Do your chickens wander into the road?? HELP ME

[LauraG]

Hello all,

I have 7 chickens, all 20 weeks old that are free ranging during the day and locked up at night.

They always stuck close to the house (think on my front porch) but yesterday I went to go run to the store, drove out of my driveway, and there they were---loitering in the road.....

oh good grief, I started beeping the horn to try to scare them, they sorta just became like huh?? whats that? with their heads all piped up......

I dont live on a major road, but its still a road....

I have never seen a dead chicken runned over in the road and I live in a agricultural area, but this scares me. I dont really want to lock them up because I have 5 acres they love to roam around on, but

Does this happen with anyone else??? I'M planning to make a "watch for chickens" sign today and post it on a tree by the road, but other than that Im at a loss...

 

[eustacma]

wow i did that once to

i moved my babies to behind the 2 bay away from road

when they are in the front yard i wave my arms and chase back down to the lower 48
never want to seee some teen run them over

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

We live on an asphalt road that has LOTS of traffic. The front yard is fenced and we put up a gate across the driveway to completely enclose the front yard after having a hen killed.

Even though they technically could get under the gate, they usually don't and it's rare to find one on the road now. I found one hen out there the other day when I left to go to town and I stopped and yelled at her to get her "a$$ back to the yard" and she literally RAN back and slid underneath the gate. She knows she isn't supposed to be out there.

 

[farmgirl77]

We have persimmon trees at the end of the driveway.

It drives me crazy and I don't have a solution.

 

[Sootsie]

Is it possible to just fence off the road or a tempory fence to contain the chickens that you can move around your property.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
Can you put up a gate across the driveway and fence the trees in?

 

[birdsNbeesNseeds]

Quote:
These are probably the best things to get if you don't build a fence. Otherwise, you WILL lose chickens. To cars, loose dogs or other animals, etc. Sooner or later. (Likely sooner.)

A sign won't do anything. 5 acres is nothing. I had 5 acres and it wasn't enough for anything. I still got complaints. I want 100 minimum next time so I can have a HUGE buffer zone.

 

[bywaterdog]

Do your chickens wander into the road??


Only to cross it, but I've never figured out why.

 

[Kate in CT]

Harold the hen is our friendliest (and nosiest) BO. She and her cohorts have a couple of "spa" spots in the front yard, but they don't seem inclined to go out in the road. We live on a highly travelled state highway. It's not uncommon to have tractor trailers blow by at 50+ mph. I'm sure the noise of the traffic helps keep the girls out of the road.

However, the day came when I went across the street to get the mail. Sure enough, as I was turning to come back across, there was Harold, halfway across the road looking to see what I was up to. Fortunately, I yelled and a car went by so she retreated.

My point? The reason the chicken crossed the road, of course! TO GET THE MAIL!

 

[LauraG]

Thanks all.

I have over 520' of road frontage & although I would love to fence it off, financially thats not a reality for me.

I am still going to put up a sign, I know when I see someone posted an animal crossing sign, I at least look out for the animal and do take my foot off the gas...if nothing else