Yes, chickens love to roam and peck, and they do the funniest things while enjoying their freedom! Our hens free-range most of the day, but I am here with them and keep an eye on them. Letting them out when you can check on them frequently is a good idea. You will find that your chickens will eat a little less feed (they are supplementing their diet during free-range) and that they will be healthier and generally happier.
You sound as if you are a good "mother hen"!

If you put a radio on outside while they're out ,it'll scare away most hawks and predators. The noise sounds like people around and it detours them. works for us!

That's a good idea! I can play a radio outside during their "free time".

You can also help by making sure that they have plenty of bushes & trees to hide under if and when a winged predator comes calling. Depending on where you live, different predators WILL be attracted by the promise of a chicken dinner. I'd make sure that they can free range inside a securely fenced area, such as your yard. Make sure that there are no toxic plants in your yard, and that a neighbor's dogs can't get to them.

My birds go into the coop & run at night, but free range in the fenced back yard during the day. We do get hawks, possum, cats and rodents that come by, but the chickens are really good about taking cover when they need to.

Keep them protected, we've had many, many tales of chicken flock massacres in here, it can be heartbreaking.

Velvet ~:>

We let ours free range for three years but have since sold them. We would let them out in the morning and then lock them up at night when they came home. We live on a farm and have all sorts of wildlife here including many owls, hawks, etc. We never lost a single hen to them but we had roosters running with the hens and they were all large breeds.

When they are free ranging regularly, they know when to run and hide (even from a crop duster!) and the roosters will protect them. Our only losses came one year from two feral cats before the hens were fully grown..

I let them all out this morning so I could clean out the hen house. I wnet out a couple of hours later and couldn't see a single chicken! I looked around for them, getting a little worried.

They were all under the deck! lol! So I guess they found a great hiding place and it is too! Our huge deck is open on one long and one short side and is about 4 ft off the ground. It's a great safe place for them.

You might want to train them to come when called. By making a sound (whistle, clapping hands, whatever you choose) and offering a treat, the chickens will learn to come to you. I do this twice a day just to take a beak count and see if everyone is accounted for. Also, if bad weather is imminent or I see a predator, I can get the flock close to me or into the coop.The downside is that when the chickens see you, they gather around and expect a treat!

From experience here- predators learn real fast that the radio isn't an issue. Everytime I go away I leave my lights blasting and talk radio on loud- and something always gets taken.

I would love to do the free-range thing but I think there are too many predators here, to include our own dogs. They have a very large pen to run but it isn't covered so I understand I could have a problem at some point. They get locked in a secure coop at night. I've heard coyotes at night and seen many other critters lurking about. I would love to have my chickens running about but I'm afraid they wouldn't last long. Lori