How to keep free range chickens safe by adding cover to their runs and pastures is said to be one of the best ways to protect your birds from predators. When chickens feel safe and comfortable, it encourages better health in the birds, less anxious behavior and is even believed by some to help produce a better product. However, does the addition of cover actually add a protective element to raising birds?
Effects on Predation
A 2024 study in Applied Animal Behavior Science discussed the wild ancestors of domestic chickens – noting that they prefer to remain in vegetation whenever possible. This is suspected to be for both food and to avoid predators. The study tested this theory by observing two farms – one with high vegetation and one with low vegetation. Farm Two – with low vegetation – was noted to have lost up to 200 chickens a year as supporting evidence for the idea that low vegetation leads to more predation.
However, there were numerous issues with the study, including the farms having significantly different hen populations, the short period in which the hens were observed and the decision by researchers to exclude parts of Farm Two that may have modified their results. They also did not report the number of birds lost on Farm One. This makes it difficult to form a firm conclusion – based on this study – about the relationship between range coverage and the comfort or safety of birds. Other studies have been equally indeterminate. For example, one older study showed that cover appears to result in lower levels of predation, while a study of chicks in South Africa showed that increased vegetation cover actually increased mortality, with sixty percent of losses coming from aerial or ground predators. Many of these studies involve a single breed of chicken, in a limited area, which may explain the varying results between studies.
Effects on Behavior
What is clear in these studies is that – whether predation is actually reduced or not – the birds involved show greater signs of comfort with their environment. They are more likely to range further and to show signs of relaxation – such as dust bathing, scratching and preening behaviors. These behaviors have been repeatedly shown to be signs of low anxiety, suggesting that having plenty of cover reduces stress for poultry flocks.
In addition, numerous journal articles have been written, showing that flocks that are offered environments with cover – especially natural cover consisting of long grass, trees and other vegetation – are likely to venture further from their coop. Increased ranging has also been shown to decrease foot issues, skin issues and to improve feather scores. Negative behaviors, such as pecking, were reduced, while positive behaviors, such as foraging for bugs and vegetation, were increased.
How To Keep Free Range Chickens Safe: Conclusion
While there have been studies showing improvements in chickens’ behavior when provided with covered runs and free-range environments, research exploring the effectiveness of cover against predation is less available. Studies have had limited scope, have provided varied results and have often only examined one breed of chicken.
It is also important to note that the color of the chickens may make a difference in whether they are more or less visible to predators and no studies could be found using entirely the white birds usually used for commercial meat production.
Still, health improvements in both egg and slow-growing broilers are well-documented, as well as the aforementioned positive behavioral traits observed. Therefore, it may be that offering coverage to domestic flocks may be beneficial, even if there is no improvement in predation.
This article on how to keep free range chickens safe was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
