Poll: Do you free range or are they in a run?

[Areyoucluckingme]

Just curious what you all do for chicken keeping, and feel free to comment on HOW MANY chickens you have. Thanks

 

[Egg Snatcher]

I only free range occasionally. I’ve had bad luck with free ranging. They’ll be fine for a week and by the next week I’ll be missing 3 in one night. I like to keep them in the run (for breeding and keep safe from predators) Mine also like to hide there eggs/be broody in a bush or in the barn some where in a wall so I can’t find them if free ranging. When putting them to bed after a day of free ranging, some of my little bantams will find a new place way up in a tree. If I do let them out it’s one the weekend or when their coop get extremely muddy. Oh, and I’ve got about 35-40 bantams, 10 standard, and one crested duck.

 

[Areyoucluckingme]

I only free range occasionally. I’ve had bad luck with free ranging. They’ll be fine for a week and by the next week I’ll be missing 3 in one night. I like to keep them in the run (for breeding and keep safe from predators) Mine also like to hide there eggs/be broody in a bush or in the barn some where in a wall so I can’t find them if free ranging. When putting them to bed after a day of free ranging, some of my little bantams will find a new place way up in a tree. If I do let them out it’s one the weekend or when their coop get extremely muddy. Oh, and I’ve got about 35-40 bantams, 10 standard, and one crested duck.

I ran into that same problem. They got too comfortable free ranging and wander WAY off (we have 20 acres which are mostly wooded) so I've had to keep them in which gas dramatically raised my feed cost but it just isn't worth it to let them run off.

 

[DobieLover]

I don't free range but my birds have about 1/3 acre that is enclosed with poultry netting powered by a 10,000 volt charger.

They get locked in their run when the weather changes to something like this.

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

I like to free-range the chickens, and for all the times I have done it, not many chickens die.
Right now, my rapidly growing flock of 26 chickens and 8 ducks are in a run, but this summer they probably will be free ranging.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

My chickens are kept in the run for the most part. Every once and a while, they're allowed to free range for a couple of hours supervised.

 

[MysteryChicken]

So, far I only have one flock trained for free Ranging, but only for a couple hours a day when it's nice out.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Just curious what you all do for chicken keeping, and feel free to comment on HOW MANY chickens you have. Thanks

I've got 58 chickens currently. Had 71, before butchering 12.

 

[Painted Calls]

I have a secure house and pen my birds stay in. They come out when I'm able to be right there with them. I've never lost a bird to a predator in 15 years.

Edit to add: I've actually never lost a bird to a predator.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

We only free range when someone doesn't lock the run up and they decide to go explore. (just happened tonight!)

They usually stay real close to the run except Reba who we have to let come back on her own bc the more we try to catch her the further away it pushes her....

They have a 530sq ft run for 18 birds, with and elevated 8x8 coop.