Are chickens smart enough to stay out of a backyard campfire?

[Xephyr]

So my backyard has chickens.
Also my backyard has a campfire pit so we can pretend we are camping.
Would the chickens be smart enough to stay away from it if lit?
I wouldn't want one to leap and fly into it .

 

[MistyMountain]

I suppose every chicken is different, but we have brush fires here while the chickens free range. They show interest in it before it is lit-- it is a good place to look for goodies-- and sometimes even while it is lit. I have yet to have one offer to cook itself for dinner, though. They seem to understand the danger.

 

[donrae]

I've also never had a chicken roast itself. I'd only be concerned with one maybe wanting to scratch through the ashes while they were still warm, but if you douse the fire well that shouldn't be an issue. Clean the ashes out of the pit and put them in the coop or run for the birds to dust bathe in, they'll help deter external parasites.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I've also never had a chicken roast itself. I'd only be concerned with one maybe wanting to scratch through the ashes while they were still warm, but if you douse the fire well that shouldn't be an issue. Clean the ashes out of the pit and put them in the coop or run for the birds to dust bathe in, they'll help deter external parasites.

X 2 - if you use the pit during the day I would just keep an eye on things between the end of the fire and the chickens going to bed. Fires at night would be no biggie as the birds will be up for the night and the ash will be cooled before they are up and about the next day. The only concern with them wanting to dust in it is possible mess as they can do quite a bit of flinging and scattering as they dust bathe. Depending on where your pit is located this may or may not be an issue for you.

 

[3ChickensNADuck]

my birds free range and I light a fire pit sometimes. they're smart enough to stay away. some are curious and walk by the fire others don't like it and do kind of a chicken call.

 

[aart]

I've burned lots of brush, often 2 days in a row and can usually start the 2nd day fire from hot coals left over night.

If I free ranged, I'd put a temp circle of welded wire fence sitting around the coals just to be sure.

Might not be the same scenario as some, but just my experience.

 

[Wattles7]

Yes, they know that it is hot and it would hurt. They will not go in it.

 

[Chtrx]

I've also never had a chicken roast itself. I'd only be concerned with one maybe wanting to scratch through the ashes while they were still warm, but if you douse the fire well that shouldn't be an issue. Clean the ashes out of the pit and put them in the coop or run for the birds to dust bathe in, they'll help deter external parasites.

Im 75 years old and when I was a child of maybe five or six years, my mom told to to never let baby chicks get near a fire and being a curious kid i placed one near a fire and it actually did run into the fire. Luckily it ran back out before killing itself so, yes chickens (or at least that one) did run into tje fire.