FREE RANGING CHICKENS 101 | How To Train Backyard Poultry | PROS & CONS | Caring For Egg Laying Hens

We've been free ranging chickens for years now, so here is some of what we've learned along the way. Are free range hens the right option for you? Let's find out!

INSTAGRAM: @oak_abode

0:00-1:23 - Intro
1:24-2:28 - Less Feed
2:29-4:33 - More Nutritious Eggs
4:34-5:37 - Happier & Healthier
5:38-6:54 - Less Flock Drama
6:55-8:04 - Less Coop Cleaning
8:05-10:45 - Lower Maintenance
10:46-15:57 - Predator Risk
15:58-18:03 - Ruined Yards
18:04-19:44 - Rogue Birds
19:45-20:43 - Egg Hiding
20:44-22:19 - Poisoning Risk
22:20-23:38 - Final Thoughts

We're not experts, so we always recommend talking to the pros for the best advice. This post and comments below contain affiliate links, which may lead to a commission if purchased. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

[Toleich]

I could watch this woman for hours. Really good presentation style and delivery.

[JaredHeimer]

We lost 14 newly laying hens to a coyote in a few hours. But honestly I’d rather put up a better fence around our property than to coop them up! They’re just so much happier running around! And we’re so much happier seeing them everywhere lol

[taslishimhoekwai]

Great content. I have free free range chickens and turkeys. I am on a farm. Your comment about roosters is right on. The roosters are always watching over the hens and will defend them or distract a predator. The eagles could be an issue in the spring but they don't seem to mess with the bigger chickens. The turkeys are great protectors too. The turkeys and Guineas are very vocal and will sound the alarm if anything is not right, and then the enforcers (the dogs) come running. One of the strangest things I noticed about my Great Pyrenees is they watch the sky for predators, at least mine do. We have turkey buzzards (which are not a threat to chickens) and whenever they are flying overhead, the Great Pyrenees start barking at them giving the alarm. Anyway, great piece. It's amazing how all of the animals on a farm can work together once they get use to each other.

[christineanddean]

I’ve lost two white chickens to foxes. It hadn’t occurred to me that they were at higher risk than the darker ones… but of course they are! Totally makes sense!! Thanks for this video.

[slhuneycutt]

Such good information for those trying to figure out what to do with their backyard chicks. We ended up free ranging by accident. 😄 The coop door got propped open by one of the kids a few months ago - I woke up the next day and saw the chickens out scratching around in the garden. At first I worried, but they did so well. So now, I let them out every day. And we immediately started seeing an increase in egg production. We only have 5, so every egg counts! We bought our property and the previous owners didn’t want to take the chickens so they offered them to us. It was my dream to have chickens, so we kept them! They really are so very happy now. And so social! They like to sit on the back patio steps and tap the glass door in the morning while I make my coffee. (But it does mean I’m cleaning poop up more often 🥴) I just absolutely love them though.

[sugarbooger]

I've had a backyard urban flock now for about 4 years and have always free ranged them. Starting this year I am only keeping them in the run for the winter due to two separate hawk attacks, one in January and one in November. Hawk attacks in urban areas increase during the winter months due to scarcity of food. Both times my little ladies were extremely lucky in that they survived the attack. Hawks will typically dive bomb a target, use one or both feet/talons to "snatch" the hen on the back, then use their beak to cut their throats. The first attack opened up the throat area completely but did not damage the muscle. The second attack stripped all the flesh away in the tail feather area and rear right flank. Believe it or not but she is recovering well but still has a way to go. In both instances I separated the wounded birds from the rest of the flock since the other birds will zero in on the wound and peck it till it becomes infected and eventually kill the bird. Things to do to help mitigate hawk/owl attacks are to put up decoy birds (they don't like what they perceive to be competition), preferably one with a spring loaded head that moves in the wind. Second would be to put up sparkly diversions that reflect sunlight since hawks have such keen eyes, it messes with them. And lastly, if in a confined run or small back yard, install twine in uneven, criss-crossed patterns over the run/yard since the hawk needs open space to make his attack and to make off with his prey and the twine is an obstacle to that and they will look for easier pickings elsewhere. Otherwise I have had no problems with coons, possums, skunks, or other predators.

[TheOldSwedesFarm]

We free range all day on our farm. They love it and seem very happy. So far we've only lost one bird to a hawk/eagle (maybe it went rogue!). I did chase two hawks away today but we've been very lucky. Great video!

[jessicakivett]

I used to free range my backyard chickens and I have now confined them to one corner of the yard with a short fence purely because we didn't like stepping in poop all the time. Poop was EVERYWHERE! It got to the point where the kids didn't want to go outside and play which was a deal breaker. Also, the poop on the concrete patio leaves stains if you don't have a power washer.

[playtimewithcaelan]

We free range in a subdivision in NH that is rated for agriculture. We are secluded enough not to bother neighbors. We typically let them out at lunch time and they go in by themselves at dusk. The chicken poop in the yard is a bit of a pain, but typically the rain breaks it down and hey free fertilizer! We let them out at lunch time so that egg laying is done first. We let them free range because they are so happy to have freedom. And frankly they are relaxing to watch roam the yard.

[michelehamman]

We have only had chickens for 6 months, but we free range on a half acre suburban lot on mountain foothills. We have not lost one yet ( fingers crossed) I have seen a hawk and our Pyrenees/Anatolian mix barked and leaped at it while our two roosters led them under shelter. It was amazing to watch!

[KatieScanlan]

Your tangents are actually super useful! I’m very close to getting some pullets and avoiding lighter colors is good to know since I plan on free ranging!

[Maige-TheDouble-M]

0:35
Wow! I was trying to figure out why she was glowing!
Congrats!

[tammyohlsson]

I just seeded grass, so my chickens can only free range when I’m outside defending my new grass. But they love it. I have noticed a change in their laying when they don’t get a chance to get out of the run. Blessings!

[ncdorothy]

You could probably do a whole video on breed choice when it comes to free-ranging. Some have more streets smarts and are more well-behaved than others. We keep two free-range flocks: one roams in the woods near our house and the other stays near a large fenced-in pond. Our neighbor complained about our chickens coming into her yard and congregating/pooping on her steps and porches. I observed that the Rhode Island Reds and Red Sexlinks were leading the way. So I moved them to the other coop where they had more space, and the rest of the girls stopped visiting my neighbor. If you are free-ranging chickens, be aware that some breeds are "aggressive foragers" and are more likely to push their boundaries, jump fences, etc. Also, avoid breeds that are prone to broodiness, because they may make a nest away from the coop and become easy prey for a predator. Thanks for the great video!

[anniebanana]

I just started my flock. First time chicken care taker and I found your channel and love it. You make me feel okay with not knowing everything! Thank you for taking the time to teach us!

[fakecubed]

I kind of prefer the pasture rotation method, myself, having the chickens in a large fenced-in area, and then move them every so often to a new area. It's basically free range but ground predators are presumably kept at bay. I trust my birds to keep an eye on the sky and I like many of the larger, darker birds that maybe aerial predators won't try to pick off as much. There's goats and a livestock guardian dog around anyway, which hopefully acts as more of a deterrent.

Keeping chickens fenced, and then rotating them to a new pasture periodically also cuts down on some of the other cons. Their waste doesn't build up too much before they're moved. They can do less damage as well. It's also more of a natural way for them to live. In the wild, their ancestor the red junglefowl didn't just stay in one area forever, but moved around as they ran low on food in a particular spot, and the land had time to heal and their manure had time to break down and feed new plants.

Breed really matters. Not just for color, but for good chicken instincts. Heritage breeds that do better at foraging anyway are better at keeping themselves safe from predators, too. I find the heritage breeds are just smarter all around, more social, and I enjoy watching them more.

[katherinedeviney]

We used to free range but because of predators, the chicken poop on our porch and because they destroy our veg garden we built a very large pen around our coop. They are under trees for protection from full sun and we provide kitchen scraps, grass clippings and weeds that they love. They are safer from predators, don’t destroy our garden and still give us delicious eggs.

[dcworking]

Free ranging for life! 😆 my hens and 1 roo are so happy and healthy that it's worth the risk to me.
Yes over the last 4 years we have lost a hand full...3 to a dog, 1 to a eagle, 4 to a fox and 1 just dropped dead in the winter 🤷‍♀️
This year we even hatched chicks and it's been the best to watch the little babes run around.

[doloresreynolds]

I lost a chicken to a hawk, one to a neighbors dog, and (when they refused to roost in their coop at night) lost a couple to raccoons and a coyote. (They loved roosting in my apple trees.). After those nights, I went to more effort to get them cooped at night. Sadly, I had a raccoon fall through the roof of the coop (from an adjoining roof), and he decimated my flock. (And I learned that corrugated plastic can get brittle quickly in sunlight.)

[QuiteQuietASMR]

My fiancé and I have been debating very much about free ranging our flock!! I’m excited to watch this and learn what you’ve got to say! I hope everything is going GREAT with the pregnancy!