Free range chicken behavior questions

[CindyinSD]

We live on 12 acres with no neighbors within several miles. We’re fenced in with barbed wire to keep out free range cattle grazing US Forest land so basically no neighbors, but no effective chicken containment fencing either. We’re far from major roads and fairly far from our gravel access road. The driveway is about 1/3 mile long.

How far do chickens usually range and do they typically return to the coop at evening (assuming they’re suitably bribed with treats)? I’d like to just let them wander at will if that’s not dumb. At the moment, they’re still eggs and expected to hatch and arrive here this Friday, so it will be a while before I need to know these things. Still, I’d like to have some idea what to expect if possible.

I’ve purchased supplies to make a 100 sq ft run for use on days when we’ll be away, but I haven’t started that yet so maybe I’ll make it larger. There will be 15 chickens, more or less. I’m thinking it’s gonna need to be bigger, even though we’re usually home (when we’re not chasing back to town to get the stuff we forgot for coop construction.)

 

[DobieLover]

We live on 1.25 acres. Our 14-week old flock enjoys covering most of that area. Once, I caught them across the road. Our birds tend to stay near cover or the edge of the yard near the woods. There is thick undergrowth between our yard and the woods so they are pretty well blocked from view from anything in the woods.
I have observed that if they run out of feed (we feed fermented so I tend not to pile it in the trough) they will wander further. After they stuff themselves, they tend to stay closer to home.
If you brood or finish brooding in your coop, that will be home and they will return on their own at dusk.

 

[lcwmt]

We live on 12 acres with no neighbors within several miles. We’re fenced in with barbed wire to keep out free range cattle grazing US Forest land so basically no neighbors, but no effective chicken containment fencing either. We’re far from major roads and fairly far from our gravel access road. The driveway is about 1/3 mile long.

How far do chickens usually range and do they typically return to the coop at evening (assuming they’re suitably bribed with treats)? I’d like to just let them wander at will if that’s not dumb. At the moment, they’re still eggs and expected to hatch and arrive here this Friday, so it will be a while before I need to know these things. Still, I’d like to have some idea what to expect if possible.

I’ve purchased supplies to make a 100 sq ft run for use on days when we’ll be away, but I haven’t started that yet so maybe I’ll make it larger. There will be 15 chickens, more or less. I’m thinking it’s gonna need to be bigger, even though we’re usually home (when we’re not chasing back to town to get the stuff we forgot for coop construction.)

Your living situation is much like ours.
Similar acreage, length of driveway, fencing to keep out the sheep that occasionally graze the BLM land that abuts our place, but no fencing to keep anything in.

Here's my experience:
After living in their grow out coop until they were fully feathered, the first year chicks were kept in a "tractor run" from age 5 weeks to about 4-5 months, during the day and cooped at night.
I moved the tractor around the yard regularly. They willingly returned to their coop as the light dimmed in the evening. No bribes required - they knew that was their place to roost.
Once it became obvious that the dogs were not a threat to the pullets, we opened the door to the run. All that year they stayed close to the yards surrounding the house and their coop. They willingly and consistently went to roost in the coop.
No issues at all. Chickens are creatures of habit.. That can work to *our* advantage <G>.
When Winter approached we docked the tractor to the coop, it is now a permanent run (and I am hoping to build a much larger one for when we are away). The chickens ventured out in all sorts of weather, snow and cold, so long as there was a path packed down for them.

This year the girls range a little farther than the area around the house. It seems they use about half the area we have fenced for the dogs (a total of 3.5 acres with electric in-ground fencing). There are juniper trees, lots of grasshoppers and they spend the hottest part of the day under the deck. They always go to the coop by dusk.

This year's chicks went from the brooder to the grow out coop/pen at 4 weeks. After a while the gates were left open for them. They foraged, explored, always came back to their coop at dusk. At about 4 months they started going into the big girls coop and that's where they roost now. Again, it's a habit, they do not need to be enticed.
These girls range a little farther than the older group, but not by much.

You may hear from the wizards on the forum that your coop should allow about 4" per bird (and add more to allow for chicken math <G>), and the run 10" per bird, give or take.
Build as big as you can handle! and predator proof to the max just in case.
I wish I had built bigger, but then I'd have more birds and since we are not doing meat birds at all, I think our flock size is just fine. (but oh, the temptation of those little fluff butts in April!)

There are perils to free ranging. i recommend BeeKissed's article (look on the Home Page for the link). We have yard dogs, and are familiar with our local predator threats.
You should learn about yours while planning to keep birds.

The birds will do well if you consider the factors BeeKissed mentions, use a lot of common sense and trust - up to a point. have fun and good luck.

 

[SueT]

Mine stay within sight of our house and the coop, and return to coop like clockwork each evening just before dusk. We are the only house for 1/2 mile in any direction, but they stay rather close, maybe an acre. We live near a road which can go hours between vehicles, but they don't go in the road and they stay out of the neighbors pasture which shares a fence with our yard. I think they've seen cars and cows and decided not to get too close.
I don't let mine out to range until late afternoon after they've laid their eggs. This way nobody gets any ideas about hiding a nest. There will always be the possibility of predators, and at times mine get locked up for weeks after an attack. I raise replacements each year just in case, but our numbers are increasing to the point I may take some to the poultry swap....
Anyway, good luck with the hatching, the chicks, and beyond! I look forward to hearing how it goes...
Sue

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We live on 12 acres with no neighbors within several miles. We’re fenced in with barbed wire to keep out free range cattle grazing US Forest land... but no effective chicken containment fencing either.... How far do chickens usually range and do they typically return to the coop at evening... (assuming they’re suitably bribed with treats)? I’d like to just let them wander at will...
I’ve purchased supplies to make a 100 sq ft run...

Chickens in an open or unrestricted Free Range environment will range over 25 or so acers to make their living. So you can expect your flock to cover twice your current 12 acres. By feeding commercial chicken feed you will restrict your chickens desire to range further afield than this but that is not free range.

The more birds that you add to your flock will by necessity increase the acreage that your birds will cover in their daily wanderings. I highly doubt that there is more than two or three chicken keepers out of the 100s of 1,000s on this forum who have true free range chickens. Most people seem to think that a 50X50 foot run (2,500 square feet) is a free range environment, it is not. However you seem to think that a 10 foot by 10 foot pen or run will qualify as free range. A true free range environment is like the free range cows that wander around the National Forest land near your home in South Dakota, there is no fence to keep them inside of anywhere and little to keep them out of anything, except like you fencing out your neighbor's free range cows from your 12 acres. This is how all livestock was raised at one time. Hence the old saying about it being a long time since the cows came home on their own.
http://www.answers.com/Q/Where_did_the_saying_till_the_cows_come_home_come_from
BTW, bribing your chickens with treats is not free ranging either.

 

[SueT]

I've never seen ours wander more than an acre and usually it's less...they can go a long way on our farm but they don't. They stay close in. We currently have 10 chickens. I don't think you have to worry that your birds will just run pell mell off into the distance.

 

[christwodog]

They usually like to stay fairly close to home, mine stay within sight of the coop. It's a safety blanket for them, I guess. Mine do not like to be out in the open part of the yard but prefer the areas with shrubs and hiding places. I only have 1 acre, and they cover about 1/2 of that. They have never wandered out to the back yard where there aren't many hiding places. They don't fly over the fence to the neighbors either. They will go in at dusk by themselves, once one of the group heads towards the coop. They are very much "monkey see, monkey do."

 

[CindyinSD]

We live on 1.25 acres. Our 14-week old flock enjoys covering most of that area. Once, I caught them across the road. Our birds tend to stay near cover or the edge of the yard near the woods. There is thick undergrowth between our yard and the woods so they are pretty well blocked from view from anything in the woods.
I have observed that if they run out of feed (we feed fermented so I tend not to pile it in the trough) they will wander further. After they stuff themselves, they tend to stay closer to home.
If you brood or finish brooding in your coop, that will be home and they will return on their own at dusk.

Good to know. Thanks. That’s very helpful. I like the idea of silage and plan to try if the chickens will eat it. I guess I was worried that they might want to stay out at night. We have coyotes and coy wolves (I think), owls, bobcats, lions, raptors... But we also have wooded and brushy areas for the chickens to run to. I ordered all heritage breeds. It’s going to be interesting... can’t wait!

 

[centrarchid]

If I expect to have a flock free-range for multiple years, then I begin cultivating patches of taller vegetation that is some distance from boundaries the chickens ideally do not cross. The taller vegetation provides protection from elements and overhead predators and it becomes a real chicken magnet if feeding stations or quality foraging areas are adjacent to it. Patches that seem to be ideal for groups of about ten birds are 10 to 15 feet in diameter. Multiple patches that are a few tens of feet apart are even better. Part of the forage value the patches provide comes from their ability to attract flying insects, especially at night. It does not take a lot of insect forage to keep chickens working an area hard. I am partial to native plants like brambles or sumacs. Trees seldom provide ideal stem density that seems to be important for keeping hawks looking elsewhere. Tall native prairie plants can provide late season patches with desired qualities. The other consideration is types of plants that are directly consumed. Some species are favored by particular mowing / grazing / burn regimes. I would be assessing what plant species do well in your area and work from that. Cover patches generally take two years to get into place here, so likely will take longer in SD.

 

[jolenesdad]

What breeds did you get? Ranging has a lot to do with the breed and the individual bird, and the quality of the area they have to range.

I’ve moved to having no more that one per breed of active foraging chickens. When I had two or more, they would have a foraging buddy that would give them more confidence to go further and the entire flock would go. They have a compost pile from 14 horses and acres of improved pastures, they have no reason to go far but still would go up to 600-700 feet away from their coop.

I stumbled upon the one-per personal rule I follow by giving away bullies. My biggest rangers where my leghorns andnwhen only one was left, all of a sudden the chickens could be seen within 50-100 feet all day long. The leghorn travels occasionally a bit on her own 50-100 more feet but that’s it she comes right back to the flock.

I’ve kept this rule and they’ve stayed close since even with other wide ranging breeds, without a breed specific buddy they seem to be better.

I’ve only had one time in several years a chicken didn’t make it inside for the night but she was there in the morning. Without fail they’re on their roost 30 minutes before sundown, but they are out, not in a run, just allowed to roam with the horses, from 7am.

MOST of your birds will probably be fairly simple to contain, a low hot wire will keep them in and if you supplement them with commercial feed then they won’t have the same desire to roam for food.