Periodic free range?

[Redbirdacres]

Good morning!

We have 3 BAs that are over 3 months old (probably closer to 4) and 5 SGs that are about 3 months. They have a coop and run just outside our barn. They go in their coop every night but not laying just yet. Every morning when I go to do chores (waterers feeders, moving our meat tractor etc) I let them out to do a little free range. None of them go far, and usually go to the slight overgrowth next to the barn and into the shade. They're out for 30-60 minutes max and I get them back in (sometimes with difficulty lol) before I head back to the house.

I wonder about leaving them out longer though. I'd love for them to help with ticks and giving them their best life, ranging for a bit longer if they wanted too. My concern is that we do have hawks and we know for sure at least one eagle that we've seen. We found some of hardware cloth pulled up yesterday so not sure what was trying to get in overnight. For sure I've seen deer, turkeys, raccoons, pheasants, cranes, hawks, eagles, etc on our land. We're in an area that can also get foxes, coyotes etc. I stay out with them at this point but I get very fatigued quickly (multiple chronic illnesses) and can overheat and burn quickly so couldn't stay out with them the whole time.

Long post but thanks for reading!

 

[sourland]

There are many advantages to free ranging, but there is always the possibility to loss through predation. It's the chance that we take - or not.

 

[azygous]

Chickens don't require all day every day free range to be content. My chickens get only a few hours out of the run, and some days no free range time because of the abundance of predators.

The way I manage this is by varying the periods that the chickens go out. This prevents a constant presence that predators would be more likely to notice, and decreases the odds of a predator happening by just as the chickens are wandering free.

In view of your disabilities, you need to train your chickens to come back into the run when you give the signal. Think this sounds hard? Nope. You can train the chickens in just minutes and simply reinforce the training from time to time.

To accomplish this, use a verbal cue or a clicker you can buy for $1 at any pet store when you toss out a treat. The chickens quickly equate the verbal or audible cue with their favorite treat and will come running when they hear it. Here's my thread on how valuable this training can prove to be. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...training-my-chickens-this-past-month.1230489/

 

[Redbirdacres]

Chickens don't require all day every day free range to be content. My chickens get only a few hours out of the run, and some days no free range time because of the abundance of predators.

The way I manage this is by varying the periods that the chickens go out. This prevents a constant presence that predators would be more likely to notice, and decreases the odds of a predator happening by just as the chickens are wandering free.

In view of your disabilities, you need to train your chickens to come back into the run when you give the signal. Think this sounds hard? Nope. You can train the chickens in just minutes and simply reinforce the training from time to time.

To accomplish this, use a verbal cue or a clicker you can buy for $1 at any pet store when you toss out a treat. The chickens quickly equate the verbal or audible cue with their favorite treat and will come running when they hear it. Here's my thread on how valuable this training can prove to be. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...training-my-chickens-this-past-month.1230489/

I would loooove to do this! Right now we play ring around the coopsies till I get them all in Thanks so much!

Do you leave you girls unsupervised when free ranging? They only get about 30 minutes when I'm out there and I'd love to give them a couple hours depending on the day.

 

[azygous]

I will let them free range if I'm not outside but in the house so I can listen for potential trouble. If I'm going to be away from home, they are in the secure run.

 

[Mrs. K]

Things that have worked for me:

• don't have a set schedule
• not on high wind days
• not on cloudy days - too much advantage to the predator
• Do have a set up (sounds like you do) where you can go into lockdown

Do set a note or a timer or something so you don't forget to lock them up.

But yes, I would let them out by themselves and do. However, I am mad when I loose one, but I don't go into a state of decline if I loose one, some people do. If so, don't free range/.

Mrs K

 

[Shadrach]

If you can get them out of the coop and run for a bit each day you will be making a massive improvement to their quality of life. Even 30 to 60 minutes is worthwhile.
The Ex Battery hens and rescues I'm looking after now have benefitted enormously by being let onto the allotments under supervision.
I think your supervise ranging is the right option while and when you are able to do it.

 

[Coops Dad]

I'm in the country in central Texas in an area plagued with predators and only occasionally lose one. We release them every morning to free range on 6 acres of high grass pasture in the back, plus they release themselves on their own recognizance to the two acres of curtilage around the house itself. They put themselves back in the coop before the sun goes down.

Compared to chickens kept in a run (I have two other separate flocks kept in their own runs for breeding purity purposes), my free range chickens seem to be less skittish, less prone to social issues/bullying, and they definitely use less feed. Their carcasses seem to be heavier and more well-muscled, too. An added bonus is they're very aware of aerial predators.