How far do your chickens roam? (breeds?)

[Cuban Longtails]

I'm actually suprised by the silkies. They don't stay all nice and fluffy like the show birds, but they aren't running around with matted up feathers either. They even have the sense to get out of the rain and soldiered through the snow and mucky winter weather we had. They also don't have a big puff ball covering their eyes either because they're hatchery silkies. However, I do have some polish and sultans (forgot to mention them) that manage to range as well and a couple of the girls do have big puffs. They usually pay attention to the other birds and follow their lead.

Since you don't have the OEG, maybe yours will stay closer to the house.

Must be the "game" in them. lol

I love letting them range because I don't have any more "bug" problems...

Well... minus the red-wasps and fire ants but that's a different issue.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I think it just depends on each person's set-up, the number of birds, and the breed of bird. I have 2 sex-link, 1 giant, and 3 mottled java. All stay within 200 yards of the coop, but they will travel farther in one direction than in another. They have a treeline in one direction, a house in the other, and in the other two directions, they have open pasture.

Mine tend to stay out of the pasture, I guess being out in the open, with nothing to "duck-under"(when the hawks come acallin) kinda freaks them out. They will go all the way to the tree line and all the way to the house, and even wander around the house and surrounding gardens. But they stay out of the 5 acre horse pasture.

-Kim

 

[TaconChicks]

I allow them to roam in my yard, which is a 1/2 acre. But they periodically find a way out of the fence and I've found them as far away as 1000 feet. My neighbors enjoy when they get out, but I've had a couple instances where one did not make it home. One day I could not find them at all ... but they were pecking at the front door just before sunset.

 

[angus]

Anyone else? I like these stories...

 

[BaronRenfrew]

I found that chickens stay within sight of the house and barn. They will wander 100 yards in any direction of either building but will not venture into treed valley on far side of creek. Nor will they go into tall grass or the hayfield. Only once in 20 years have I noticed a chicken farther than that. She was chasing a grass hopper or locust and wound up at the road which is 500 yards from the barn. She looked around and came running back as it seemed she felt "naked" that far from the barnyard.

Layout is as follows: Barn to house is 100 yards. West of barn is pasture to the neighbour's house about 500 yards. House is on hillside that leads to creek and valley. Creek is also pasture and heavily mowed by cows. Far side of creed is swamp and trees.

Guineas, on the other hand, will wander 3 farms over and back within the day (a mile and a half). They will also "disappear" in the tall grass of the hayfield. Darn things would lay eggs somewhere, then get eaten by a coon when they sat on them to hatch. Had to clip wings and lock them in to get the last of the eggs at end of season.

Had some call ducks for a few years. Mother duck was giving "the eye" to something far over head. She made a quack and literally everything made a mad dash for the henhouse: ducks, laying hens, and meat birds.