# Free range is easy



## vandj

Thought I'd add a few pics of my chickens running around


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## Sundancers

Free range is easy but something I can only do in the winter because they will not stay out of my garden.

Forgot to add ... nice pictures. (and thanks for posting them.)


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## piglett

my wife had just planted the garden & then guess what ...... one of our orpingtons thought it would be a cool place to scratch around.
she ran em off & i put up a 4' high fence that day around the whole garden. problem solved.



good luck
piglett


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## Apyl

I free range as well and have agarden. I uses plastic deer fence to keep the chickens and ducks out and the fencing is only $20 for 110'.










Ducks under the kids trampoline









This last pic back in April, my husband and I just cut up the tree so they all had to check it out.


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## Berta

I let my bigger girls out to free range only when I am home and outside to supervise. We have too many dogs that roam our area, including one of mine that will eat them. I have to make sure the one dog is in the dog pen before letting them out. She is relentless, and I have not been able to break her of wanting to make a snack out of them. My cat loves the chickens and has been around them since they were a day old.


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## JackAubrey

Apyl said:


> I free range as well and have agarden. I uses plastic deer fence to keep the chickens and ducks out and the fencing is only $20 for 110'.
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> Ducks under the kids trampoline
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> This last pic back in April, my husband and I just cut up the tree so they all had to check it out.


Plastic deer fencing! Brilliant! Thanks for sharing that idea! JA


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## Roslyn

Here is my Mama Barred Rock from two years ago. She gave me four boys and one girl. The girl was taken by a hawk, but the four boys are still around. The two yellow balls of fluff are now my big boys Hamish and Angus. Sons of Pepper!!

The other is my lovely Cocky Rocky. Tamsin is behind him, they are Araucanas. He has stopped traffic when he is taking some girls on a tour of the front yard. And he is top cock in the flock!!


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## vandj

Berta, I know it may sound bad, but if you catch your dog killing a chicken take the chicken and whip the dog with it. The birds are cushioned with feathers and you can't really hurt the dog, but hit him/her several times telling him/her bad or what ever you use as a scolding word. I have a Border collie that killed 2 just playing. The first I just chained her after scolding and left her chained for three days with the chicken tied around her neck. One day after letting her loose she killed the other one. I took the chicken and whipped her good and 2 years later no more dead birds and a dog free to roam and play all she wants. A shotgun is good for stray dogs. 

Loved all the pics. I have to get my camera fixed and show how a old John Deere grain trailer makes a great roving pen for my flock.


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## Sundancers

Great pictures!

On a side note my farm is fenced and cross fenced. My garden is 2 acres and fenced but it has not stopped the deer nor the rouge chicken from getting in there and giving it good trashing. lol 

So I opt to keep them in a run and the deer in the freezer.


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## hollyosborn

Here are my free rangers, i love their freedom.. and they do too... however i sometimes have to follow them to see where the new "nests" are located.. lol


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## chickendust

hollyosborn said:


> Here are my free rangers, i love their freedom.. and they do too... however i sometimes have to follow them to see where the new "nests" are located.. lol


Look at that cute kitty imitating the chickens taking a bath


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## chickendust

I let my chickens free range with the horses plus they have an extra area that the horses can't get to where I keep their feeders. The young white orpington, in the puddle, stood there looking around for about 5 minutes before she decided that it was safe to walk back out...lol!


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## dbbd1

Apyl said:


> I free range as well and have agarden. I uses plastic deer fence to keep the chickens and ducks out and the fencing is only $20 for 110'.


Can you show a pic of the deer fence and where did you get it (especially for that price)?


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## Marengoite

Ace is the place: http://www.buyacehardware.com/deer-x-garden-fencing-75999.html


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## Apyl

dbbd1 said:


> Can you show a pic of the deer fence and where did you get it (especially for that price)?


I got my deer fence at Tractor Supply, here is a pic I found on google. This is exactly what my fence looks like. I found it in the garden section. I also used some of it to cover my rooster pen so they couldnt get out. It unfold to be 7 feet tall and comes in 120' long rolls for $19.99


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## BuckeyeChickens

The heavier plastic "snow fence" type of temporary fencing (available in green or orange) is much easier to work with than this "netting" material and animals/birds/reptiles wont get tangled in the fence like it will in the "netting"!!! Earlier this week I had to cut a 4' Black Snake out of some "netting" I use around my coops to keep wildbirds out of the chicken feed/waterers....after several years of using these nylon "netting" materials I am beginning to dislike the stuff more and more.....can't tell you how many chickens have gotten tangled and cut their feet so bad they had to be killed. Just something to keep in mind....


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## cindy

+1 on that Buckeye!


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## grow_your_brew

What do you guys to about the predator risk? I have dens of foxes + hawks that come around often.


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## dbbd1

Grow_your_brew

What are chicken saddles?


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## Shalva

I can't wait to get my chickens to free range... I am very concerned about hte dogs and am going to have to introduce the chickens to the yard slowly wiht just one or two dogs out while they get used to each other... I think its going to be a long process getting everyone together


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## grow_your_brew

dbbd1, 
A chicken saddle is basically a device you put on the backs of your chickens. You strap it under the wings to keep it in place. 
It prevents the chicken's back from getting ripped up by a rooster during mating.
It also protects the hen from getting pecked in the bottom by other hens (even if you don't have a rooster).
I know this problem isn't so prevalent if you free range your chickens. However, like I mentioned earlier in the thread, we have many foxes and hawks in the area. We also have long winters so we don't really have the luxury to free-range ours (would love to though!)
Anyway, traditionally, chicken saddles are sewn with cloth or canvas and elastic straps are used. They get dirty, nasty and the elastic will wear out eventually. Who wants to wash these by hand or in the machine? eww..
SO!

We've come up with a better, much tougher material to use and have made the apron one piece.

Our aprons/saddles:


It's cheaper (just $2.50 each shipped worldwide, less if you buy more)
Help protect free-range or cooped hens and roosters
Help resist predators
Make locating chickens easier
Resist punctures and scratches
Are weather proof and effective from summer to winter
Are washable - just hose them down, no need to hand/machine wash!
Have no elastic to wear out
Have no clasps to get pecked on
Go on easily
Can be personalized
Can last longer than a chicken - is almost indestructible (by chickens)




dbbd1 said:


> Grow_your_brew
> 
> What are chicken saddles?


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## Roseann

*my free ranging gals*

I love our 3 hens.....and i usually feed them some fresh veggies every morning.


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## nancygene

Your yard looks so much like ours. We are trying to let our chickens free range, too, but they keep going into the woods and we are afraid they will get lost. We have let them out and spend a 1/2 hour getting them back....


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## Apyl

grow_your_brew said:


> What do you guys to about the predator risk? I have dens of foxes + hawks that come around often.


The only thing I do is provide a safe coop. Other than that I let nature work it all out. We have cougars, wolves, bears, coyotes, racoons, hawks, eagles, owls, fishers, ect here in our woods. I have yet to have a loss. We are now heading into fall and winter so we'll see how things go from here. Once we have 30" of snow the predators may get hungry. If one becomes a nucience it will be delt with.


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## berniceannab

My girls all free range and take their turns coming back in to the barn to lay eggs. I find a stray egg now and again, but this only happens when s'one stays in the nest too long. I loved all the pics here. Awesome lookin' chooks!


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## dbbd1

We are still in the process of getting ours to free range. First, we are got them used to us giving them a treat when we make a "treat noise" (a few rocks in a plastic container- consistency). Now, we have progressed to spending about 1/2 hour outside. Then I shake the treat machine, they come gather. They are still working getting back into the coop though. We will work on this for awhile until they get it nailed before moving on. The next steps will be letting thme out longer and longer until, finally, they are out in the a.m. first thing. Try it, it works. 

(ask me how I know- that is how my wife trained me. Still getting used to eating slugs though)


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## 1948daydreamer

My bantams free range all the time,but the last few days,seems the hawks are getting more aggressive. Three attacks today,but no losses,and the hawk even tried to take one out of the tree where they roost after dusk tonight. A close call for the chicken,and a very close call for the hawk. Just a second or two faster on my part,and his chicken hunting days would have been over. The battle continues at dawn tomorrow.


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## thewhisperingoaks

I have only two buff orphingtons left free ranging, had 3, the other day I had an eagle on my second floor balconey having a chicken dinner. I have a six foot fence around them but they decided to follow my guinea hens and now she flies all over the place. hangs out on the roof etc. I will have to build a totally enclosed yard for the twenty new chicks coming in.


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## Energyvet

Yes. Keep them in for a week or so.


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