how far will chickens roam from their house

[mamaKate]

When my chickens used to free range, they would go anywhere they saw ME go. If I didn't let them see me leave the yard, they stayed home--even on 20 acres.

 

[wingnut1]

I have 10 hens and live on 1.6 acres. The hens get outside of their large runs (one is 10 x 10 and the other is 30 x 50 - and in the middle is an 8 x 30" coop that has two levels... ) twice a day - when they are let out, all but one of them stay fairly close to the coop - within 50 feet or so. The orpington, cochin, marans, and ee hens stay close by as does one of my wyandottes. But Basil, my crazy silver-laced wyandotte seems determined to explore all territories - she is at the top of the pecking order - none of the others seem interested in following her - she does come back, but because I don't let them free range all day (predators) - I often have to herd her back in...

I read that they wouldn't let their protected area get out of their sight... ummm... the person that wrote that never met Basil...

 

[chickdust]

I thought this site was called BACKYARD chickens. Not Farmette chickens. LOL. I'm on a lousey .25 acre suburban home lot. No free roaming for my girls unless I'm out with them.

 

[perchie.girl]

I thought this site was called BACKYARD chickens. Not Farmette chickens. LOL. I'm on a lousey .25 acre suburban home lot. No free roaming for my girls unless I'm out with them.

first of all....

from San Diego. Second of all this is a very old thread over four years old. There is a huge diversity of people here raising chickens. Some even have hatcheries with thousands. I personally have eighteen acres but its not a farm and my chickens don't roam without supervision because I have bobcat coyote mountain lion and wild dogs. Not to mention overhead predators. But I started out with four on a lot that was 60 x 50 which had a house smack in the middle taking up most of it.

deb

 

[COUNTRYBOI]

I was watching my teenagers an hour ago and was amazed where they were foraging. We have 10 acres, mostly wooded, and they spend most of their time in the woods near their coop. They do wander to the South, between their coop and our house, but mainly stay behind their coop to the West! We have a very large fenced-in duck and geese area (100' x 50') North of their coop. My teenagers were on the OTHER side of the duck area, climbing on a tall pile of pallets, an hour ago!

Like someone else said, once the chickens get use to an area, they'll start to wander farther away. My other large chickens, 29 weeks old, have wandered almost 1/4 from their coop! I have three of them: Leghorn Roo, Australorp pullet, and BO pullet.

Also, I gave all my chickens scratch this morning. Apparently that wasn't enough to keep the teenagers closer to their coop! We do have a lot of area to explore, so I can't blame them for being curious.

They do go to the coop at night. The teenagers and three older chickens roost together. It is fun to watch the procession! In the morning they can't wait for me to open the gate!

My Bantams are not free-ranged. In the morning they literally run and fly out of their coop when I open their door! It's so funny!

Welcome to BYC! Have fun!!

~Anne

LOL! i have a few 8 week old BB red bantams that didn't sell as chick's and i turned them out with my larger egg layer chicks.. the bigger chicks been in my raiseing pen a while and they put their selves up and i shut door.. today about 5 of the lil BB's got outside of the peremeter fence and it was cold today and a lil rainy.... because their not used to the routine they huddle up in corner and in the afternoon and i pick them up and set them in cage.. but today they were seperated fromt he others and cold so when i showed up late and they were out they came running up to me shaken their tale feathers flapping like help daddy were lost followed me up to the pen and waited calmly for me to pic them up might end up haveing to keep these lol

 

[COUNTRYBOI]

 

[Back on the Farm]

Mine used to be 'backyard' chickens till they discovered the marsh/wetland beyond the yard, then they discovered the hill beyond the marsh/wetland, then they discovered the corn and wheat field beyond the hill... They seem to have a pattern when they come out of the coop in the morning. They will go towards the front of the house, circle around by my garden, head across the backyard, into the coop to lay an egg, back out behind the shed & compost pile, then off to the meadow, marsh, hill, and then fields. Just before dusk, they'll head back in towards the coop.

Now what they don't know is that I'm getting ready to re-build their run and make it a lot bigger (they don't use the current run that is about 10'x10'). I'm also putting a roof on it... as much as I like them to free range - I have to put my garden in and I want to eat this year, so they lose the free range status till after harvest - they'll get lots of treats from the garden as I always save them some scraps.

 

[chickdust]

Quote:
I know its old but I just wanted to razz all the big lots.

 

[sonobabe629]

I have 7 acres, part grad/gardens and part heavy woods. My Easter-egger was out all day yesterday wandering along the woods line. When I went to get her in the coop at dusk, she was no where to be found. We searched until dark and she was not there this morning. I’m concerned that something got her, but still keeping hope! She has never gone very far before. However, I have another hen with new chicks in the coop also. Could she have gotten jealous or mad? How long can they be gone before I give up hope?