Suburban Backyard - Let Chickens Run Amok?

[Dinogrrl]

I have about a quarter acre of land, and half of that is my fenced back yard. I just let my chickens wander all day. They're big enough that most of the local predators would find them a bit too big to tackle, especially since there's four of them (I did lose some chicks to a red-shouldered hawk earlier this year...). I have my herb garden in raised beds surrounded by chicken wire, and any new fruit trees I plant are also fenced off until they're established enough to withstand chicken digging. I do clip my chickens' wings since they've tried to hop the fence a few times and all my neighbors have dogs.

In the beginning, I kept my chickens in a pen during the day and only let them out if I was around to supervise. Eventually that changed to letting them out if I was home...then it was just all day. Now I only pen them up if there's a need, ie pest control coming to treat my yard or a massive storm is coming that could be dangerous for them to stay out in.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

I wouldn’t allow full access if I had a pool and spa. Or a koi pond. Those are areas I would be so afraid of chickens being around. If I had big backyard I would do a main run with a outer rim of a bigger space to allow “free range”. That is also fenced.

That is a very good point. I can attest that chickens can swim quite well if it's for a short time and they can get out easily. I have two hens penned into my pool area as I didn't have anywhere else to put them away from the main flock (the rooster rejected them) and there have been no drownings thus far. However it wasn't my first choice.

 

[TylerBareneckChickens]

Is there a pen next to the chickens where he could spend a lot of time? In a see-no-touch situation? That's how I conditioned my very hyper, very playful, half-feral 15-mo old Sheltie to leave the chickens alone. I'd leave him out there every day for 2 to 4 hours at a time until he was dead bored and snoring, and had totally lost interest in the chickens. Birds? What birds? I don't see no stinkin' birds...

Mine just run around the entire yard, one has ended up in the pool a couple of times but got out right away. Thats the one that lays her eggs on the dogs couch with the dogs laying on both sides of her. Sometimes she will peck the top of Bobo's head and he gives her a look like, " what did I do??" My chickens are 3 bareneckers and look like medium size turkeys and do not run from anything, very tame and will jump on you if they think you have something to eat. The Rhode Islands Reds are smaller and a bit squeamish, but they are pretty friendly. I put the coop in the 26ft greenhouse and we have lots of fruit trees, plants, heat lamps, very secure. Cameras all around that notify me if anything comes in the yard. I have a trap out there and caught 1 racoon and 2 cats so far. The dogs stay inside but their cages are about 20 feet as the crow flies to the greenhouse. They also let me know if there is an intruder out there. When there is and I let them out they make enough knows to wake up a jungle. They scare the mosquitos out of the area, they are all 3 little soldier chorkies, very brave and tough!

 

[ChickenMamaLissa]

My aunt has a large piece of property and a pretty expansive garden. She lets her hens free range and covers her beds and boxes with chicken wire. I’ve cordoned off plants while they’re establishing themselves in the run, but unless we’re talking a large bush (I planted a sumac for shade a few years back) the chickens pretty quickly decimate whatever isn’t protected. I think a lot of it comes down to the ratio of area for free ranging to garden. The more space to roam, the less likely they are to try to destroy everything, or try to work around barriers.

 

[Judy Todd]

So sorry to hear you lost chickens to coyotes. My chickens are free range, and like you, I've had problems with coyotes, and my biggest problem was with a near by neighbor who use to think it amusing to let his dogs in my yard to chase and KILL my chickens. The coyotes were fairly easy to deal with. I found where they were accessing my property and secured it,(and I keep my rifle handy just in case I find a coyote who manages to access my yard during the day) and I keep a close watch when I'm home. As to the neighbor, I end up having to let him know I would have no compuncion in shooting his dogs should they get in my yard again. I have a Rottweiler and I keep him away from the chickens. I have spent 2 years working with my rottie to get him to get "along" with my chickens and not kill them. I can now allow him around the chickens without him chasing or killing them. But of course I'm always around to supervise - just in case he forgets! At night my chickens are locked in their coops and my rottie has access to entire yard - (except for the front of the house) and he keeps any and all intruders away. In the winter time, my rottie is usually in the house at night, but again, my flock is locked in their coop at night and safe from any harm.

Any advise as to training your rottie about chickens. I am trying with a 7 month old lab, she just loves to run up to the chicken fence and scare the girls , also run along the fence line . I yell and call her to me and scold her, I might be geting soomewhere, but slowly. ONe got out a few weeks ago and she killed it at least 10 times, having a great time. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[debbier98]

Any advise as to training your rottie about chickens. I am trying with a 7 month old lab, she just loves to run up to the chicken fence and scare the girls , also run along the fence line . I yell and call her to me and scold her, I might be geting soomewhere, but slowly. ONe got out a few weeks ago and she killed it at least 10 times, having a great time. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Takes time and alot of patience. When I started this project, I didn't really believe it was possible to train a Rottie not to attack chickens, but wanted to at least give it a serious try. My Rottie was 5 years old when I had to train him to leave my chickens alone. I have him fenced off from the chickens, but my darn girls persisted in going into HIS yard - even though I have 1 of their wings clipped. But I started by walking with him on a leash, with a muzzle on so that when the chickens got to close to him, he couldn't lunge at them and bite. I had to do that for over 6 months. Then I started walking him, still on a leash around the chickens and their coop area without a muzzle. At first, I kept a really tight hold of his leash, keeping him close to me. Then I'd sit with him, still on a leash - no muzzle, knowing my chickens would come over to me asking for treats. I continued this until he no longer showed any interest in my chickens. Then the day came I tested him OFF lease - no muzzle around my chickens. When he'd wonder to far from me, I'd call him back, reward him with lots of praise. I did this for over a month until, again, he showed more interest in things OTHER than my chickens, like marking the territory . To this day, I can take him with me when I go feed the chickens, clean their coops, do yard work, all while the chickens at time are within just a foot or two from him and he and my chickens are fine.