We have dogs, foxes and hawks to worry about ours free ranging. But I have learned to work with the predator schedules, for the most part. The neighbor dogs have attacked mostly in the early morning...between 2am and 8am. Then, they go do what dogs do..eat and then sleep all day. The foxes hunt about the same times. Rarely do I see either after 9am.
The hawks seem to prefer the hours during daylight..but haven't been around every day.
So, I let mine out between 11am-to maybe 4pm. Sometimes they want to forage, sometimes they don't. If the hawks are active, they don't.
I try to let them out so I can monitor for predators, although I am not out there constantly.
I also keep them in, or put them up, if I need to go to town etc. At least I know they are safe that way.
Now, next door, her flock just jumps over her fence to free range. But the neighbor dogs don't bother her birds. They have lost birds to hawks and foxes though.
To get them back in....don't overfeed. Let the birds find what they can while they are out...then call them back to the pen with the feed. If they are hungry enough, they will want to go to the pen to eat. Mine do. I give mine fermented feed in the evenings, and they come running. They think they are so hungry..even after free ranging and having full crops.
Or, try using that scratch or slice of bread. If they think the others will get all of the treats and they won't, they will come running to make sure they get a bite.
