top of page
Writer's pictureAnnie

How to Safely Free-Range Your Chickens: Tips for Protecting Your Flock

Updated: Sep 27


Chickens out in the yard

I remember when I first started raising chickens with just four laying hens. They happily roamed our yard in a chicken tractor, enjoying fresh greens and bugs while staying safe. However, as our flock grew, it became clear we needed a better setup. Living on an acreage with predators and raising hunting dogs meant full-time free-ranging wasn’t an option.


Now, we have a large coop and run. The chickens quickly cleared out the grass in the run, leaving mostly black dirt. But on nice days, we let them free-range for some much-needed exploration and snacking.


Here are my top tips for keeping your free-range flock safe!


1. Supervised Free Range Time

This is probably the best way to ensure you don’t lose a chicken to a predator attack. You can either be out there in the yard with your birds enjoying a nice glass of iced tea or maybe just out doing some yard work. You will have eyes and ears on your flock so that you can ward off any attacks. This also allows you to make sure the chickens stay in a general area without one wandering off. There are days when I let the chickens stay out when I’m not outside, but I make sure I have a window open so I can hear if any trouble arises.


2. Make Sure There's Cover for Your Flock

Whether it’s some bushes, an old building or some other covering you make, making sure your chickens have a place to go to get some shade, a drink of water or even to hide from a predator is so important!


3. Keep Your Plants and Garden Fenced in

If you have flowers or plants you’re fond of and don’t want them dug up or eaten, make sure you have these fenced off from your flock! Chickens love to scratch and dig and can wreak havoc in a garden bed.


4. Keep a Flock Dog

This doesn’t work for our family because our dogs are trained to hunt birds. But, I know many families with herding dogs or flock protector dogs.


5. Add a Rooster

While I have a no rooster rule, I currently have 2. Haha! Keeping a rooster is a great option for flock protection. There have been many roosters who have protected their flock with their life. They will do just about anything to make sure their ladies are safe. This can work against you, however, if they believe you’re a predator. If I have a rooster who turns aggressive towards me or my family, they’re out.


6. Use Yard Pinwheels or Hang Flashy Tape

These will generally keep birds of prey away simply because they don’t like the movement and flashing. However, this will only work if you have a smaller free-ranging area.


Chickens out in the yard


Weighing the Pros and Cons of Free-Ranging

One perk of free-ranging is that it can cut down on your feed bill since your chickens will forage for their own food. However, it comes with risks, especially if you have predators nearby. Some of my friends and family free-range their flocks daily and have experienced multiple predator attacks. The sad truth is that once a predator discovers your flock, it’s hard to prevent future attacks.


That being said, free-ranging is a personal choice. If it’s not the right option for your setup, that’s perfectly fine! Every chicken owner needs to decide what works best for them and their flock.


Until next time,


–The Wing Lady

bottom of page