[photoboy]

Hi, we live in a country location of 3 barn convertions with pretty much open plan gardens not much in the way of fencing off the next doors just the fields around. We are thinking of having 4 Chickens to roam free around these gardens and the courtyard. We are not keen on having them in a run, and electric fencing is a  no no.
Q's
A - Will the Chickens just wander or fly off?
B - Will they be safe during the day (we work from home, but can't watch them constantly)
C - What is the best type of house to keep  them safe at night.

I think if this set up is not practical we will think again.
Thanks in advance!

[Aunt Sally]

Yes they will wander off and fly if their wings are not clipped.  Even if they are clipped they can fly up to about 3 or 4 feet.

They are extremely good diggers too and will turn a flower bed into a recreation of the Somme in the search for tasty morsels, given a chance !  The neighbours might not approve of that ! Having said that though you seem to be able to give them a huge amount of space to range in so their digging will be spread about a lot and not concentrated in one place. They would find their way home again from the neighbours and the fields at dusk after they have learnt where they live.

Foxes would present a problem and you only have to have a look through our poultry forums to see that free ranging birds DO get predated

There are loads of options in housing, it just depends on what will suit you and your environment and the chooks - anything from a posh Omlet Cube to a DIY converted old garden shed.

[Roughlee Handled]

Hi Photoboy welcome

A+B- I would like to say I was in your position 8 months ago.   I live in a block of three houses (converted barn and farm house) We live along side a quiet country road, apart from our group of houses the nearest houses are a 1/2 kilometre away. We the occupants of the three houses all work and are away in the day.
If "electric fencing is a  no no" (which i must add is only good if you local fox population have not worked out they can jump it) then you either have to put up a run or be content with loosing you chickens on a regular basis.  I started out like you with want to let the girls roam free.  After 2 months I lost three chucks out of 8.  I then kept them behind an eletric fence 75m of it. This worked till the 28th of Dec when I lost another two chucks and then again last Sunday I lost 5 chucks.  You may not see your fox but he/she is there.  These chickens where all taken in the day and at the weekend and we where home!!!!!   So in the last 8months I have lost 11 chickens to fox. I am now building a run.  I have had to give my remaining chicken away till I get my run built.

A+B - I never leave my chucks out (or did) when I was not around or in the house.  They will not fly away (b*gger off) as there coop is there home and they feel secure there they know where it is and will go back.  When I was out and about and the chickens where loose I would often find them 150m+ down the field.  They did come back.

C - A sturdy chicken coop. I am not surprised Sally has mentioned an eglu.    They are good if you can afford one and they do eradicate the problem of red spider mite.

Sally has a good point about your and your neighbours gardens.  They will have everything new shoots the lot.  You will have upset neighbours. As they will be in those flower beds.  


But I love chickens they are fun to watch and give me something to do rather than sat in from of a TV or Computer all night or day.

To summarise: Get chickens you will love them.  But I would suggest you get a run for them and let them out when you are outside.   Once trained (yes trained) chickens will come to a call and you can put them away.

[Vickie & Richard]

I live in a row of 11 cottages with open plan back gardens, i free range my girls, i have no electric fence and a busy road just the other side of the garden.  I never let me girls out all day, i usually like them to have their breakfast first before they free range.  I've never clipped my girls wings as i feel these give them the extra speed when they need it.  They walk across all my neighbours gardens and i haven't had any complaints.  Althought i did notice the other day that they have made a very big hole under a neighbours tree for dust bathing.  They are quite messing, but its better than having cats pooing in your garden!!  They;ve never done near the road and i have only had one attack, which was a dog that came off a towpath near our property.  I have left them when i've gone out, but personally i don't like leaving them for long.  I hope this helps you.