5 common types of free range

1 Birds have complete and free access to grounds, gardens, paddocks and bush, and have no coop or house but roost and lay wherever they choose.

2 Birds have free access to a wide area but usually come home to a permanent coop or house at night where nest space, food and water is made available, and they may or may not be shut in.

3 Birds are confined to an area where they may scratch and forage but are behind a fence which keeps them in (or out of the garden) and have access to a coop/house or shelter.

4 Birds have a coop/house with a small permanent run attached, to confine their roaming.

5 Birds are confined within an area that may have an open-air yard, sometimes known as a ‘winter garden’ which may have a pebble, sand or bark chip floor and a roof, but open sides. Food, water, nests and perches are placed inside the house area.

The domesticated chicken is descended from jungle fowl found in parts of Asia. These birds live in forests where they have cover which helps to keep them safe from predators. They venture out onto its edges or a little further to find food, but they don’t go too far from it in case they need to escape or hide from danger. They also prefer a warm temperature (20-23°C).

While your backyard flock is a long way from the jungles of Asia, you need to bear some of their programmed natural behaviours in mind when trying to provide a good quality habitat for your free range flock. Ideally, you want to provide them with: • shelter from hot sun, wind and rain • protection from predators • a wide range of plants, insects and invertebrate life to provide nutrition • a coop which is neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter.