is it possible to train chickens?

[jimz1]

Our chickens are free range. They were very content with roosting and dusting down by abn old barn we have. They've been down there for a couple months. Every morning We let them out of the coop and they would run down there and stay there until just before dark, then they would go back into the coop. No problem. Lately they have been exploring new territory. Getting closer to the house, which is no problem either, but they also are getting very close to the road. I've got too much area to fence in and I don't want to keep them locked in the coop all the time. Is there a way to train them to stay away from the road and to go back to the area by the barn? I treied coaxing them with treats and food. I even tried faking them out by banging on their empty food container, but they caught on that there wasn't any food there. The only treats they like is bread and we can't keep up with that. We would have to buy 1 loaf for them and 1 for ourselves. What can I do? I don't need any flattened out chickens!!!

 

[dbounds10]

I dont think there is anyway to train them not to go close to the road, unless maybe you scare them but that is not advisable. Without seeing what you have to work with its hard to give ideas, but is there anyway you can block them from getting there. I mean I assume your coop is out back, what it the path they are taking to get to the front and the road? Can you put some chicken wire up at all? Its not very expensive.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't have any great words of wisdom for you. The only thing I've found that can control where a chicken goes is a fence, either fencing them in or fencing them out. And when they are out roaming, they can cover a lot of ground very quickly, even if it does not look like they are moving that fast.

I used to have three hens that would split off from the flock and go play in a gravel road about 400 feet from the coop. The others would roam up in that area but never really got in the road. I raise my chickens for meat as well as eggs, so when I decided to eat another one, I chose the ringleader of the three that played in the road. Once she was gone, the other two stopped playing in the road. Each chicken has its own personality and each flock or sub-flock has its own dynamics, but I never expected that to happen.

I really don't have a solution for you. Good luck!