roaming chickens

[bmbi328]

My 6 chickens are kept in a coop unless I am out there to let them out. They usually get out at least 3 times a day for at least 2 hrs. I have been letting them stay out at times while I venture inside to do something. I have pastures behind my fence and am worried that they will jump the fence into the pasture. If they do this, will they come back to their yard?

 

[wastintime202]

I have never had a problem with my hens jumping the fence. They will run back into their pen if they feel threatened. They don't even venture very far from the pen and will go into the hen house to lay eggs and then back out to play.

 

[Kernel Cluck]

I sympathize with what you are feeling. When I first let my girls range the yard during the day I was always worried they would get lost or not come back. They always do. They seem to know that the coop is safety and they will never roam too far from "home". Now I let them roam all day long and don't think twice about it. Go for it. It is worth a little bit of anxiety at first.

 

[Wild Yaker]

I agree with Kernel Cluck! Go for it. I live in town ( suburbs ). I have an open view fence with a wash on the other side. I have never had my chickens go over the fence. The go up to it, but never over. They always come back. I was worried about it as well when I first got my girls. But now I let roam without supervision. They are out all day by themselves and put themselves away at night before the sun goes down.

The only worry is if you have predators in the area. I have had a hawk try to get them, but the girls are street smart. They know what to do now. They listen to the other birds. I have had them outside by themselves a year without incident.

 

[thepouts]

I let my silkie roam all day every day and they don't venture out to far from their coop or run. We live in the suburbs so only have a backyard. They haven't even explored it all. They like familiarity

 

[Naked Farm]

We let our hens roam any where they want on our 8 acres, but they stay pretty close to the coop. We do have predators, possums, hawks, etc, but they're smart about them too & keep to the woods or have a tree nearby. This is my first flock & have been amazed at how smart they are.