How to raise Backyard Chickens: [CHICKENS-101] Re: How far will chickens travel from coop?

We have 2 acres and 23 chickens... they rarely leave our yard

... we are surrounded by corn/soy fields on 3 sides and a highway on the fourth... they rarely even venture towards the highway(too noisy) but a cpl times I have caught them poking around the fields... when I do.. I go outside and call them back ... with a treat in my hand
(helps that any time we call them that means we have a treat)..

even if its a piece of bread, handful of cereal.. its not a large part of their diet I just want them back in our yard.. no one has complained but I dont want them to either

.. I have only had to do this maybe 6 times since we got them 9 mo ago... (more so now that the weather is warmer and they are ranging more hours.. they get to range after work (when its not dark when we get home) and all day on weekends unless we are going somewhere..

In respect of distance our property is long and narrow (rather than sqaure) and they pretty much stick to a circumfrence of about 50-75yds from the coop ( which explains why they spill out over the front and back of the property but not the sides (the sides are the long part)

( not sure if that makes sense if you cant see what i mean, hopefully it helps you)

--- In CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com, "mdrally" <mdufour1@...> wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
> I've been reading the list for months to gain knowledge but this is my first post. My 20 chicks will be here in 2 weeks and everything is ready for them. I chose Old English Games. I have a 10 by 16 coop and a 10 by 10 attached dog kennel with a roof but they eventually will be offered free range. My property is 25 acres, heavily wooded. That much liberty stresses me a lot. I wonder how far chickens will travel from the coop?
>
> Thank you!
> Michele in New Hampshire
>