How far will the hens wander?

[mallorysinclair]

I have 1/3 acre, fenced. Mine look for ways to go under (there are many places to do just that) all the time. Last week I found all five sitting on the front porch...a little confused, but apparently waiting for me to come get them.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I have a long narrow plot of 5 acres it is 223 X 999 but they never range more that 200 ft from the barn. I guess they get everything they need close by.

 

[Kaitie09]

We let ours free range in the goat pen 1/2 acre. and we have field fencing too. We went and got some bird netting($24) that was 7'x144' and cut it in half. We then went around and stapled it to our posts. This discouraged the birds from going through the field fencing, and it is almost invisible.

 

[centrarchid]

My birds potentially can go anywhere they like but home range is limited and they have areas they spend more time in than others. I supplement their foraging with custom feed mix that they cherry pick thru this time of year but eat all of during months when foraging quality low. Maximum distance form north to south is about 600 feet. Acreage used about 4. They make a circuit around range 3 times each day.

Following image shows portion of my (and neighbors) property birds use as home range (outlined in white). While feeding they spend most of their time in maroon spray painted areas which a mixture of clovers and fescue mowed to be less than 6". Areas outlined in light blue are fescue dominated and more than 1 foot deep. Purple box is roost. Red box is house. Purple area behind house has lusher grass and frequently area where wife throws uneaten food. Yellow area repressents driveway where provide supplemental feed twice daily.

Birds in small free-ranging flock; American game rooster and hen, dominique hen, two red jungle fowl hens, and one game x dominique chick.

Roost

Reason I can let birds free range with so little obvious protection. Scoob (dog).

I will be following birds soon around clock to determine how much time is spent within each area type.

 

[sevenbabychicks]

Quote:
WOW! Your rooster is gorgeous! And how easy was it to find your red jungle fowl hens?

 

[centrarchid]

sevenbabychicks, I got mine as strait run chicks from Cackle Hatchery. I do not think they are pure but they behave very differently relative to domesticated kin.

Males not as predator resistant as games. They seem to make all wrong descisions when pursued.

 

[familyguy]

my girls are better behaved than my kids! I let them free range around our house - we live on a corner lot with about a 3/4 acre lawn and they spend the day wandering around the house, never cross the road (although they will go up to the edge of the lawn) and then by 7:30 or so, this time of year, they are all back in the coop settling in for the night! I do fence the garden when the plants are young (eat the brocolli plants last spring

but once the plants get bigger I let them roam where they want in the garden with no problems (well, except the tomatoes they LOVE tomatoes!I keep them fenced).

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Ours will range over 5 acres if the gates are open. We have 4' high fencing with 2x4 openings in it. I only had one chicken that went over it a couple of times, out of maybe 100 chickens. Rita was just a bad girl who liked to have fun.

 

[centrarchid]

Some of mine would clear a 20 foot fence once they know good eats are on other side. The ranging bit is very much as function of breed and food availability.......... and experience. Once a used to a large range, they expect it always.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Mine never go more than 100 yards away from their coop even though they have acres and acres and acres...

But YES they will DEFINITELY eat all your vegetables fruits and plants.