Should chickens free range?

It's a debate that sparks heated arguments: should you allow your chickens to free range or not? On one hand you have the chickens who absolutely love to be outdoors playing in the grass and chasing bugs. On the other side, we all want the best for their safety and chickens have a lot of predators out there. So what do you do? Do you free range your chickens and take the risk? Or do you keep your flock cooped up and play it safe?

Over the years I have done both. I've kept my chickens inside their coop and covered run all day and I've let them out with unlimited free range time. Whether I let my chickens free range or not depends on the  current situation. Anytime I feel there is a threat of predator attack I keep them in. I've also done supervised free range which isn't as simple as it sounds.

Free range chickens

The idea behind supervised free range hens is that you would obviously be right there watching them. This works in theory but it also depends on how many chickens you have and how well equipped you are to handle predators.

Chances are a predator would stay away if they saw you out there with your chickens. Probably. Unless it's the neighbors dog or a stray cat, then they would more than likely be unfazed by you. I've also had wild predators attack when I was less than 50 feet away. A bear grabbed a chicken when I was in the yard and a fox snagged a duck in the 30 seconds I walked into the house to grab a flashlight.

I am ill equipped to handle either of those predators (although the fox is no longer with us) and the speed with which they struck left little time for reaction. So, even supervised free range isn't a guarantee of safety. Basically, you're taking your chances by free ranging and only you can decide whether the stakes are too high to allow your chickens to free range.

There are definite benefits of free ranging. Besides the chickens getting to play outside which we know they love to do! Here are some of the things to consider about allowing your chickens to free range: 

When the flock is free range:

Lower feed costs
More exercise
Lots to do all day, running in grass and hunting for bugs
Losses from predators
Poop all over your yard/pasture
Higher quality eggs. Eggs from free range hens are more nutritious.
Insect control for your yard

When the flock is cooped up:

Higher feed costs
No exercise
Nothing to do. Boredom in chickens can result in feather pulling or picking on each other.
Less problems with predators
Poop is contained to coop

Some of the things you can do to provide better protection when allowing your chickens to free range: 

Provide cover from predators: 

Trees, bushes or other things the chickens can scurry under to hide will help protect them from aerial attack by a hawk or other bird of prey. Be careful not to have any hiding places though. A fox or raccoon can easily hide in tall grasses or behind piles of debris. (yes, I know the chickens can hide in the bushes too, it's a catch 22 isn't it?)

A protector: 

While a rooster is usually great at alerting the flock of danger he falls woefully short when it comes to actually defending the flock from a predator. A livestock guard dog though will chase off a predator with a few sharp barks. Make sure the dog you choose can be trusted around chickens and is free to roam where they do. A dog on a leash isn't very much help at all.

Human interaction: 

Just because you can't see the chicken predators doesn't mean they're not out there. They often lurk in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They may stay away if they see you though. Go outside and visit the chickens often. Walk around, make some noise and hopefully scare off anything looking for a free meal!  

Guineas: 

Guineas are a built in alarm system. They will "go off" whenever anything they're not familiar with is nearby. In fact, they're the very reason why I was walking around looking for what was wrong when the bear attacked. They alerted and I started looking. I realized I couldn't find one of the d'Uccles and was looking her by that coop when the bear had already moved on to the silkies. Luckily she had been hiding somewhere. Not so lucky for the silkie roo.

In the end it all comes down to your personal decision. Over the many years that I've free ranged my chickens I've had very few losses. I have had losses though. I've also enjoyed less of a tick problem then my neighbors have, a good amount of entertainment and very happy chickens. It's definitely a personal decision and one that shouldn't be made lightly.

~L

Having a problem with hawks? Here's How we use deer netting to deter hawk attacks in the chicken run.

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