To free range or not to free range?

[Bep17]

Hi! I’m new here, my name is Bobbi. I am a new chicken mama to Orpingtons, Cochins, and sapphire gems. I’m working on converting an old milking barn into my coop. I’m currently in the dilemma of trying to decide if I should let my chickens free range during the day or not. My boyfriend and I both work and no one is home from 7:30am to 5pm. We live on 7 acres surrounded by farm fields on a dirt road, and our neighbors have a longhorn farm. I’d like the chickens to roam as they please but also worry about predators or that they will wander away. Does anyone have any opinions or advise on the matter?

 

[wamtazlady]

It's really your call. You WILL lose chickens if you free range. You have to decide if that is acceptable to you or not. Some years no one has lost chickens in this area. Other years we have lost most of our chickens.

There is something you can try. You could surround your coop area with electric poultry netting from Premier 1. . That would give your chickens a larger area to roam around in than a run but still give them a place that is fairly safe. I have never lost a chicken to a 4 legged predator when using electric poultry netting. The netting won't stop a hawk from flying in to take a bird.

 

[~KH~]

It's really your call. You WILL lose chickens if you free range. You have to decide if that is acceptable to you or not. Some years no one has lost chickens in this area. Other years we have lost most of our chickens.

Agreed. I let my last flock free range (we had about a 1/2 acre lot) while I was home and although I didn't keep an eye on them constantly, was around enough to notice the occasional hawk looking them over. I never lost any, but a neighbor a few doors down, did (my kids found their carcasses on the canal bank). I felt ok with that situation because our yard was fenced, it wasn't overly large, etc. I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable with a larger, more open free range situation...but that's my comfort level with not wanting to lose birds.

 

[PPPF]

Maybe try letting them wander around while your home first just to see how you feel about it. At first they will probably just stay close. I free range my chickens and some times they’re in the back yard by the coop, other times they’re up front, at the neighbors or in the field.
Last year I lost a lot of birds to fox. It even came right up by the coop a few times.
Good luck either way!

 

[pekincochin12]

If you do free-range, you will 100% lose birds to predators. Some animals (especially foxes), will come during the day and take multiple birds at a time.

 

[JoePa]

I don’t let my chickens free range because they are in danger from predators and more diseases and parasites - give them a big coup and run where they have enough room to run around - sure the chickens like to roam free but for their own good they are better kept in lockdown - kinda like keeping a child in the yard so they don’t run out into the street