Going clsoe to the road

[crayon]

Our oldest set of chickens are 14 weeks old. They have been free ranging for about 3-4 weeks now. The first few weeks they stayed within 20 yards of the pen, now they are wondering all over. We have 10 acres- the first 2 are what we use daily, so lots of oak trees and bushes, but also lots of roaming room. The back is all forest.

They started wandering in the front of the house the last few days- and going closer and closer to the road. To the point today that a car scared some and they ran back.

Is this just the way it is? Will they learn? Should we shoo them from the road? The road is at least 200 yards from their house.

 

[crayon]

Any ideas?

 

[Katy]

They won't learn to stay away from it. Will they learn to avoid the traffic? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Unless you're willing to risk losing them on the road you'll have to keep them fenced away.

 

[crayon]

Yeah- I figured- I have noticed chickens are not the -hummm- smartest in the barnyard!

I have no idea how I would fence them in- we have vast property and we want them to free range- so I guess we will just keep an eye on them and shoo them back.

You would think they would want to go more in the back and side yards where there are fruit trees and lots of bugs- but no.... The front yard is king!

 

[NewToFarming]

My guys didn't go on the road but there could be things to lure them onto the road. I recently lost one of my smartest girls on the side of the road. They recently cut back the tall grass along the road and when it dried a million grasshoppers were there and caused her to go to the edge of the road and someone did hit her. It is not a heavily traveled road either. So even though they stay off of the road, something might lure them close and someone might hit them even not being fully on the road. So be careful and a if you can do a fence, do it!

 

[FireTigeris]

And some people swerve towards animals -

 

[NewToFarming]

Quote:
I know and my suspicions are this is what had happened with my girl!