Wild Chickens

[GwenLBridges]

I live in the city and we are becoming overtaken by hens and roosters in our neighborhood. I was finally able to find someone that was willing to trap & release on a farm. We made a very unusual discovery at roosting time last night. I grew up on a farm with free-range chickens and what we saw was a first. We shinned mid tree level just happened to shine a little higher and there were several a good 12 feet in the branches. But my real amazement came when I saw a mother hen & 5 biddies (they are only about 5 weeks old) roosting that high with the hen covering them. We all were stumped as to how she was able to get her babies that far up. Can anyone explain this? They are all so tiny still & unless they hopped on her back and took the express flight up I just have no idea how she got them all up there without a hitch.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Hi @GwenLBridges, Welcome to BYC!
It's such a great sight seeing chickens roosting in a tree.

I think if they can fly they can get up there but if not, I'm not sure how that works.
Let me see if I can find some other info on this topic

 

[Lor]

But my real amazement came when I saw a mother hen & 5 biddies (they are only about 5 weeks old) roosting that high with the hen covering them. We all were stumped as to how she was able to get her babies that far up. Can anyone explain this? They are all so tiny still & unless they hopped on her back and took the express flight up I just have no idea how she got them all up there without a hitch.

Wow! That's pretty high!

 

[GwenLBridges]

Hi @GwenLBridges, Welcome to BYC!
It's such a great sight seeing chickens roosting in a tree.

I think if they can fly they can get up there but if not, I'm not sure how that works.
Let me see if I can find some other info on this topic

They are still too young I believe. Est about 5 weeks. She is a young hen with a first-time clutch and it was just astonishing to me and would be interesting to know how she was able to get all 5 up there.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My 3 week Leghorns can clear a 3 ft fence. Is there a lower branch they may have used as a midpoint? That's really the only explanation.

I'm glad you are rehoming them!

 

[Tonyroo]

My Swedish flower rooster can clear a 6 foot fence with ease.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My Swedish flower rooster can clear a 6 foot fence with ease.

Yeah, some can really fly. My Sebright can clear the house, but not at 5 weeks, I don't think.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

I had a game hen I rescued and boy could she fly. If I didn’t clip her wings she would fly from tree to tree and almost never come down. So if these chickens are completely wild I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility

 

[GwenLBridges]

My 3 week Leghorns can clear a 3 ft fence. Is there a lower branch they may have used as a midpoint? That's really the only explanation.

I'm glad you are rehoming them!

The branches start about 2 ft from the ground. These biddies are so tiny it is just hard for me to believe they were capable of jumping or flying that high to jump branch to branch. I did not know how the mother was able to get them that high. I just have never seen that before.

 

[GwenLBridges]

I had a game hen I rescued and boy could she fly. If I didn’t clip her wings she would fly from tree to tree and almost never come down. So if these chickens are completely wild I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility

I guess survival is key for them being wild....in the city. Nothing really bothers them like domestic animals (cats & dogs), but we have had hawks taking them out occasionally. Where there is a will, there is a way I suppose