5 ways to free range your chickens - which will be best for you?

You like the idea of free ranging, but are wondering how to make the most of the advantages while minimizing the disadvantages. Let’s talk about some options.
Complete free ranging is raising chickens without borders. It must be very rare because it needs a very large area indeed, free of threats and risks as well as fences.
Most people who say they free range their chickens mean Confined Ranging. You define the boundaries, but the chickens do have access to a large enough area so that it seems like pretty much the same as Complete free ranging, as far as the chickens are concerned.
A variation of confined ranging is Mobile ranging. The typical example is a chicken tractor. The chickens are enclosed in what might be a fairly small area around their chicken house. They get to come and go in and out of their house as and when they please, and the whole thing is moved from time to time so that the chickens periodically get a new area of land, with fresh grass and full of bugs and seeds and such delights.
A variation of mobile ranging that works very well in a farming situation is a system called multi-species rotational grazing, in which the chickens follow other animal species in a cyclical progression. The chickens do a valuable job of reducing the numbers of fly larvae that otherwise multiply on the animal droppings, and at the same time the chickens benefit from the protein of those grubs. And the chicken manure is loaded with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium, which are all important nutrients for the soil.
If chickens have access to the same piece of land all the time, they will keep pecking at the plants they like and ignoring the less favoured species, until the tasty plants get killed off without going to seed and the weeds take over. The alternating areas involved can be quite small if you deliberately resow the green cover crop when the chickens are moved out. If you’re planting specifically for chickens, choose a mixture of plants such as clovers, alfalfa and legumes.
In Part time ranging the chickens are closely confined in a run for part of the day and then allowed out to range in a large area for a while. With part-time ranging, you can keep your chickens secure in their run, and perhaps give them some supervision when they are out ranging. The easiest time for you to let them out to range is the afternoon or evening. At dusk they will put themselves to bed back in their chicken house, and you just have to do a quick head count and close the door behind them
Some chicken owners who do care very much for their chickens, choose to never let their chickens out to range at all, but keep them confined full time. There is no doubt that this is safest and takes the least amount of space but you need to provide activities and greens to eat.
There is no “best” way to free range that will be best for everyone. But you can find a system that works for you, and your chickens.
Thanks to The White House on the Hill for use of their footage of their chicken tractors. Check out their channel: / @whitehouseonthehill
For more fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
/ chickensinmygarden
Catch up with me on Facebook / chickensinmygarden
or on Twitter: / chickensnz

[@whitehouseonthehill]

I like the video topic! Thanks for showing our chicken tractors!

[@chickensinmygarden]

You're very welcome. Thanks for letting me 😊

[@wahgarden6524]

You come here too cool

[@skoalmen143]

That was a very pleasant and enjoyable ten minutes spent.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you.

[@mothergoose6087]

I would want them to work in my garden. They are quite capable of paying for their keep.😑

[@fishenfootball]

Such an informative, pleasant presentation. Thank you, ma'am, for putting this info together!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thomas Head Thank you Thomas. I'm glad you found it useful.

[@kathydonohew5388]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@steve8346]

Enjoyed your informative video. I call my chickens part time pastured. I allow them in my fenced in yard when I'm home and of course they have access to the vegetable garden in the winter. I too use the poop when I clean out the pen in the garden for free fertilize.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. I really enjoy the changing of the seasons. Isn't chicken poop just grand for the garden? !

[@ayushpatil5574]

This grandma knows everything .....I just love her

[@kittumian]

Very professional content, professionally delivered. Much appreciable

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. I appreciate your saying so.

[@chickensinmygarden]

I always aim for my videos to have accurate and useful content.

[@DianeJarecki]

We had three chickens in our small suburban yard that was surrounded by a 6' wooden fence, and our yard wasn't hurt too badly by that, but where we live now we'll be keeping our 8 girls and 1 boy confined mainly in a good sized run and doing confined ranging in the larger fenced area we'll be creating. We have too many predators to do full free ranging, and we live in a heavily wooded area as well, so we could definitely lose a lot of eggs too.

[@karenhancock542]

Thank you for another excellent video. My seven hens have a largish area to forage, but since there is so much shade, no plants ever get to growing in the pen area, so I have to provide my hens with greens. Keeping the pen area in good shape requires me to spread things like straw and or wood-chip mulch in the pen during the wet winter months we have here in Oregon, U.S. Their poor little feet get and stay muddy if I don't do something for them. Good to know about "grass" not being that digestible for chickens. Now I've got an idea for buying some light weight fencing so that I can fence them into veggie garden spaces at the end of season. At least the beds where I haven't got a cover crop going.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. We get a lot of rain too (New Zealand is famous for being green and that comes from all the rain!) so I have mud problems too. I'm sure your chickens love the mulch.

[@tonnybello8901]

Nice one

[@a.kay.c]

You are soooo adorable! Love your accent and voice.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Golly, thank you - you make me blush 😊

[@Mary.Mercedes]

Great and educational explanation of all the ways to keep chickens! I follow your method. I WANT them in the main garden in the winter to clean up insect pest eggs and larvae. Controlled free ranging works well (Except I do NOT like the way they destroy all my landscape mulching.) I am extremely blessed to have two dogs that are safe around the chickens. And a family of crows that screech, holler and chase away owls or raptors when they come into the area. Your garden and fruit trees looks lush and lovely. You are very fortunate to have some mild winters in New Zealand! Thanks for another great video!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Mary Mercedes Thank you. Yes I struggle with mulch too - even the blackbirds toss it around but the chickens are worse. If I ever find a solution I'll let you know.

[@ukrainewarroom]

Puha is milk thistle, it grows in the UK too and Europe, im guessing it will be in the states as well.

[@memebush4502]

As I grow to love eating chicken eggs... my curiosity grows bigger. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Meme Bush Thank you. It seems like the more I learn the more there is to learn.

[@CreatingASimplerLifeOffGrid]

Great video. We have a lot to think about. Where we live now we can let them really free range all around our entire back yard in the winter and a smaller area in the summer (so our gardens aren't destroyed and because there are plenty of bugs around that smaller area in summer) since the only predator is the red hawk and our chickens have plenty of places to tuck under and hide. However, when we move to the Adirondacks we will have to plant the bushes etc. and there will be a lot of predators (coyotes, hawks, large owls, and more) and we will need to really protect them...Thanks for sharing this and making us think about our options.

[@chickensinmygarden]

I'm glad you're planning before you go - so much better than learning the hard way.

[@CreatingASimplerLifeOffGrid]

thank you!

[@Cryztal85]

😂 Chez Poo-lay, I like that! So clever, a pun off of the French word Poulet (chicken)

[@chickensinmygarden]

Yes it is 🙂 although not many people get it.

[@VitorMadeira]

Excellent video. Thank you. Greetings from Portugal.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. Greetings to you in Portugal from me in New Zealand 🙂

[@mksainulabdeen6920]

I love to give them freedom to live on their own but most of others keep them in cages only for their own profit but if you have time and patience, keep them free range as far as possible, then the eggs will be tasty, tension free chicken's eggs we can feed others.

[@chickensinmygarden]

You are right 🙂

[@jendyson6729]

great video! Just ran across your channel and subscribed right away. Looking forward to taking some time to watch your videos. Hello from another chicken keeper, Pennsylvania USA :)

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. I hope you find some more of interest. Best wishes.

[@agb6330]

We recently got 2 ladies for our .10 acre estate 😉. Working on a chicken tunnel to allow them supervision outside the coop/run area. Just had a Cooper hawk swoop through the yard this morning while I was sipping coffee on the patio. 😳. Have extensive raised veggie beds which I don’t want destroyed so Clementine & Henny Penny won’t have full yard access until the garden is done late fall. Enjoying your channel!

[@chickensinmygarden]

That sounds great. I'm sure you'll enjoy having Clementine and Henny Penny on your estate. It sounds like you have it well sussed. Cheers from New Zealand 🙂

[@gerardhoward3084]

Awesome video...Thank you for posting.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you for saying so. It's great to get feedback about what you find useful.

[@MyViewFromTheWoods]

Great video!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you

[@mcdouche2]

Would you consider adopting a 35 year old grandson?

[@chickensinmygarden]

Ah ... would that be you by any chance?

[@mcdouche2]

@@chickensinmygarden just say when Grammy. I’ll fly into Auckland.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Unfortunately all the New Zealand quarantine facilities are fully booked at least until March. MIQ spaces 'extremely limited' until March www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/434143/miq-spaces-extremely-limited-until-march Yep, the country has put up the 'Full Up' sign

[@mcdouche2]

@@chickensinmygarden Well Shucks.... Grammy I’ll look for another wonderful, kind, loving, matriarchal and smart grandmother over here in The People's Republic of the Congo. Wish me luck!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Good luck. I'm sure there will be plenty to choose from. Just look for the chickens with smiles on their faces - they know how to pick the best people 🙂

[@dollyperry3020]

Very nice! Good to see you back :)

[@chickensinmygarden]

Dolly Perry Thank you. It takes me a long time to make each video but I enjoy doing it.

[@belove9]

When do you think bantam 🐥 can start to free range?

[@chickensinmygarden]

It depends on all the factors I have mentioned. If the bantam is secure and knows where home is, that's what matters

[@artherkishore5067]

One of the best videos I have seen on raising chicken. Thanks for the video.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you find some of my other videos useful too.

[@bridgetcoyne5621]

I'm 4 yrs late but great break down on ur video!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you 🙂 Most of my videos are timeless - they stay relevant forever 🙂

[@LastDays2024]

Free Range - Less poop in your Coop!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Very true 🙂

[@RelaxxationStation]

But what about predators🙁

[@chickensinmygarden]

That's a good point and something that you need to take into consideration when you decide whether or not to free range your chickens, which is a decision I discuss in my previous video 'Should you free range your chickens' kzbin.info/www/bejne/inyokKqmfNilp6s Of course everyone's risks are different. We are very lucky here in New Zealand. How people cope with cougars and bears I cannot imagine.

[@alvaroakatico9188]

This is one of the best thought out videos for people who are thinking about raising chickens, and I’ve watched a few! Superb content, thank you. I had to subscribed. Greetings from Northern Florida.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. Do check out some of my other videos. There might be more that you like. Best wishes from New Zealand.

[@isaacljwilliam816]

Thank you very much.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you for watching 🙂

[@Watchoutforsnakez]

Can I do the part time ranging with the breed of chickens I just got. They are the jungle fowl hybrid types. Will the put themselves back to bed in their coop? Not crazy Asian kinds but they are not traditional laying hens. I have had them for two weeks and I think I need to make them happy so that if I TRY to let them out in the afternoons with supervision, they won’t try to roost in trees and then I would never see them again.

[@chickensinmygarden]

I'm sure you can but maybe start gradually. Can you set up a temporary enclosure outside their coop but still not too far away? Then let them out late afternoon about a half hour before they usually go to bed. Over several weeks extend the size of the area and the time they have access. You will soon get them used to coming home to the coop at bedtime.

[@lizzybarbosa6857]

Im a newbie chicken mama and have been contemplating letting my hens free range. This video has provided excellent food for thought. Thank you so much from Florida, USA

[@chickensinmygarden]

That's great to hear. Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens 🐥🐥🐥

[@mksainulabdeen6920]

I have spent a lot of money to build a room, fencing all around for the run and kept a lot of space for them to play,scratch, run, eat etc, but still I am scared of street dogs, they may enter time in group jumping the compound wall in group and other predators, they may enter any time and any how. So, i allow the chicken to come out from its' big cage only for a few hours when i am around though i kept enough feed and a lot of fresh water. I understand the importance of free life, enough sun light, a lot of running and playing, fighting each other etc and it is in fact mind refreshing act for any kinds of animals.

[@chickensinmygarden]

I agree with all your comments. Thank you for posting them. And I'm sure your chickens thank you for giving them such a wonderful life.

[@pjewellful2012]

Thanks so much!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@rafikpatel6048]

I hope so -- thanks for your positive compliment

[@kimberlyboorman6699]

This was very helpful for me being a new first time chicken owner. thank you for sharing and i will be happy to subscribe :)

[@chickensinmygarden]

Great! Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens 🙂

[@rafikpatel6048]

I m verry weak in English. If there is some mistakes in spelling or sentences. Plz don't mind

[@chickensinmygarden]

You do very well. I know it is difficult to learn a foreign language.

[@rafikpatel6048]

Now i have 14 chicken. And it's live like your video " free Range " in my farm. I m interested to develop it and so - I need your proper guidence. If you don't mind

[@chickensinmygarden]

That's great! 14 chickens should give you lots of eggs!

[@rafikpatel6048]

But I m very happy that you understand my sentences and give me a reply. You are so nice and understanding. Thank you

[@chickensinmygarden]

You are welcome. It is nice to talk to you in India.

[@charlesjallans3064]

We give our ten chickens a 4 square mile forest and about 50 acres of wondering area

[@chickensinmygarden]

That sounds wonderful!

[@rafikpatel6048]

Ohhhh. !!!! Nice !!!! Heared about your beautiful country. !!! Thank you

[@chickensinmygarden]

I am very lucky to live here.

[@ChristianBrandoni]

I just got two chickens and keep them free range in one side of the garden. They only have two 3 sides fenced, two are 2 meters tall leading outside and to the neighbor and one is one meter leading to my ferocious chihuahuas :D They often jump the 2m fence to go sleep on a bushy tree on my neighbor property confining with mine and return in the morning. They occasionally jump the 1m fence too when the dogs are closed inside or stay up there to watch them when they are out.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Christian Brandoni As you have discovered, they can get over (or sometimes under) a high fence if they really want to. Probably they really like to be in the branches of the bush, up off the ground but under cover. If you can provide something similar on your side, they might be more inclined to stay home.

[@ChristianBrandoni]

The tree is basically at the border and even trespassing if I don't prune it often, so it doesn't bother me as long as they come home. My garden is really small, I only have a big apricot tree that is also near their area but it's in the chihuahua zone so they won't go there :) I really want to cage them, I like to see them roam free. It's only one that want to go up, the other is not so athletic and just follow to not be left alone and it takes her many attempts.

[@wadestef1]

I love chickens so much! I check on them mainly once per day. I let them out and keep an eye on them, I hope to one day free range when home or in a decent sized area, thankyou for the video! Ill definitely try to do the fertilizer idea and more of this. Great video!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. They are lovely, aren't they!

[@wadestef1]

Chickens in my garden yes! They have became one of my favorite animals and ive learned a lot, and i hope to have them for a long time!

[@rafikpatel6048]

From where u r ? I m from India. Anyway thanks for reply

[@chickensinmygarden]

I am from New Zealand

[@lucaspuillet4878]

My chickens are literally free free range, not even a fence, and none my neighbors have fences either, though, we all have dogs which scares away foxes

[@chickensinmygarden]

That's great. It must be quite uncommon. Thanks for telling us. What part of the world do you live in? And are foxes the only likely predators?

[@lucaspuillet4878]

Chickens in my garden Hi :) I live in the countryside of France :) My chickens are really lucky + we live in an area with thousands of vines, this said the dirt gets turned around every now and then, revealing ton of worms! The main predators are yes infact foxes, then of course there is the risk of a random dog, but it never happened yet, and also wild boars which could destroy everything, which didn’t happen to me though. Good thing foxes are only out at night, when my chickens are locked at their cozy home, this said at day there is close to no risk! We get amazing eggs that’s for sure, It’s pretty surprising but it only took 3 nights to get them to understand that the chicken coop is home, and the rest is the garden, they even set their own limit, they never go too far :) and at night they come home by themselves

[@chickensinmygarden]

Oh how wonderful! I have always loved the rural areas of France - we have visited many times to different areas. Now I have another reason to love it (along with the language and the food and the people).

[@lucaspuillet4878]

Chickens in my garden This makes me so glad :) Thank you very much❤️

[@rafikpatel6048]

Yaa - off course. You are lucky

[@chickensinmygarden]

Do you have chickens?

[@jesse5489]

Do you have a video on training chickens to free range?

[@chickensinmygarden]

Hmm. I never thought about that. I just gave them larger and larger areas until they were completely free.

[@jesse5489]

Chickens in my garden thank you.

[@rafikpatel6048]

I like video. Thank you

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you.

[@JonahMotley]

I have this big Blooming Bush with lots of places to get up under the Bush and into the Bush itself, can that big Bush serve as their Coop?

[@chickensinmygarden]

It would certainly be good to include that bush in the area the chickens have access to. Depending on your climate and perhaps the breed of chickens they would still need a house for protection at night.

[@JonahMotley]

Would a couple of 50 gallon Barrells turned on their side with Straw/Wood chips for flooring work? I would wedge the barrels up underneath the bush. I'm in Northern Oklahoma

[@chickensinmygarden]

I expect the chickens would be happy with that. Do they need any protection from predators? Do you have a nest box for them to lay their eggs in?

[@JonahMotley]

I was thinking they would just lay their eggs in the 50 gallon Barrells or somewhere up underneath the bush, would that work? I'm on 1.5 Acres and only plan on getting 3-4 Hens and a Rooster.

[@chickensinmygarden]

If you don't particularly want to collect their eggs then you don'tneed to worry - they will find a place and make a nest (or several). If you plan on getting a rooster, aim for 4-5 rather than 3-4 hens. And think about what you will do with the next generation of cockerels.

[@Sinmara]

I've got my chicken in a big run/cage, and move it every few months to another plot to fertilize/weed it (we keep them on the allotments). In winter when the winter storms come (we live on the Outer Hebrides in Scotland) are or it's really cold we put them into the polytunnel. They were fine there for a while, but they do prefer to be outside.

[@chickensinmygarden]

That sounds like a wonderful system. It must be a challenge raising chickens on the Outer Hebrides. How many chickens do you have?

[@Sinmara]

We have 6: 2 Light Sussex, 2 Black Rocks and 2 Isa Browns. No plans to have more because it wouldn't be fair on them as the coop and the run are large enough for 6, but no more :). The chicken are quite hardy up here, they are especially bred for our climate and don't mind the frequent hail/rain/wintry showers in winter. Although it rarely gets really cold (-1 celsius, maybe -2 once a year). We have windscreen around the run so the constant wind isn't too bad for them, and places to shelter. In summer it rarely gets over 20 celsius, which is nice!

[@Sinmara]

PS: I've got a few videos of the hens on my youtube channel :)

[@chickensinmygarden]

That looks awesome. I will watch some. 😊

[@chickensinmygarden]

Sin Mara That sounds great. Do they lay all year round?

[@ofwhongkongadventurenilolo9501]

❤️❤️❤️

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you

[@mksainulabdeen6920]

Free Ranging is really excellent for the Chicken but is completely up to the owner's own decision because it is always dangerous and risky, costly and need a lot of time to care, and sincerely it is very pleasant time for watching them enjoying their way of living with many types,fighting, loving, mating, eating, etc.etc.

[@russianbot3411]

thumbs down for the fake smiles :)

[@chickensinmygarden]

I'm still learning how to be natural in front of a camera - I didn't grow up in the age of selfies 🙂

[@a.kay.c]

@@chickensinmygarden People are nasty and your smiles do not look fake at all. You're a natural!

[@chickensinmygarden]

That's very kind of you. Thank you. I was shooting some video today and the chickens were cackling every time I tried to speak on camera. I was laughing so much that I expect that will come out looking rather odd !

[@ginnygrandinetti4755]

The guitar music is louder than your voice. It is unnecessary in an instructional video. I wish I could hear you better.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Mary Grandinetti I've been trying to figure out what you mean. There is no music of any kind except at the beginning and end when I'm not talking at all. Perhaps you had something else running on your device when you were trying to watch this video. Try again and let me know if it happens again.

[@warpboy101]

What? I think you made a mistake and then forgot to remove your comment. You can remove it very easily.