KerriChick
Songster
Our girls are pros at alarm calling and finding cover when free ranging. We have a large trampoline, lots of bushes and a netted run that stays open that they can retreat to. Since we moved to our new house, they haven't needed to because our yard in the back is sloped and bowl shaped down to the sliver of level yard at the bottom, and naturally forms a protective little glen for them to forage in by their coop! We are moving them up top as soon as our coop arrives, and then we will have to see if being just a little further from the house makes any creatures braver...def going to make sure the new giant coop is well fortified!
The crows around here also are excellent at keeping raptors away, so I would def encourage them to be around if you have a family nearby. They will actually protect chickens directly from hawks in some instances.
The crows around here also are excellent at keeping raptors away, so I would def encourage them to be around if you have a family nearby. They will actually protect chickens directly from hawks in some instances.