# Question about free range



## dmkrieg (Jul 11, 2017)

My husband keeps asking when am I going to allow my chickens to free range. Im so incredibly nervous since I live by a creek and I have seen fox and coyotes in my neighborhood. We have fencing around our property but that won't stop a coyote or fox. So I have. 16 x 30' run and they have a 12 x 30' cafes area inside my bar and over the run in I out hawk netting since 5 of the 26 chickens are Silkies. Is there any reason I should let them free range. I do have 7 Brahmas in the mix. Do they have enough area to co-exist without letting them free range?


----------



## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Silkies - I never had one ask for more room. What I did when I was a nervous nelly is let them out an hour before dark when you're there and when it gets darker, they will head for the coop all by themselves.


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Once you let them free range all day, it's like opening Pandora's box. It will be difficult keeping them penned since they are used to their limited run areas. They will want out all the time, and pace the fenceline inside the penned areas if they arnt let out.
You have to choose what you want to do as not to stress your birds; free range or keeping them penned for safety sake.
If they free range, it's true that they will go back to the coop late evening to go to roost for the night.
My birds are penned. I might let them out of their pens once every 2 weeks for 30 minutes or less and I keep an eye on them. We have too many hawks around here. I call them back to their pens and they come running...they know I'm going to give them some crack.
Our next door neighbor has lost quite a few birds to hawks.


----------



## dmkrieg (Jul 11, 2017)

We have a lot of hawks here in Missouri too. Plus the coyotes and fox in our area. My neighbor said yesterday that at 8am he saw a coyote running thru the field right behind my property. My property is fenced in but there is 150 acres behind my fencing. I only have 4 acres.


----------



## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Believe me, free range is wonderful, but you WILL lose them to predators esp if the fox and coyote has a place to hide like your creek. I am the voice of experience!! Coyote will hide a wait for the lone chicken to wander off or they will come right in front of you and get their lunch. I no longer let mine out because we have 2 coyotes working my hens. I don't even let them out in their relatively safe enclosure unless I'm out with them. We also have hawks that frequent our place.


----------



## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I free range mine and I have lost the occasional chicken to a fox or coyote but my biggest problem was the neighbor dogs.When I turn everybody loose,me and the dog(mostly the dog)patrol the yard and I have shotguns handy in case of trouble.Once I started shooting the dogs(after loosing 100+ chickens to dogs),that problem stopped.If you free range,you must remain on guard.There is always something wanting your chickens,even when penned.


----------

