Releasing Chickens

[mahsmaj]

Is it ok to release chickens in the wild???
Will they live on their own if released???

 

[MissPrissy]

Some do manage to survive but most get eaten by predators. I wouldn't do it. It is cruel to take a domesticated animal and throw it to the wild.

 

[pkeeler]

They would only survive if they knew how to roost in trees at night. This is probably not the case. Pheasants raised in captivity don't learn this and are made short work of by predators after release.

 

[Hotwings]

I wouldn't release a domestic chicken in the wild. The chicken has been domesticated for years and many have lost the instinct to survive, plus even if they did and managed to form a family it may play havoc with the native wild gamebird population. I would think a chicken by themselves would be easy pickings for predators if they were turned loose.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I agree with the others as well. It would be cruel and inhumane to give it the boot and expect it to just know what to do

 

[Opa]

They probably wouldn't make the first night

 

[spook]

Wow, what ails people these days. For instance, Free Willy, the whale that was released into the wild is such a fairy tale. If domesticated they will never know how to find food, perhaps drought for a chicken, it will die of thirst, having been imprinted on, trust people who would catch it and torcher it.
UGH- if you have it and want to release it- go out and shoot it, give it away, gosh, what makes us think we are doing a domesticated animal a favor?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[flakey chick]

And if they do survive, they become a menance.

 

[snowydiamonds]

I say irresponsible people do things like that to all kinds of life forms. I also would like to throw those people into a similar situation, place them far away from civilization, telling them to: "be free!" and WOW, what an eye opener that would be...how long would they survive? What thoughts would go thru their minds? What horrific circumstances would they survive or die by? How long would they endure and how soon would they give up? How ALONE would they feel? How sad...

 

[Small Town Girl]

I agree with the others - your chickens wouldn't make it more than a few days on their own. If you can't keep them, I'd check to see if your local humane society will take them. If not, put an ad on Craig's List or Freecyle and I bet you'll have more takers than chickens.