Chickens - how free range do you have them?

[RobA]

I'm considering chickens (again). For those who have free range chickens how free are they? Do you have a safe coop for them at night and they go where they please during the day? Or are they in a secured fenced in area? I know have predators around who would love to eat any chickens I get but I do not want to deal with any new fencing. I'd consider a chicken tractor but would rather just get a stationary coop.

 

[tomplum]

Chickens love to free range, but it still sucks when you lose something that is in your care to a cat or coyote. We've lost 2 this year. In our past place which was more urban, we would let them out for the last hour or two during the day. Here, we've had them out just about all day until we lost our first. The wife has been working on an outdoor project that she doesn't want any chicken help with, so they haven't been out much. They have a secure coop and yard, but you know chickens, they decimate everything in their path and it doesn't take long. Having two secure yards would be best.
The two we lost here were right around dinner time, two weeks apart. Best thing so far for us is to get them used to getting scratch, chicken crack as we call it- and to come when it is offered. That way you have an easy way to get them back in during the day.

 

[Alien]

We have a safe coop/aviary for night-time and it has rodent-proof netting all over it. It is well sealed and even a mouse can't get in. It took several days of work to make it that way but snakes at night are our main concern. We also have goannas during the day but kookaburras and mickey birds warn us if they are around. We don't get many foxes or dingos but they are about occasionally. The chickens go to their coop every night by themselves and we just lock the door and let them out next morning. Fences are useless as the chickens can fly over anything I could put up.

 

[ericm979]

We can't free range here. There's lots of coyotes, bobcats, foxes, racoons, skunks. And mountain lions. We have a sturdy coop which is inside a completely enclosed pen. There's a roof with fencing over it and skirts around all the fences at ground level to keep digging critters out. We've tried less protection and the chickens get eaten.

My wife can't always remember to close the coop door so she got battery operated automatic doors that open and close based on the amount of sunlight.

 

[RobA]

My wife can't always remember to close the coop door so she got battery operated automatic doors that open and close based on the amount of sunlight.

I would get one of those no matter which direction I go.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I have a secure coop, secure outdoor pen and a 1/2 acre yard surrounded by an electric net fence. 18 chickens and 18 ducks. They get to go out in the yard when I am home and can keep an eye on things, usually when I get home from work until sunset and on weekends. In 3 years I have only had 1 loss while out in the yard. The electric fence keeps the bears, coyotes, bobcats and foxes at bay.

 

[JRobyn]

BIL and FIL free range theirs and can find few eggs. Wife keeps hers (6) in an enclosed tractor and gets 5-6 eggs every day.

 

[kenmac]

hawks are bad around here. They will grab a chicken like it was a little mouse.
Before I get any chickens,I have to string fence across the top of the coop

 

[2458n]

My renter had free range chickens and a coup. Eggs run 66 cents a dozen at local Aldis. No more chickens hit on the road.

 

[kcflhrc]

We have an enclosed coop and run that is critter proof. We free range them every day when we get home and on the weekends when we are home. We have lots of Red Tail Hawks here and they have never even tried to get one of our hens. They are rarely left unattended though but they love being out.