Flock wandering away from farm

[Mathew544]

I live out in the country off a back road which gets about 20 cars a day and some buggies. My closest neighbors are about 1/2 a mile away. They own a deer and dairy farm. The deer pen is lined with large pine trees which borders our yard. The chickens live in the barn in the back of the property, about 300 yards from the road. They love to hang out by the pine trees. Several days ago I discovered all 9 of them walking down the road toward the neighbors farm, almost a 1/4 mile away!!! I chased them back, screaming at them to try and scare them from doing it again. Today, about 20 minutes after letting them out they did it again and were almost the whole way to the neighbors farm walking right in the middle of the road. I want to let them free range on my farm and I don't want to fence them in. Someone suggested spreading chicken scratch in front of the barn in the morning to keep them around. There are 4 roosters and 5 hens. Any thoughts on how to keep them off the road or why they would be doing this? They always have plenty of feed and water available and I have three large vegetable gardens right near the barn with lots of bugs. There is also an orchard with fruit on the ground that they love to pick out. Not sure why they are taking "morning walks" down the road? I know the neighbor has one old rooster. I wonder if that's "drawing" them in. Two big issues though, chicken hit and run, and the neighbors have 5 large German shepherds that freely roam there property. Thoughts?

 

[cafarmgirl]

The only way you are going to keep them home is with a fence. Why did they decide to travel? Who knows, but now they've decided there's something interesting over there they aren't going to stay home. They are also at very high risk of predation from a whole laundry list of potential attackers above and beyond the neighbors dogs. So if they don't stay home you probably won't have to worry about the problem for very long as their numbers will quickly dwindle.

 

[Naunnie]

Wow! Sounds like they have it good at home. I very interested in what others thoughts would be too. Is it possible something has scared them and they don't feel safe? I'm just guessing here...okay. I have read, that if something bad happens in the coop....say a predator takes one, the rest will want to avoid the coop.

 

[Mathew544]

I'm not sure. They always stayed within several 100 feet of their coop and returned there every night. They only seem to be going that far first thing in the morning but I can't be sure since I'm gone at work all day. They are always near the coop when I get home in the afternoon and still go into the coop to roost. I'm wondering if they hear the neighbors rooster crowing, but I don't hear it.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The only way you are going to keep them home is with a fence. Why did they decide to travel? Who knows, but now they've decided there's something interesting over there they aren't going to stay home. They are also at very high risk of predation from a whole laundry list of potential attackers above and beyond the neighbors dogs. So if they don't stay home you probably won't have to worry about the problem for very long as their numbers will quickly dwindle.

X2

 

[Naunnie]

The reason their going may stay a mystery for us...lol but I would keep them locked in the coop for several days. I would not let them out until I could be with them all day and watch them closely. They may have discovered deer/cow feed and manure offer them better "treats"!

Is it possible to talk with the neighbors and let them know your concerns. They may have been going over there longer than you thought. The neighbors may be able to give you some insight about their wandering.....

Unfortunately, it sounds like you may have to fence them in. If they had a run on the coop, they could still be out in the day and then just free range when you are home.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

How old are they? This is just a thought, but the more roosters I had, the further my flock would roam. It was like they were trying to spread themselves out but still stay together...if that even makes sense. I would find them almost a 1/2 mile up the road sometimes.
I would get rid of at least 3 of your roosters and see if that helps. If your birds aren't breeding yet, you'll be wanting to get rid of those roosters as soon as they all start harassing your poor hens :/

 

[Mathew544]

Yes I think I am going to have some issues with such an odd ratio or hens and roos. They are 16 weeks old right now. I did buy them some scratch and I'm hoping that might keep them around the barn but eventually I may have to put up a fence or risk losing them.

 

[Daisy8s]

My birds stayed nicely at home for the first 6 months of their lives until one day they discovered the neighbor's horse manure pile. Then it was game over. A year after I put up a fence they still make a beeline for the manure pile if they get out. You just can't beat a lovely pile of half-digested grain and tons of bugs. I'm betting that farm-raised deer scat is similar to horse.

And why a deer farm? Are they raising it for venison? I've never heard of such a thing...but then we're overrun with wild deer here.

 

[Mathew544]

That's a good point. I never thought of that! They raise the deer for there semen and breed them to get deer with bigger antlers. Even some of the doe have antlers! It's very strange but I know they get about 5k for a vial of the semen. I guess I should be raising deer and not chickens!