To free range or not to free range

[Newfarmer36]

What's the difference?

 

[junebuggena]

Predation. You have to be willing to take the risk of losing some birds to predators when you choose to free range.

 

[Mrs. K]

Generally not free ranging is safer for the birds. EVERYTHING likes to eat chickens, and the predators always pick your favorite bird.

Free ranging means different things to different people. Me, I am a rancher, with many, many acres so when I let them out of the coop/run they could go anywhere they wanted, but they generally don't go real far... again, though predators are a real problem. If you live in a city, free ranging may just mean your back yard. They will cause a lot of damage to most landscapes and leave droppings that maybe you don't want your children playing in. There are predators in town, usually dogs, but sometimes hawks and owls or coons.

Eggs taste better when you free range, generally the yolks are more orange, as chickens find the food they want to eat. Some breeds are better foragers than others, worms, insects and greens add to their diet.

I like to let mine out, and will do so, till I get too many losses. If you free range, you will more than likely have losses.

Tricks that can help, but not prevent losses:

• don't free range on a rigid daily schedule, predators will figure it out. Some mornings, some all days, some afternoons, some days not at all.
• Have a coop/run set up that can accommodate your birds without free ranging, if you get hit by a predator go into lock down for several days maybe even weeks.
• don't free range on windy or cloudy, or bad weather, gives too much advantage to the predators.
• A year old mature rooster that is alert. When you approach your set up, the rooster should be the first bird to see you. Not all roosters are good flock masters. Some are and can really help.

Mrs K

 

[Hope Hughes]

I have always free ranged my birds. But i have also lost birds due to hawks because of it. Have a good rooster helps with that alot. But in my opinion the chickens are happier and we get better eggs(tasting and looking) ​

 

[Hope Hughes]

Generally not free ranging is safer for the birds. EVERYTHING likes to eat chickens, and the predators always pick your favorite bird.

Free ranging means different things to different people. Me, I am a rancher, with many, many acres so when I let them out of the coop/run they could go anywhere they wanted, but they generally don't go real far... again, though predators are a real problem. If you live in a city, free ranging may just mean your back yard. They will cause a lot of damage to most landscapes and leave droppings that maybe you don't want your children playing in. There are predators in town, usually dogs, but sometimes hawks and owls or coons.

Eggs taste better when you free range, generally the yolks are more orange, as chickens find the food they want to eat. Some breeds are better foragers than others, worms, insects and greens add to their diet.

I like to let mine out, and will do so, till I get too many losses. If you free range, you will more than likely have losses.

Tricks that can help, but not prevent losses:

​

• don't free range on a rigid daily schedule, predators will figure it out. Some mornings, some all days, some afternoons, some days not at all.​
• Have a coop/run set up that can accommodate your birds without free ranging, if you get hit by a predator go into lock down for several days maybe even weeks.​
• don't free range on windy or cloudy, or bad weather, gives too much advantage to the predators.​
• A year old mature rooster that is alert. When you approach your set up, the rooster should be the first bird to see you. Not all roosters are good flock masters. Some are and can really help.​

Mrs K​

perfect information on free ranging!
​

 

[centrarchid]

Free-range keeping represents a continuum. My definition approximates that of Mrs. K with added concept of how much nutrition is acquired by foraging versus provided by feed. Interactions between the two impact the distance birds move from some central location, usually the roost. Some settings have where birds can go anywhere although feed provides most if not all the nutrition. When flocks are some how confined like with a fence or a run, then birds will not have ability to compensate for short comings of forage density by ranging further. In extreme settings, free-range simply means the birds get out into open air or at least can see it.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I let them out to free range, one or two hours, before sunset daily, weather permitting. .
I don't have to round em up. They go back into the pen and coop, about 20 minutes after sunset. So far so good for about 8 months, no losses for my five hens. No roosters. GC

 

[Welshies]

Free ranging is a risky thing to do. By definition free ranging is letting birds out in a non-fenced area (or maybe your backyard in the city) Although some people have great success with it, others often don't. If you seriously want to consider free ranging I suggest looking at getting a livestock guard dog (LGD).
Many predators absolutely LOVE to snack on chickens. They include but are not limited to weasels, raccoons, dogs, cats, foxes, coyotes, wolves, cougars, bears, mink, dingoes, hawks, owls, mongooses, rats, snakes, skunks, bobcats, and so on. When free ranging your birds are not at all protected, making them very susceptible.
New birds also may wander off and "disappear" due to being free ranged. When free ranging you must make sure your birds know where their home is. Birds also will go into "restricted" areas like gardens. They will perch on sheds, houses, porches, etc.
To keep your birds safe when free ranging:

• Let them out well after sunrise and put them in well before sunset
• Don't stick to a schedule
• Have a rooster
• Be aware birds may head on over to the neighbour's place
• Be outside or check on them every so often
• Their yolks will be more orange while free ranging, and tastier

If you decide not to free range, you can "free run" them. By definition this is having them in a grass run. This is just as healthy as free ranging, only with protection and slightly limited movement. Building a run is a simple process, and costs can be easily cut down on. Using proper materials will protect your birds from all ground predators (potentially excluding coons and weasel), and covering it will protect them from all aerial predators. If you provide them with 20 square feet of space per bird, or more, they will also always have grass available.

• Keep them safe by checking the fence daily and repairing any holes or tears
• Their yolks will still be orange if they are "free run" birds. The access to grass, bugs, and dirt is what makes their yolks orange and their eggs tastier... as well as their meat.
• By providing 20-50 square feet of space per bird in the run, they can have access to grass without destroying the area.
• They are safe from predators and won't be able to destroy gardens, poop on houses, or visit the neighbour's house.
• It is more expensive, but worth it.

By true "store definition", free range eggs are not true free range, but kept in a coop with access to an outdoor area when weather permits. Free run eggs are birds with access to a dirt run. Nest eggs are coop-only birds.

 

[Newfarmer36]

Thank you all for the responses! Ya'll gave me quite a bit of info! I'll have to build a bigger run. Their previous owners had them free ranging. So that's what they're used to. I'll also need to enclose the entire run bc they jump out of the small one that I try to put them in. It's attached to their coop. I'm also getting more chickens. I have 1 rooster and 4 hens. This is their coop right now. It's not beautiful but I had to do what I had to do without spending any money. How much bigger does it need to be to add more chickens?

 

[junebuggena]

Thank you all for the responses! Ya'll gave me quite a bit of info! I'll have to build a bigger run. Their previous owners had them free ranging. So that's what they're used to. I'll also need to enclose the entire run bc they jump out of the small one that I try to put them in. It's attached to their coop. I'm also getting more chickens. I have 1 rooster and 4 hens. This is their coop right now. It's not beautiful but I had to do what I had to do without spending any money. How much bigger does it need to be to add more chickens?

The general guidelines for space is about 4 sq ft per bird in the coop and at least 10 sq ft of run space per bird. Integrating new birds requires about twice the recommended guidelines to reduce territorial aggression.