In recent years, a common question has lingered among chicken owners: should I keep my chickens within a run, or let them free-range? What prompts this question in most cases is the owners’ desire to keep their chickens safe and healthy.
A recent study shows that free-range chickens developed excellent feather conditions, gait score, and a rich microbial composition. In contrast, chicken run provides a more controlled environment that protects chickens from predators and harsh weather.
In this article, you’ll discover which approach is more suitable for your feathered friends. We will explore both setups in detail and show you how to combine them successfully. You will also discover how you can properly integrate free-ranging with your garden area.
Understanding the Behavioral Needs of Your Chickens
Chickens can't tell us how they feel or what they truly want. However, we can always observe their behavior and figure out what makes them happy and healthy.
Here are some everyday behavioral needs of chickens and their potential benefits:
- Foraging: Chickens often peck at each other when they have limited feeding time or nothing to engage them. This is where foraging comes in. It is a natural chicken behavior that reduces stress and increases productivity. Studies have shown that it prevents feather pecking and improves their overall well-being.
- Dust Bathing: Just as we bathe to clean ourselves, chickens also bathe in dust to clean their feathers and remove excess moisture or oil from their skin. Dust Bathing also helps remove external parasites attached to their skin, such as lice and mites.
- Locomotion: Chickens are naturally curious, thus they enjoy roaming around. This activity helps them to stretch their legs, exercise their feathers, and reduce stress. When chickens are not provided with opportunities to roam, they can become aggressive and ill.
- Scratching: Scratching is one of the ways in which chickens express their natural instincts. When they scratch the ground to peck at grains, insects, and greens, they become more physically and mentally stimulated.
How Free Ranging Encourages Chickens’ Behavioral Needs
Fortunately, free-ranging allows chickens to express their natural behaviors. They are encouraged to go where they like, exercise, and forage.
On the other hand, confining them to a smaller area can lead to stress, especially when they are overcrowded. This can affect their feather condition and also the quality and quantity of their eggs.
Some benefits of free ranging are highlighted below:
Improves Chickens' Well-being
This system exposes chickens to physical activities such as foraging, dust bathing, roaming, and scratching. These activities help reduce stress and obesity, resulting in a healthier flock.
Access to a Natural Balanced Diet
Chickens can navigate their way to fresh green grass, seeds, and insects. This serves as a supplement to their feed and improves their nutrition. It can also help reduce the costs of chicken feed.
Satisfied and Relaxed Chickens
Chickens are more active and happier in open spaces. They can express their natural behaviors without restrictions. This improves their mental stimulation while also reducing boredom and feather pecking. It also improves egg quality.
Helps Control Pests and Parasites
Chickens naturally pursue insects and feed on anything that comes their way. As a result, unwanted pests are eradicated organically. Being able to bathe in dust also helps them dislodge external parasites from their bodies, such as lice and mites.
More Free Time for Chicken Owners
There is usually a reduction in coop cleaning when your flock free-ranges. The stress of providing amusements and forage for your chickens is also reduced since they can easily fend for themselves. This allows you to spend your time on more productive activities.
Drawbacks Associated with Free Ranging
Exposure to Predators
Free-ranging exposes your flock to predators such as snakes, hawks, and foxes. Additionally, free-range chickens may not lay their eggs where you can find them. These eggs may either get lost, forgotten, or fall into the hands of neighborhood thieves.
Damage to the Environment
You may not always have time to supervise your chickens during foraging or scratching. This can result in damage to flowers, ground covers, or shrubs.
Chickens May Wander Away
In situations where keepers don’t have boundary fences, your flock can wander away. However, chickens rarely get lost because they have a good sense of direction. They may also find a preferred roosting site and refuse to return to their coop.
Risk of Disease Infection
Free-ranging may expose chickens to wild bird droppings and other disease-causing organisms. This can result in fast-acting chicken diseases such as coccidiosis, bird flu, virulent Newcastle disease, and others.
Causes Disturbance to the Neighborhood
Free-range chickens can become a nuisance to the neighborhood if not adequately monitored. They may damage neighbors’ plants or leave droppings on the ground. Additionally, there's a risk of disease transmission through interaction with other chickens, such as those kept by neighbors.
Is it Safe to Let Your Chickens Free-Range?
The truth is, it is not easy to maintain a completely free-range flock. A boundary fence is usually necessary. Even with one in place, predators can still pose a problem.
However, you can apply the following tips for successful free-ranging:
- Understand Your Surroundings: Gather information about the common predators in your environment. This will help you plan your flock’s safety effectively. It’s also helpful to inform your neighbors about your plans to free-range; they can contact you if they see your birds wandering or even offer advice on how to manage your flock properly.
- Take Security Measures: Create a safe area where your chickens can retreat when an aerial predator, like a hawk, is approaching. You can also use dogs to raise alarms or chase away predators that attack during the day.
- Train Your Flock to Return to the Coop: You can achieve this by establishing a consistent feeding routine at night. A tasty treat, such as a mealworm in their coop, will encourage them to return reliably.
- Chicken-Proof Your Garden: If care is not taken, chickens can cause significant damage to your plants during their daily activities. You can use barriers, such as mesh, to safeguard your vegetables and other tender plants.
What You Can Do if You Can't Free Range
Chicken runs are a good alternative to free ranging. They are usually attached to your flock's coop. The aim is to allow them to exhibit their natural behaviors while keeping them safe and free from predators.
Why Chicken Run Could Be a Better Option
- A standard chicken run is typically made of weather-resistant pine and lined with galvanized wire mesh on the sides and top. This protects your birds from predators, other birds, and harsh weather conditions.
- If your chicken coop is kept clean and dry, your chickens are not at risk of common diseases, which can occur when they are exposed to wild bird droppings or neighboring flocks.
- Collecting eggs is easier in a chicken run, unlike free-ranging, where chickens often lay eggs that their owners cannot find.
- A well-designed chicken run gives your flock the opportunity to exercise and forage safely.
Chicken runs are considered a good option for safeguarding your birds from predators. However, there are some potential downsides to using them, including:
- Regular cleaning is required: Cleaning chicken droppings and other dirt requires time and energy. The time spent on this task could be used for other productive activities..
- Overcrowding: Overcrowding often leads to aggressive behaviors such as pecking. It can also cause stress, which may reduce both the quality and quantity of eggs.
- Cost Issue: Chicken runs can be expensive to equip. Since the goal is to replicate a free-range environment, you may also need to spend money on enrichment and a consistent, balanced diet.
Features of an Ideal Run Space
Not all chicken runs are the same. The materials the runs are made of, the available space, and the features inside the run will determine how well it serves you and your flock. A standard run space should have the following standout features:
- Enough space for your flock to roam, bathe, forage, and scratch (the standard is 11 square feet per bird).
- Secure materials such as strong steel mesh, predator-proof skirting, and secure coop locks.
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Enrichment accessories like sustainable chicken scratch, logs, branches, and hanging feeders to keep chickens engaged.
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Compatibility with all types of coops to ensure versatility.
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Expandable kits that allow keepers to increase space at any time.
- A remote camera to help monitor the flock anytime, anywhere.
Tips to Keep Your Flock Happy in the Run
With a little extra effort, you can make your chickens as happy as they would be in a free-range system. Here are a few tips to keep them content in their run:
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Provide a balanced diet and fresh water regularly.
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Offer plenty of enrichment activities.
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Ensure there is enough space for your flock, based on flock size.
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Provide a variety of perches for roosting.
- Introduce straw and wood chips for scratching.
Combining Free-Ranging and Confinement Systems
Chicken owners looking to strike a balance between enrichment and safety will find a hybrid approach very effective. By combining supervised free-range hours with a secured run, chickens can experience the best of both worlds while remaining safe.
This approach can be implemented in the following ways:
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Best Timing: Allow your flock to free-range before dusk. Ensure your chickens return to their coop as daylight disappears.
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Acclimate New Flocks: Do not allow new flocks to free-range until they are familiar with their coop and surroundings.
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Leave Coop Doors Accessible: Always leave the coop door open in case some chickens want to stay in the coop or run area.
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Train Your Flock: Train your flock to stay within the ranging area and recognize that you are in charge. Teach them an alert call in a language they will understand, so they respond when danger is near.
- Head Count: After your flock has returned to the coop, perform a proper head count before locking the door.
How to Integrate Your Chickens into the Garden Area
Chickens can be very destructive because their natural behaviors often conflict with the environment. For example, they may uproot fresh seedlings while foraging or disturb newly tilled soil while dust bathing.
To prevent damage, you can take the following measures to properly integrate your flock into your garden:
Divide the Garden
Start by evaluating your garden layout. Depending on your flock size, designate an area where your chickens can exhibit their natural behaviors without harming the surrounding plants.
Use Barriers to Safeguard Young Plants
You can protect your garden in the following ways:
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Low Wire Fencing Arches: Place these over individual garden beds containing tender plants. Since the arches are low, chickens will be prevented from accessing the plants.
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Bird or Tulle Netting: Another easy way to prevent chickens from damaging food crops is to cover the plants directly with bird netting or tulle netting.
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Old Blankets: If the cultivated beds are not yet planted, use old blankets to cover them. This is an effective way to protect the soil from being disturbed by chickens.
- Flat Stones for Herbs and Perennials: Place flat stones around herbs and perennial flowers to serve as mulch and protect them from chickens.
Adopt a Rotational Grazing System
This involves rotating the areas where your chickens forage to prevent overgrazing and soil depletion. Rotation allows plants in the garden to regrow naturally after rain and helps prevent the buildup of pathogens and pests.
Benefits of Integrating Your Chickens into Your Garden
No Need for Chemical Fertilizer: Chicken droppings are rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, making them an excellent natural manure. When added to the garden, they improve soil structure and increase plant yields.
Waste Conversion into Valuable Resources: Household and garden scraps serve as food for chickens. This not only reduces the cost of chicken feed but also improves their health and egg quality.
Helps Control Pests: Natural behaviors such as pecking and scratching help eradicate pests and improve soil aeration. This contributes to a balanced garden ecosystem and can reduce the need for chemical pesticides.
Promotes Microbial Activity: Chicken droppings attract microorganisms that aid in the decomposition of organic matter, enriching the soil.
Helpful Tips for Caring for Your Chicken Across All Seasons
Chickens’ needs change with the seasons. What they need in spring differs from summer, and what they need in fall differs from winter.
In this section, you will learn how to provide your flock with the care they need throughout the year.
How to Care for Chickens in the Spring
How to Care for Chickens in the Spring
Spring is an excellent time for chicken keepers. It is when egg laying typically resumes. Here are a few important needs to attend to during Spring season:
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Coop and Run Cleaning: Spring is the ideal time for a thorough coop cleaning. Disinfect nesting boxes and roosts, and dispose of waste and old feed to keep your flock healthy.
- Prevent Broodiness Behaviors: Pure breeds often show signs of broodiness during spring. Collect their eggs regularly to prevent them from starting to sit on them. Encourage the hens to leave the nesting boxes and forage instead.
How to Care for Your Chickens During Summer
Chickens, especially heavy breeds, can become stressed during summer. Here are some tips to help your birds stay comfortable and healthy during this season:
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Provide Shade and Cool Water: Chickens struggle with high summer temperatures. Ensure they have access to shade and fresh, cool water. Refill the water regularly. For shade, consider planting trees or vines around the run.
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Offer Chilly Treats: Frozen treats can help keep chickens cool on very hot days. You can also pour water into shallow trays, allowing them to stand in it to lower their body temperature.
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Safeguard Chickens from External Parasites: Mites and lice are more common during summer. Take preventive measures consistently to protect your flock.
How to Care for Chickens in the Autumn
Autumn is typically a season when chicken keepers enjoy the company of their feathered friends. However, certain precautions are necessary during this period.
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Provide a Regular, Balanced Diet: Chickens usually go through molting during autumn, so don’t be surprised if you notice feather loss within your flock. Keep in mind that hens may stop laying eggs during this time.
Providing a balanced diet regularly helps your flock stay healthy and supports feather regrowth during molting.
How to Care for Chickens in the Winter
Chickens with larger combs are usually vulnerable to winter. In many cases, they sustain cold injuries like frostbite. In cases like this, apply petroleum jelly to their comb to fix the injury.
- If water freezes during winter, empty water troughs at night and refill them during the day to ensure your flock always has access to fresh water.
- It is common to see a reduction in egg production during cold weather. However, this should not prevent you from continuing to provide your chickens with their daily essentials, including a balanced diet and fresh water.
Final Words
When it comes to keeping your chickens safe and healthy, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. While free-ranging provides your flock with the natural enrichment they need, it also exposes them to predators and other hazards.
Chicken runs, on the other hand, are generally safer but require time, effort, and money. Additionally, chickens may not always have enough space to exhibit their natural behaviors. By combining both approaches, however, your flock can enjoy the benefits of free-ranging while remaining safe and protected.
FAQ
Will free-range hens still return to the coop?
Yes, chickens generally have a good sense of direction. Free-range hens will usually return to the coop, especially if they have been properly trained.
Can I free-range with dogs and cats?
It depends on the temperament of your pets. If your dogs and cats are not aggressive, it is generally safe to allow your flock to free-range around them.
Do free-range hens lay eggs everywhere?
Most chickens will lay eggs in nesting boxes if they are provided. You can encourage this behavior by keeping nesting boxes clean, comfortable, and easily accessible.
How much space does each chicken need to be happy?
The standard recommended space in a run is 11 square feet per bird to allow them to move freely and exhibit natural behaviors.
Do I still need grit or oyster shells if they are free-range?
Free-range chickens have access to soil and yard areas, where they can find grit and oyster shells naturally. However, providing supplemental grit and Oyster Shells ensures they always have enough for healthy digestion and strong eggshells.
