Part-time Free Ranging?

[bhaugh]

When I had chickens I’d let them out and they would run to the door and look inside or peck at the glass then find a shady spot dust bathe and take a nap. That was about it.

 

[Vata Raven]

Not them. The originals of the flock used to range an area about 5 times the size I gave them

Was the 5 times larger area fenced in too? Why did you decide to shrink down the area?

 

[Vata Raven]

they would run to the door and look inside or peck at the glass

they're knocking for entry, as my mother says

 

[Maddcatter]

I have a fairly similar predator and lack of tree thing going on, and my birds are free ranging on my property most of the time there's daylight.

... I am also home most of the time.

I have ducks and roosters, they are better at spotting hawks than I will ever be, and they alert the flock to go and hide. I tend to go outside when the birds alert to something, and the hawks seem to find something else to do when a human stares at them. I haven't lost a bird to a hawk, yet... But I am running a risk.

That all being said, my coop and run are as predator proof as I can make them, and have saved my chickens from a pack of wild dogs.

If you let your chickens out to wander, be aware they will find and eat *everything*. But they do seem to have a lot of fun doing it.

 

[neo71665]

When I had chickens I’d let them out and they would run to the door and look inside or peck at the glass then find a shady spot dust bathe and take a nap. That was about it.

My main setup has a run that is 10x20. I have a "day" run that I open up to give them an extra 10x30 feet of run. They will run out the door when I open it up like their tails are on fire but 15 minutes later all of them are right back in the main run.