To free range or to not free range? That is the question

[FluffyButt789]

Anyone know what breed of chickens those are in the picture for this thread on the home page? They're gorgeous

Buff Orpingtons. I have 2!

 

[chickencheeper]

Anyone know what breed of chickens those are in the picture for this thread on the home page? They're gorgeous

They’re buff Orpingtons! I love my honey, she’s a sweety

 

[bmanty]

My birds have a good size run bordered by my chainlink fence on three sides and chicken wire on the other. I expanded it last year. They have no net or fence covering in 80% of the area from above. However there are two trees inside, two outside that cover the sky view so that helps from above (along with a shed bordering on one end)

Sometimes they hop out and play in the main yard (still gaurded by chainlink) or hop to the neighbors which is open. A couple times a month during spring summer and fall I let them out for a few hours to have range of the yard with the dogs inside.

We have never lost a bird to any wild predator and we live outside city limits in country area. Have heard owls, coyotes, seen a fisher cross my yard once and the only one lost was too our own dogs.

I have two owl decoys displayed and thinking about attaching a couple crow decoys to the chain link fence that may add a little gaurding. If I need to I can close them up well at night but havent yet so they can come out early morning

I think the trees and my shed blocking many views from the sky and ground and having double fences to possibly cross is a deterent, and maybe the smell of four dogs keeps other things out too. I don't know, hopefully it all stays this way.

 

[FamilyFarm12]

The fox has already tried to get mine. I woke up to it staring at them. I let them free range occasionally. They have a fenced area that we put them in

 

[Ljc01]

I open my coop between 7 and 8 am and they let themselves back in at dusk. At the point I lock the coop door.
I wait until my young birds are too big for the local hawks,
But figure after that they can take care of themselves.
In 4 years, I have only lost one bird.

 

[Margaretlumley01]

What are your experiences? Predators, containing flock, behaviors, food, health, everything! We have tons of coyotes(they are actually wolf-coyote hybrids) raccoons, minks, hawks, fishers, etc.

Always free range the eggs are yummier the hens are healthier and the lawn is prettier.

 

[Margaretlumley01]

The fox has already tried to get mine. I woke up to it staring at them. I let them free range occasionally. They have a fenced area that we put them in

Just get a shot gun