Wooded Forest Free Roaming

[ravenvalor]

Greetings Friends,

Could you folks please suggest to me whether or not it would be wise to let my chickens to free roam in a fenced in (chicken wire) wooded forest 1/2 acre in size?

Also, can you recommend a good poultry guard?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[teach1rusl]

Ranging in a chicken wire fence is as safe as ranging without one, whether it's in a wooded area or an open field. Just be aware of the risks of freeranging in general; don't be shocked if you lose a bird or three (not naysaying...I often let my girls range). There's a pretty good chance that chicken wire of at least 4 ft. will contain your chickens, but it won't keep a dog or just about any other animal from getting to your birds.
As long as they're only there during daylight hours, I would think a wooded area would be fairly safe...would trees and shrubs be included inside this half acre area? Can you see/hear this area from you house, in case of trouble?? That would be very helpful.

 

[Lalaith]

My birds have that setup for when they aren't in their tractors. They love it and I rarely lose any. I make sure they are in at night. The trees really provide protection from hawks and they have the shade to keep them cool in the hot of the day. Their scratching and fertilizing has been very good for the trees as well

Put net about five feet high all around. Only very seldom does a bird flutter up into a tree and then over the net.

 

[ravenvalor]

Thanks for the helpful posts. I was also thinking of sectioning the 1/2 acre into 4. Then I would rotate the flock along with a garden in order to feed the chickens.
So you think the chickens are safer in a wooded lot because hawks cannot see them as easily? Do you think I need a guard dog living with them?
Thank you,
Jim

 

[LauraG]

Quote:
I was thinking of this as well. I live on a 5 acre wooded property and will be free ranging my chickens. I was thinking a flock dog would be great. A Maremma Sheep dog to be precise.
However, it may be just an excuse to get another dog....