do your chickens leave the yard?

[mastiffs07]

I don't have my chickens yet but my yard is fenced in. My chickens won't be able to free roam all the time only when I'm in the yard with them. I'm worried they will leave the yard. Would they? I'm only friendly with my neighbors on both sides of my house. Not the back 2 neighbors (where the coop would be)

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I live on 48 acres, so this isn't currently an issue for me, but...

Before we moved to our farm, I lived on a 3 acre lot in a subdivision. I would frequently find my chickens scratching around in my neighbors flower beds, 5 or 6 houses away! When I only had a few, they didn't seem to wander as far. When I had many, they were everywhere, splitting off into little groups and going this way and that. My yard wasn't fenced in, but quite a few of the neighbors yards were, and they'd be in there.

So, yes, I think the chances of them roaming if left unsupervised for a while are pretty great. We solved our problem by putting a top on the run and only letting them free range a couple of hours before dark. Others clip wings.
Good luck.

 

[CliffB]

I've always heard only let them out to free range and hour or two before dark and that way they are not as tempted to wander so far from "home".

 

[Farmer Fry]

I've read that chicks usually stay within 20 yards or so from their home. With these previous comments, I think my source may be wrong.

 

[Suzie]

My chickens do not stay within 200 yards of their coop....wish they did! They go walkabouts every day...usually with the dogs! They eat the dog food regularly and the dogs just stand by and watch them...in return though...the chickens donate poop, and the dogs think it is a delicacy...!

This is definitely symbiosis! Very ecological too!

 

[donrae]

My chickens do not stay within 200 yards of their coop....wish they did! They go walkabouts every day...usually with the dogs! They eat the dog food regularly and the dogs just stand by and watch them...in return though...the chickens donate poop, and the dogs think it is a delicacy...!

This is definitely symbiosis! Very ecological too!