Guide to Free Ranging Chickens
Step 1. Check the fences on your property to make sure they are safe and secure. Fences should be high enough to keep the chickens in and the predators out. Any holes should be fixed.
Step 2. Decide if you want to get a rooster. Roosters are great at protecting flocks of chickens and keeping them out of trouble. They tend to keep all the girls together and will sound the alarm if there is any danger, this is helpful not only to the chickens but also to you as you will know when to go to their aid. Roosters are great for protecting your chickens from predators but it's not the end of the world if you can't get one you may wish to just let them out for shorter times, only allow free ranging in secured paddocks or keep a better eye on them. Remember predators can come from above as well as on the ground if you are constructing an enclosed paddock.
Step 3. Coop them up! You need to keep the chickens cooped up in their coop and run if they have one that is fully secure so that they learn that this is their home. You will need to keep them cooped up for around 2-3weeks for them to know this is home. Then when you let them out they will return all by themselves every night just before dark! All you need to do is open the coop once they have gathered and let them in. I also trained my chickens before letting them out too, every time I fed them in their coop I would say: "here chick chick chicks" this way if there are any running late, missing from the flock or walking towards danger I say my magic phrase and they come running!
Step 4. Prepare their immune systems. When your chickens are Free Ranging they will come into contact with all sorts of different things. Birds and other native animals will spread diseases and viruses that your chickens may come in contact with. Generally they will be fine if you are taking precautions such as adding a splash of Apple cider vinegar and 2 cloves of garlic chopped in half to their water once a week.
Step 5. Create a routine. I like to feed my chickens their feed first thing in the morning when I wake up. This way they will gobble this down and get all the balanced nutrients they need from the feed. Then a few hours later I will take out scraps for them sometimes once sometimes a few times depending what's happening in the kitchen that day. Between 10am- 12pm I check their nests for eggs. If they have laid I let them out if not I will wait until 1pm before letting them out. This saves me having an Easter egg hunt everyday as most hens will generally lay their eggs before 10am. When the sun is about to go down I head out to the coop and generally they will all be there waiting to go in to bed. If there are any missing I will call "here chick chick chick" and they will come one by one they simply walk into the coop, you will be surprised how clever they are!
Tips for free ranging
1. Make sure you have not been using pesticides or other toxins in the area or your chickens will likely fall ill and possibly die.
2. Secure any areas you don't want chicken poop! They will go everywhere and poop wherever they go, if you have outdoor patios ect it is much easier to secure them if this will bother you.
3. Fence off any vege patches or gardens that you don't want them to eat as they can quickly eat though gardens.
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