Man! Can they FLY!

[IamRainey]

Silly me. After 3 years of chicken raising I still thought of chicken "flight" as a sort of wing-assisted hop. But this morning one of my 12wo chiclets took off from the roost in the run and flew, yes FLEW, about 15'. She flew toward the chainlink fence that divides their yard from my backyard. The gate is 5' and she was still at at leasts 5' altitude. She could easily have flown over it if that was her intention! I held my breath as she approached it. But, happily, it's beneath a heavy cover of leafy branches so she made a left turn and lighted in the sandbox left over from my grandson's toddlerhood. She was still in the chicken yard with her flock mates!

I may be an idiot but I had NO idea they were capable of this kind of strong and confident flight.

 

[lovesfarms]

I'm always glad if they can fly high enough at least to get out of the reach of dogs. I once had a Polish hen on the porch roof when the mower came around, I didn't particularly like that! Chickens never cease to amaze

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Yup. My WLs are my best flyers, but my little Bantam Cochin and my little ISA Brown can get pretty far too.

 

[IamRainey]

It does give me more confidence that they have some resources to escape predators. Of course, that means they also have resources to escape me...

 

[Mamatomany123]

One of my easter egger likes to run and fly low. She did it one day and the wind caught her. Right over the fence. She screamed the whole way

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

Whenever one of my birds gets left behind while free ranging, they activate airplane mode and zoom over. Chickens not being able to fly is one of the biggest, if not the biggest rumor about chickens. Especially bantams or small breeds, those things can fly very well.

 

[IamRainey]

Yup. My WLs are my best flyers, but my little Bantam Cochin and my little ISA Brown can get pretty far too.

Can't decode WL... White Leghorn possibly, but is that a breed or a description?

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Can't decode WL... White Leghorn possibly, but is that a breed or a description?

White Leghorn. They are very light, so they get more air. It’s a breed.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I have had similar experiences, especially around that age. They get real good at flying between when their feathers are all the way in and before they set on their adult weight. My adult chickens will still "wing assisted hop" 5' straight up in the air if they put their minds to it. They jump 3' onto the roost bar every night, too. :T That's why chicken wings are clipped at my house (though usually just one).

 

[The Happster]

Whenever one of my birds gets left behind while free ranging, they activate airplane mode and zoom over. Chickens not being able to fly is one of the biggest, if not the biggest rumor about chickens. Especially bantams or small breeds, those things can fly very well.

My hens do that. The tubby ones scream as they run over.