create?? I think I need some more help and advice. Its 4 feet, I'm 5'5" which creates a little problem not to mention the ground is frozen!! How do I do this, inexpensively and by myself ??

And please forgive me, I'm still learning how to navigate this website! Posting pictures, from computer rather than phone is a pain~ And keeping my posts to 420 characters, . . . well, I'm a talker so that's not easy either! LOL!!
[/QUOTE
We went Overboard to protect our flock... research and friends let us know we needed it to start In the ground to keep out burrowing animals (2’ deep), high enough to keep out climbing animals and a cover to keep out flying predators. They free range all day and we live on the water so they now even have a trampoline with net around the bottom for shelter and cover to run to by the water where they like t