Instar8, you've had a wide range of answers and by now you can probably see that there are as many different experiences with free ranging as there are people who have tried it. For your situation, this is what I would suggest: build as large a secure yard as you can afford. I mean Fort Knox! It must be covered with welded wire or hardware cloth if it is to be secure from predators. On days when you are home to supervise, let the chickens out to free range. This will conserve the "resources" within the pen. On days you have to leave for work before dark, keep the chickens in their secure pen. They will go into their house at dark and you won't have to worry that something will get them. You will lose the odd bird if you free range, but MOST mass losses occur when the birds are confined in an insecure house or yard. I have been free ranging my chickens for four years and the WORST losses I have had were two pullets in the same week. We have all the usual predators around: raccoons, foxes, coyotes, weasels, mink, fishers, hawks... but we also have an abundance of voles and cottontails that are easier prey than the chickens. A good rooster who free-ranges with his girls earns his keep. He cannot protect them from predators, but he does keep them together and keep them from wandering too far.

Tim! You can fashion a spooker out of the skinny wooden dowels at the hardware store, you'll need cable ties or duct tape to put them into the "T" position and then duct tape the mylar streamers. If your boxes are wooden you can screw in two little eye hooks or something to the back of the box then cable tie the dowel to the box. If you make them like that you'll have spookers for every box and you only have to keep buying the mylar banners from the dollar store. Like Nicknack said they need to come down right after fledging so these b******s don't become tolerant. Cable tie or duct tape something to the tres box temporarily till you get situated. Right know my spookers are all gunked together due to the rain which makes me real paranoid. Yesterday I ran down my driveway in the rain like a wild beast 'cause I swore there was hosp intrusion at a box but it was just tres relatives going in the box causing a ruckus. I'll relax when the wind dries out the streamers and they unfurl. Good luck Tim, Sue

Linda, Smart thinking!!!.We have to be a step ahead of the HOSPs.They are very intelligent birds and that is why they have been able to survive every where they go.When I put a trap in, my HOSPs will sit on the hole and look in,see the trap and will choose another nest box.I finally have to hand some white down feathers in the hole and some inside the nest box to look like a nest before he would go in. michelle

Caroline, I read and enjoyed every word of it. You should send it to Birds and Blooms. I wish I had even 1/3 of the birds you have. My big treat this morning was watching 3 RW blackbirds settle a dispute over the SF seeds. They are so pretty when they huff up their wings and show all the red and yellow. Thanks for a good read. Sue