My girls are all free ranged and not fenced in at all (except for when they are in the coop at night) I have lost quite a few of my hens and roosters (all of which I was devastated by) but the girls love to run free and I don't have a big enough fence to keep them in. I have my dogs that help keep predators away and plenty of shelters for the girls to hide under if a hawk comes, but it's still a big risk.
It will definitely depend on your location. I have two 3 yrs old pet hens. I had 3, (different breeds), hatched and shipped together, but shortly after introducing them outdoors at 6 weeks old, a hawk took one. This wizened the other 2 enough so that 3 years later they always seem to be aware if a hawk is around. After we lost the one, I stayed with the other 2 any time they were loose. Once, I was sitting about 5 ft from them when a hawk swooped down between us about 2 ft off the ground. Fortunately they were right next to a bush which save them. I did have a large wire dog crate that I removed the bottom from. I would move it around the yard for a portable shelter, and with the bottom removed, they could peck the ground. That worked ok for a while, but as they got bigger, they wouldn't tolerate being confined so closely together. The got a little "pecky". I moved a year and a half ago and our situation for them changed for the better. My new house has a huge 2 bay garage behind the house, in a fenced shrub filled yard, that I partitioned off for their small tractor coop, leaving it open to give them constant access and enough sheltered areas outside that I can leave them out from morning until their bedtime. And with all of that I know that there is no way to guarantee that I won't lose them to predators, but they are happy girls and as safe as I can make them and still let them enjoy themselves. I could never keep them confined. Lots of shrubs for shelter is very important and I keep a supply of water near their favorite bush right next to the house so they don't have to venture across the open yard to their water in the garage. They avoid the open center of the yard during the time of day that the overhead predators usually hunt. Nature will take it's course, no matter how well you prepare. There's always a risk raising any outside bird. And sadly, losing one will smarten the others up. Like I said, these are spoiled pets. I can't imagine the extent people have to go through with a larger flock. More work than this 75 year old can do! Good luck!
What about my chicks? They’re about 12 or more weeks and we have one full grown hen then a group of chicks only a month old
