What to scatter for free ranging.

Not really. They'll quickly consume anything scattered. In like 10 minutes. After that they start scratching and searching for bugs, seeds and greens. They usually won't get farther than where they can see what is familiar to them (coop and surrounds) so they can get back home in time to roost/lay eggs/ drink.
At a head height of 18" they can't see that far especially with variable terrain.
As they feel more comfortable with where everything is they'll continue to venture farther afield.

 

Ours gradually worked themselves away from the immediate coop fence but still never stray very far. Usually what happens is one of them will panic and they will all fly, and I do mean fly, back to the coop area.

We did have an exception - one day our aggressive rooster chased one of our very mild mannered roosters into the woods and we couldn't find him. He ended up spending the night out. The next morning I heard - from way down the hill - his pleading crow "come get me!" When I got to him - through the rhododendrun thicket (!) he waited patiently for me to pick him up. He now has his own coop, run, and a couple of hens to keep him company.

eta: that's him in my avatar

 

Mine free-range - within the confines of my backyard which is fully fenced. So in that sense, I supposed they aren't true free-range, since they do have physical boundaries. Without the fencing they would roam a lot further, I am sure. We will be moving soon to 10-acres and I do plan to free-range them at the new place but will likely put up some post and chicken wire fencing to keep them contained to MY property, as I don't want them visiting the neighbors.

 

Mine have never wandered more than about 100' from the coop. They'll go much farther from it if I'm right there with them than they will on their own. They also stick close to some sort of cover rather than hanging out in the open so their wanderings are fairly predictable.

 

To free range is to let them roam! They will come back to water, feed and lay eggs.

One thing to keep in mind: change is the only constant. Mine used to stay within 150 feet from the coop. Then cold weather came and they started going farther and into neighbor's yard. Then the hawk came and took some of the slower and smaller birds. The remaining flock is staying close to the coop once again, and thick bushes.

 

My red hens are now 8 weeks old. Some can 'fly' 3 feet off the ground. Is it time to trim their avian feathers? As weather warms some more I would be letting them 'free' range the yard. My fence is only 4~5 ft in height.

 

My fence is only 5 feet high, and I don't trim anyone's wing feathers. They "free range" on about 2-3 acres of wild pasture and most of the time don't roam more than 100 feet from the coop, although the more brave and better foraging breeds will often go out to a max distance of about 170 feet. No one ever actually flies over the fence, they have no need to.

The only food I "scatter" for them are things like berries, fruits, seeds, and grains that don't already grow in or near their area. Or, ones I've stored for winter feeding. They eat it very fast, and it keeps them nearby for about 20 minutes but after that they'll do their own thing.

 

I have considerable influence over a flocks foraging habits by placement of scattered feeds and / or deployment of feeders. Birds will spend considerable amounts of time where food is easy to get. Further influence can be realized by available cover. I can get birds to go in a particular direction with applied feed / scratch and if area is in close proximity to a patchwork of cover, then birds will then forage and loaf on their own around cover and follow cover strips so long as more eats can be located therein. Net result is flocks can be directed to forage in a given direction or area. This enables keeping multiple separate flocks and directing birds away from areas (property boundaries and garden) I do not want them into.

 

They like to stay under cover of trees, houses, porches, etc. and keep familiar territory in view. At dusk, every night and I mean every night they will troop back into the coop. Chickens do everything naturally, kind of pre-programmed and you can't "train" a chicken to do anything.