free ranging in my back yard

[Motherof4]

if i let my chickens free range in my back yard for a hour before sunset. do you think that they will fly over my 4ft backyard fence if my back yard is fully grassed

 

[luvchicks8]

mine never have

 

[chick4chix]

I had been doing this every day since my 6 chickens were 4 weeks old- just last weekend one of them decided to fly up on top of the fence (which is 5.6 feet high) and look around. It scared the living daylights out of me because I wouldn't know how to get her back if she went to the other side- she would surely have run away. I stood back and waited until she came back down on our side- then they all went back in the coop until I can make a safety "lid" on the area they free range in. Not worth the risk in my opinion

Oh - I forgot to mention- they are 19 weeks old and had never done it before

 

[Imp]

They could, mine have never gone over the fence, but wiggled under it in a couple spots.

Imp

 

[BigSkyChickens]

I think if there is tasty grass to eat inside your yard, they will not try to leave.
But I would keep an eye on them to make sure......If my chickens are going to fly up or over something, they usually give themselves away by looking intensely at whatever it is they're going to fly onto. Good luck.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

It really depends on the breed of chickens. Silkies could not make it over a fence that tall. OEGB or D'Uccles could easily, as well as most standard breeds.

That being said, when i let my standards out, they are so happy pecking and digging in the grass and dirt they don't have time to think about hopping a fence. Given time and opportunity, they may eventually try to fly over. But i only free range them for about an hour every couple of days under supervision.

 

[scooter147]

I had one Eygptian that did on a regular basis but none of my others did. The Eygptian would come back on her own and never wonder more than a few feet from the fence.

 

[journey11]

Depends on how big they are! Bantams, yes. Young pullets and cockerals, probably. Light weight Mediteranean breeds, probably. Full grown heavy breeds..not a chance. Mine act like it's torture to have to jump to get on the roost (3' high). Anything close to the fence, they could though use it for a step stool.

 

[Cherokeerainbow]

Mine act like it's torture to have to jump to get on the roost (3' high). Anything close to the fence, they could though use it for a step stool.

Oh Yea! Hit the nail on the head there...the only one who will try to fly up is my 1 (oddball) Andalusian (she's pretty small compared to my very round Aussies)​