No, it's not a joke! DD's chicken, Barbie, went up and onto the road today -- Yikes! Fortunately, when I shrieked "Chick, chick, chick!" she came running, but what if she wanders while I'm not around? I'm pretty sure she'd hate being on a tie-out like our dog, who also shows an affinity for the road!
Make your side of the road much more attractive to her than the other side. (This is also the first rule of making a good fence. If they don't *want* to get out, a thin ribbon will keep in an elephant.)
* My wanders like that when she's "in labor". She's only used her nest box for egg-laying twice! :| Ed: Last week she actually found a way INTO the neighbor's garage!! I coaxed her out easily enough, but had to tell him to try to find the egg I was sure she had laid in there before it exploded in our 93 d. heat!!! He found it.