We have a fenced in back yard now! It has only taken 18 years to get our yard fenced in, but better late then never, I guess? Now our dog Maxie can run free, we don't have to worry about strangers wandering up or stray dogs killing our chickens again.
Our dog before Maxie, our Chow was a Shepherd mix and she was attacked two different years by a neighbors set of pit bulls. We actually took the neighbor to small claims court both times to pay for Bandit's medical fees. With the fence up, we will not have to worry about Maxie being attacked. Also last year 13 of my chickens were killed by a stray dog who wandered on our property while they were out free ranging, so now I do not have to worry about that happening.
The day after the fence was up we let Maxie our dog run free for a few hours and then we put her in the garage and "released the cluckins". They loved it! The first day they stayed pretty close to the chicken run and coop. Now when I let them out they are all over. So far none of them have tried to fly over the 5 foot fence and seem to not be interested in anything outside of the fence.
We still need to fix this side of the yard and chicken run as you can see. We plan to seed it and grow bushes all around the chicken run.
One of the problems with free ranging besides the chickens trying to eat my garden is dust bathing. This area of the yard has the best grass. Here is the Black Australorp taking her bath in the hole she has made in the grass.
They also love to dig under the new mulch and into the compost that we put under the rose bushes to dust bathe and cool down. So after they are done free ranging I put back the compost and mulch that they disturb. The holes in the grass though need more repair then that. We'll have to figure out a way to move them where we want them to dust bathe. Life with chickens, always a challenge!
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