[nic_28]

Hello, Ive not posted a new thread here before, and firstly I'd like to say how helpful and friendly you all seem,    reading topics on this forum really have helped me so far.

We are due to get 5 hens in a couple of weeks, we have the coop built and airing in the garage all ready for them. We are getting 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Rhodie 2 Speckledys and a White Sussex!! (super excited) . We have roughly 2 acres of land, surrounded by electric fencing (apart from at the front of the house which faces onto a small country road) We were originally going to build a pen for the hens but the idea of letting them free range seems quite appealing.  I was wondering if anyone here has any advice on this?  I have been assured by a friend (who had her hens free range without lekkie fencing) that the hens will instinctively go to their house at night to be shut in, and she had never had any fatalaties.

ANY advice would be totally fab!

Nic

[Lindeggs]

The hens will definitely go back to their house at night, on condition you keep them in there for a few days to start with so they know it is 'home'.

But it's not the hens wandering off that is the problem - it's the predators, especially foxes!    Others will certainly tell you all about the fox risk so I will leave it to them.

In my case we don't have foxes so my chickens free-range in my garden all day.  The garden is surrounded by a 6-ft wooden fence that is high enough to keep dogs out, and the chickens will easily see off a domestic cat. 

But even with those advantages I still have a run available so I can lock them in when I need to.  So far I have used it when rowdy children have come into the garden, and when the lawnmower man comes and leaves the gate open.    So in short, you will need a run even if your chickens free-range 99% of the time.  I suggest building both a coop and run, and decide about free-ranging as you go along.

[Kenilworth]

I would also add that they can be rather destructive to any flowers and plants etc. So if you have any favourites i would consider partitioning off.

[nic_28]

I think having a run just incase is probably the best bet. Thanks for you replies. Ive been here for 4 years and the only time Ive seen a fox is when we had the electric fencing switched off in winter and some sheep got in, Ive heard they can sense the current and keep away?  (although we get buzzards nesting in a nearby tree...are they a big threat?) I was told by a breeder that by locking your chooks up at dusk is reducing the fox attack risk by 95% is this true? questions questions!

 

[bantam novice]

Hello Nic_28

You will definitely need to lock up your chickens at dusk and it may be worth your while to read the threads about fox attack.   You may not have seen foxes but they will be around and will have spotted your hens.  An electric fence is a good idea.  I use electric netting to surround the bantams' ranging area and that has so far (touching wood and keeping everything crossed) been successful.

If you are going to build a secure run use weld mesh rather than chicken wire.  Chicken wire keeps hens in but doesn't keep foxes out.  My aunt recently lost all her quails which were in a coop covered with two layers of chicken wire.  The fox chewed through both layers.

We have buzzards around here.  I have seen a group of eight so I know there are lots of them.  They have so far left my bantams alone but I have deliberately kept my chicks in a run covered with weld mesh.  I think buzzards would take a chick but not a full size bantam so far and not a full size chicken unless the chicken was also really unwell and could not get out of the way.

Good luck with your hens and keep us posted. 

[lou-b-lou]

I have had my chooks since april. They pootle around the whole garden all day apart from when we are out when we shut them in their run so that we know they are safe from predators. Whether they are in their run or in the garden they always put themselves to bed in their coop as soon as it begins to get dark. Then I just shut their pop hole once I know they are all in.

[nic_28]

  many thanks everyone