Expert says not to free range your chickens. Try this instead.

Sometime during or after lockdown, a substantial number of people decided it would easier to raise their own chickens than buying eggs from the grocery store.

With worldwide supply chain issues due to COVID both decreasing availability and increasing prices, there would be a certain appeal to having more control over your food production. Raising backyard chickens as livestock and even pets started taking off in suburban neighborhoods.

Eggs from free range chickens are largely considered the best quality - and in stores are priced to match. If you have ideas of raising your own free range egg layers, you might have to adjust your expectations.

"Anybody who’s free ranging their chickens, you’re introducing them to the food chain, and you’re basically telling wild animals to have at it," said David Wattles of MassWildlife.

How do I keep my chickens safe from predators?

Foxes, coyotes, hawks, eagles, fisher cats, bobcats, bears and even raccoons all view chickens as on the menu. Domestic poultry is an ideal prey animal - low risk, high yield for a predator. If someone is determined to raise free range chickens is going to have to accept the losses that come with it, warned Wattles.

The best thing to do is build a fence or a coop - or both. This will be enough to stop most animals if done correctly. Fence posts should be buried as deep as possible to prevent them from digging underneath it, but the ability of many animals to fit through tight gaps should not be underestimated.

Coops and fences should be regularly inspected for gaps or holes.

Backyard chickens: Pandemic creates spike in people raising chickens

"If an animal’s skull can fit through an opening, they can get through," said Wattles. The saying "a fox in a hen house" exists for a reason. "They can devastate coop in a short period of time," he said.

For a bear, who will simply tear the fence or break open the coop, electric fencing is the only option.

It's important to remember that most wild animals would rather avoid humans. Which means they will avoid backyards by default, unless given a reason to explore.

"The food around people’s homes drives 99.9% of the conflict people experience," said Wattles. "Bird feeders, garbage, unsecured compost, pet food outside, all of these things will draw animals in, and once they're here, they notice things like the chickens."

How do I make my chicken coop comfortable?

Just because your chickens don't have the run of the backyard at all times doesn't mean you can't keep them comfortable. In fact, even free range chickens should have a coop to return to at the end of the night.

The most important things are to keep it dry, warm and easy to clean. A concrete foundation is a good start, as it prevents predators from digging up from below, according to a January 2023 article in the Providence Journal. Wood shavings along the floor will also provide good insulation as well as compost droppings.

Pampered chickens: Elaborate coops, treats and dress-up outfits: Inside the world of pampered poultry

Some farms recommend providing enrichment, in other words toys, for the flock. Temporary enrichment can be provided in the form of pecking blocks. or hanging vegetables in the run. A more permanent entertainment system for your coop can include swings, mirrors, hanging DVDs and even old metal or plastic children’s playground equipment.

The term "cooped up" may have connotations of being trapped and bored, but that doesn't have to be the case for your flock. With a little work, your chicken coop can be a fun and comfortable refuge.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Free range chickens may be better off in a coop, expert says. Try this