Howdy. Well, based on last night's candling, some of these critters might actully join us in a couple weeks. So, time to start thinking about what we're going to do with them. We plan on letting them free-range a few hours a day when we can be outside to keep an eye on them. Our property is sort of long and arrow, about 50-60 yards across, and I want to keep them out of the ditch and the neighbor's yard. Do chickens stay fairly close to home when free ranging, or do they scatter all heck to breakfast? Also, are they fairly easy to herd if they get where they aren't supposed to be? We're talking about Wyandottes here, if that makes a difference. Thanks! Tom
They don't generally go more than about 100 ft from the henhouse, but will be where ever you are if you are outside and have 'treats in your pocket to tempt them:>) Mine used to follow me all over the yard all the time. Get them used to scratch as a treat by giving it to them in thier run in the mornings, and when you go in the evenings use always give them a little after they are in for the night. Once they learn to know that you consistantly give them scratch in the pen in the evenings they will flock in the door when they see you going to the henhouse...they'll beat you there. Any other time during the day that you need to herd them up and enclose them, just shake the contaimer of feed and they'l come from everywhere to get some
Yes to what morelcabin said. I actually call my chickens when throwing down treats/scratch by saying "here chick, chick, chick!" They learned very quickly to come running when I call so I can get mine back into the coop anytime of day that I may need to. Mine free range and will roam 80 to a hundred yards from their chicken coop but not much further than that. (so far) They generally stay together as a flock but there are times when one or two will go a different direction than the others and be 50 yards away.
Hi I have 7 Bantam (they call them lilliput here in Poland) and they go all over our property which is about the size of 2 city blocks. Don't know if that is normal behavior or not, but the farmer next door has chickens that range a lot farther as his property is not fenced. We may just have weird poultry here
If you have a run attached to your coop you might want to keep them in the run and coop for a few weeks untill they get used to the idea that that is their home base. After that they probably won't go very far from it and will return at night to sleep. Especially if you get them used to the treats at the end of the day.
The larger the chicken the less they range, so Wyandottes might stay fairly close. Its a wait and see sortta thing.
We have about an acre fenced, and our flock of 21 is all over it. They are fairly easy to herd and shoo away from where you don't want them. . . but that doesn't guarantee they won't be right back there as soon as your back is turned!