Free-Range on a busy road?

[chicken_angler]

We live on a busy road with 6 acres and most of it is fenced in with that fence that has holes 4 x 6 inches. I was wondering if I could free range my 8 chickens while we are home? If so would I need to keep them away from our pond? I dont want them to go in the pond because it is deep and big- 75ft by 185 ft. Would I be able to free range them while we are outside?

 

[ChickenToes]

You can give it a try, there's no harm in trying. My mother-in-law lives on 15 acres and free-ranged her birds for awhile, but then she kept hearing cars honking on the highway...her birds had wandered onto the road! So I would say give it a shot, if they wander onto the road you can always fence them in.

 

[chicken_angler]

well I think we might give it a try and see how it goes.

 

[chickenannie]

I don't think chickens are attracted to ponds. They might try to drink at the edge or something but i'm guessing it's only ducks that love to get out into the water.

 

[chicken_angler]

Ok Thanks

 

[carwinew]

We have a one acre tank (that's Texan for stock pond) which the chickens could travel to but they are happy with the water containers we have for them.
We are not on a busy road but there is one close to us with a house just a few feet off the road. They have free range chickens but have posted signs on each end of their property "Chicken crossing". Haven't ever seen a dead chicken near their place.

 

[silkiechicken]

I live off a very busy highway, highway 99 infact... so busy there are stop lights every mile or so on it where I am, and so busy that during rush hour, it is bumper to bumper and you only get onto it by the politeness of a select few drivers who are willing to wait a bit and let you on. I free range with out fences on 7 acres. In 10 years with them running free, they do not leave sight of the house or coop, which keeps them off the road. Even the cats don't go out to the highway as my oldest feral/stray lasted 14 outside. Thing is, we are wooded, and the 300-400 foot long driveway is the only path to the road.

 

[chickenannie]

Yeah, I think someone on here said if they chickens roost in a coop at night, they only range about 200 yards in any one direction at most. That is certainly true at my farm. So, perhaps you must locate your coop, food/water at a strategic location far away from the road.

 

[chicken_angler]

My coop is about 600 ft away from the road