[gracie]

I have only let mine free range when i am home so sometimes I have to put them away 2 or 3 times  a day when i pop out, eg school run. My friend down the lane leaves hers out all day when they are at work. We have never seen a fox, though they will be about as we live on the edge of the marshes and there is lots of waste land, but I havent felt comfortable leaving them out. One day a week they only get out for an hour before i go to work then they are in bed before i get home as they have just put themselves to bed. Thing is i am sitting on the computer now and cant see them they are at the back of the house, so a half hour school run wouldnt be any different.
I know its probably luck that there have been no incidents down our lane, so I dont think i would leave them out but i did wonder if maybe i am being just a bit too paranoid. On my travels i see many chickens out free ranging with no problem. How many of you allow your chickens out during the day even if you are out?

[themagicaltoad1]

I used to leave mine out but the neighbours both sides reported seeing a fox in their garden. I only leave them out now if the dogs are also in the garden as they certainly wouldn't allow a fox in. They have a large purpose built run so it's not a problem keeping them shut in. Can you give them a bigger run? maybe then you would feel happier about them not having the freerange of your garden.

[gracie]

They have just had a lovely extention so they dont need to be out, i just love seeing them out. We have also made the run very varied with different flooring, covered areas and plenty of outside roost bars. i do think i worry about them needlessly, someone i work with who has had chickens for years just thinks I am mad as she just has them (dont mean that to be a bad thing) whilst i really love mine and they are our pets.
I must admit since they have had the extension they seem happier to go in and out of the run during the day, where as before they only ever went back in for a drink. I think when my friend down the lane was surprised i put  mine away i felt a bit guilty.
Thanks for the feedback

[Beano]

No need to feel guilty. Imagine how guilty you would feel if something happened to them. I used to feel guilty until I started letting them freerange while I was home and noticed that they only came out for a bit and within half an hour they were back in their run. The run we have for them in the Summer covers a large area with trees and bushes so I think they realized quite quickly that they had the best part of the garden, but it's not totally secure from foxes during the daytime. In the winter they are in a smaller covered run with better security because its dark by the time we come home.

[shetan]

its always better to be safe than sorry. i don't let mine out until i've dropped hubby off at work which varies from 7 to 8am every day and put them in when i go to pick him up.

if i'm at home they're let out on a rota basis, evenly divided, dependant on the amount of time i'm home. and even then its only when the dogs are about. the chicken coops each have their own runs and the chookie  part of the garden is gated off to keep them off my veggies

we have a bad infestation of foxes which has gotten worse over the years so we don't take the risk. especially since my novice year when the fox ripped through the wire and got into the coop, killing 2 of my girls.

[compostqueen]

I never let mine free range unless I was out with them to supervise.  I wouldn't even let them free range while I was in the house. They had a netting corale I'd keep them in but only when I was at home. If I went out they'd be put back into their secure 12' long run, and then back out into the netting corale when I got home

I'd never risk leaving them out

[gracie]

Well i think you have all definately answered my question. I guess you just never know and its not worth taking the risk, glad hubby made the extention now.

[compostqueen]

Mine got attacked by a fox and I was beside myself with grief as I'd forgotten to lock their door when I went to bed. I was poorly so went to bed early.  It was the only time I'd ever forgotten to do it. It just shows that foxy was there all along, just waiting to pounce. All three girls recovered but they suffered such trauma. So did I     After that I was paranoid 

[Raven81]

Mine are in their run all day but only free range when we are around. 
Our garden is pretty much secure but I wouldn't take the risk, even for a few minutes.  As long as their run is adequate they won't mind.  Mine love the garden but some days its only for an hour.  They scratch in their run so are happy enough there anyway.

[joyfull]

mine free range all day and some never go in a coop - they sleep in the trees.

[Helenaj]

Mine are out all day from 7am to when I shut them in at night (usually about 6:30pm with the darker evenings). Mine are bordered with a river on one side, stables on the other, more chickens and geese on the third side and garages on the other side. I fear mink and two legged predators far more than I do a fox. I've been lucky I guess.

[Dominic]

Mine free range at weekends.
Theres little chance of getting them back in if we go out, so, we dont bother trying.

[Carla]

Mine free range all day, even though I know there's foxes about  I dont know what else to do, their run is huge, but I have no way of making it fox proof, so my thinking is, if they have the whole garden (which is big), they have more chance of getting away than if I leave them in the run. The fox knows we have a big dog here, she'd chased the fox off twice, she nearly had him last time (she wouldnt have had a clue waht to do with him if she caught him though!), and he's not been back since, but he has been next door..was seen at 4pm the other day It feels as if its just a matter of time until something bad happens, but unless I keep then in the tiny run, there's no other option really. Even if I'm here and listening, I know it only takes a split second for the fox to attack, so I dont think there's any way of keeping free rangers completely safe. But when I get home from work each day (3pm), my heart is in my mouth everytime I look in the garden until I see they've made it through another day.

[grinling]

Mine have a outdoor area, but escape that and wander the garden. I do a head count or shake the corn pot and they return. Haven't heard a fox at all.

[clairerey]

Mine free ranged from morning until dusk up until the fox attacked. We heard nothing from any foxes for months then suddenly at 10am on a hot sunny day, he attacked and disabled one chicken, the other two managed to run away. Mine stay in their coop now until im home and can let them out supervised. I won't be cleaning another chicken off of my patio. I could kill my neighbours for encouraging the foxes into the gardens to eat scraps and other foods that they put out for them. Goodluck whatever you decide to do
claire xx