Free range....how far do they go??

[Dar]

if i let my chickens out in the morning...(8am) they will be all over the place by noon

so I let them aout at about 330 in the afternoon and they stay close by

 

[cheraboo]

Quote:
That's how ours are! We have a HUGE backyard but they stay pretty close to the coop. They tend to stay inside laying down during the afternoon.

 

[dw_618]

Our chickens only range from about a 50 yard radius...We have 2 dogs in a pen about 100 yards away from the coop...When a dog barks those chickens race to the coop and dont come out until about 15 minutes after the barking stops...So i guess they wont stray too far away...lol

 

[jprinc44]

I let most of mine out when I get home from work, but about 8 or 9 let themselves out daily by flying over the 4' chainlink fence that makes up their pen. The 2 male guineas will fly out, but the females stay in until I open the gate. The ones who let themselves out daily have about an acre they roam, open field and nearby woods, but seem content to avoid the road. The guineas, however head for it like a bullet out of a gun as soon as I open the gate! 8 acres to roam, but they have to go across into my neighbor's yard! She does not mind at all, but it worries me because cars fly up and down my road, and I know I'm going to lose one sooner or later. The benefits from the bug-eating, though are apparent, because my dogs and cats rarely get ticks, where my neighbors' are getting eaten alive this year! I would let them out full-time if I were at home, and I do when I'm there, but have had dog problems in the past. HTH, Janet

 

[lelisabeth]

Mine never venture farther than 50'... because that's all the bigger my urban yard is!

I'm sure they would love to go farther though, but they haven't gotten over the 6' privacy fence yet...

 

[toredano]

The key is for them not to wander of is that they need to know that the coop is a safe place before you let them freerange. This way they know its safe inside.
also it wont hurt at the beginning to put treats into the coop at the same time everyday so they know its treat time once they get into their coop at night.Thats what I did and no problems

I kept mine in the coop for 2 weeks before I ever let them out. Now at dusk they take their fluffy butts inside and roost either in the enclosure or inside the nestboxes.
I alsl do not put water or food out in the yard ,I leave all that inside the coop.We have a small stream and pond where they get their water from if they need it. but the food container stays inside the coop.
I have an acre of gras surrounded by dense forest,And they stay around on the gras .. only seeking shelter under a tree if it gets to hot or it rains.


Petra

 

[7cutechix]

OK, IF I have them in a chicken tractor and move it around..... just feet away from the day before, will they know where to go at night????? Thanks for all your input!!

 

[MN-HappyChickens]

We have 2 1/2 acres and they just love to roam. I have seen them at the neighbors, but not too often. and they always come home. they usually stay together.

they are truely Happy Chickens

my sister also has chickens and i have finally convinced her to let them roam. she has 30 acres and large open fields--so she is afraid of the hawks. but so far so good. she has her dog sit by them to watch over them.

 

[lovinlife]

I live on a rural highway and there's a house not far from here that's on a tiny corner lot. They have chickens that are always free ranging on the side of the road, right next to the highway. I've only seen one that was lost to the road and we've lived here 11 years. I think they know to stay away from the big metal things that blast down the hard black dirt.

chickens like to roam around. Try letting them out in the late evening about an hour before dusk and keep an eye on them. They'll go back into the run on their own at dusk. Try that for a few nights until you're comfortable with them being out. Then, let them out for a bit longer, maybe two hours. Keep increasing it until they're out for a few hours. I let mine out when I get home from work during the school year. In the summer, I wait until 3 and then let them out.

Try it. I'm sure your chickens will love you for it.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I was worried about letting mine out and got tons of advice from BYC, the best advice was to let them out in the late afternoon as opposed to all day long.... Sure enough they got into all kinds of mischief during the day roaming farther and jumping right over the 4ft fences - see below - that I went to trouble of rolling out for a sort of pen. But if they only go out later in the day, they hang around one area which has a spruce tree they like with super low branches providing cover and protection and bugs to eat. They dont go to far from it, and come back into their run every night without fail.