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

[amarook]

Since they automatically return to their coop at dusk I taught mine to not stray by only letting them out for the last 1/2 hour before dark. They would be all excited to go out, but they couldn't go far before it was dark and they had to return.

It has worked for me. Now I can let them out all day and they stay in the same area. It probably won't stay that way forever, but I figure if they start straying, I'll limit their time out, and do the same thing again. They have hedges by their coop that they play in all day. There is a road (It's not a busy road at all.) along side it, but so far they are smart enough to stay off it.

 

[damselfish]

Some of ours do cross the road (a country dirt road) even though the coop is a good 100 yards from it. It seems to depend on the chicken. Do try to find a way to let them out...they will love it.

Good luck!

 

[Skamaghetten]

We live in a suburb neighborhood with a fenced in backyard. The yard is only about 40' x 40', but they don't go any further. I open the coop in the morning and they return to the vicinity of the coop at night. They have been outside for about 4 weeks now and still haven’t managed to roost in the coop. The roosting spot of choice is always on top of the coop, which happens to be taller then the fence. So, I'm guessing their happy enough to stay in the yard, when in fact they could take a little stroll if they wanted. I give them the option to wander. If they don't return, no good treats for them.

 

[*GEL*]

Wellllll..............I actually posted on here a few weeks ago that my chickies must not like to free range because all they did was hang out at the coop. A lot can change in a few weeks!

Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile. I have a backyard that is about an acre of rolling land with a stream and many many shade trees. They started out at the coop and then they started wandering a little farther way and then a little farther away............so then the other day my husband comes in and says 'hon, did you know your birds are in the driveway?' BAH! NO!

I rush out and they are just feet from the road - they follow me back to the coop - I love that they follow me............I'm like the pied piper..lol.

So after I put them up, I go around the perimeter of the fence I notice that in some places the fencing is up a little off the ground, so I am going to shore those up and then begin free ranging again.

Right now they are in the coop/run and cannot figure out why I am not letting them out anymore (it's been 2 whole days

..lol). I just cannot risk them getting out again. I will definatley have them out again by the weekend, but right now they are just gonna have to work with me so they don't get hurt! My alpha hen really lets me know she is unhappy though when I go out to the coop......she is VERY loud about it.

 

[NarleevilleClucks]

I have a fenced in front, side and back yard, not large at all. The coop backs to the woods, and the chickens stay in the yard and don't try too hard to break lose, except for when they perch on the fence and get confused as to which side is their home! Luckily ny neighbors are anamored with them, as it's a quirly - cool thing to have chickens in the MD burbs. I think my girls would kill themselves if I confined them to their run at this point...