Short Free Range Periods

[Mom3timz]

Hi all --- I have my 5 EE in a chicken tractor (It's about 4 feet wide, 6 feet tall inside coop part, and 8 feet long.) I move them to fresh grass at least once a day. (Sometimes twice a day if I can!) I've been letting them free range (supervised) in the yard in late afternoon. We've had a huge owl visit in past few months and I've seen lots of hawks.

I work from home -- I take them veggie scraps out around lunch time. And today I even let them out for 30 minutes to dig around in pine straw while I had my lunch with them. They come running when they hear the meal worm bag and I can put them right back up. (Good chickens!) Is there anything wrong with letting them do short free range now and again like that as I can?

Yes, I'm being serious. I'm a new chicken owner and just want to be sure I'm doing this right!

 

[SIMZ]

There's nothing wrong with it at all - I'm sure they love it and it sounds like you enjoy it, too. You just have to remember that something can always happen to them. It's a risk that's always there when they free range.

 

[m1chelle1]

Agreed, nothing wrong with that whatsoever!! Chickens love to be free! Its very good that they listen to you...err, say the meal worm bag haha! But it seems like you have it all under control getting them back in, which is great! You should enjoy your time with your chickens whenever you want to. They enjoy being around us, too.

 

[Mom3timz]

Thank you both!!! My 21 year old daughter was by between classes and work and was thrilled I told her could let them out for a bit again. They def get a lot of attention around here.

 

[m1chelle1]

Thank you both!!! My 21 year old daughter was by between classes and work and was thrilled I told her could let them out for a bit again. They def get a lot of attention around here.

GOOD!!! I truly feel that chickens who socialize with people, are better behaved chickens!!! And maybe you'll learn something new? Ive been able to teach some of mine tricks and train them to respond to various stimuli (ring a bell, shake a can, etc). They enjoy jumping up on your lap when theyre comfortable, and they each have their own separate personality! Chickens are wonderful creatures, I don't think they get enough credit in society. Glad you enjoy them

 

[rosemarythyme]

That's pretty much how I handle my chickens' free range time. As long as I'm available to watch over them (i.e. outside gardening) they can have some time out. It sounds like your flock is pretty well trained to you, which makes it easier to deal with. Mine wandered off into a thicket of bamboo today but a shake of their mealworm container and they were back on the side lawn where they belonged.

 

[fur-mum]

I routinely let them out when I get home from work and they run around in the yard and flowerbeds, making a wonderful mess of things and enjoying themselves. They love their outside time. When I go outside, they all run to the door of the coop and squawk at me til I open the door.
Sometimes I'm out there with them, sometimes not. I live in the city limits though (shhh! secret) so I don't have a lot of problems with owls or hawks. If I did, I'd definitely be outside with them.

 

[Birdinhand]

as long as you can accept losses over the long run, free ranging is wonderful. it's impossible to predict the risk, one minute everything is going great, the next minute a hawk comes out of nowhere and takes a meal and flies off. they have been known to do this while people are standing just a few feet away, in broad daylight. i recommend looking up videos, search chicken hawk attack, just so you know what you are up against. I think free ranging is great as long as your not the type of person who is so attached to your pet chickens that a loss would be devastating.