Can Chickens Fly: How Far And How High Can They Fly?

It is fun to observe our pets and see what they’re up to. If you are the owner of one or more chickens, you most probably asked yourself: can chickens fly? And the answer to that question is affirmative! They most certainly can. However, there are a bunch of curiosities regarding this aspect and you are about to find out all about them in this article!

Can Chickens Fly

Yes. Your chickens can fly! However, their flying capabilities cannot be compared to an eagle’s. But they do have wings and therefore can use them in order to fly! This is actually the only way birds can protect themselves from possible dangers and predators. On account of that, as chickens do descend from a wild jungle fowl from Asia, they have this instinct deeply rooted in their species. They also fly in order to explore the surroundings around them. They are very curious animals and they simply love exploring!

Nonetheless, being domesticated, their inclination towards flying might have been diminished. So, perhaps even if you do own chickens, you have never seen them fly. There are also certain chicken breeds that are limited in flying because of their weight.

How Far Can Chickens Fly

We have learned that chickens can fly. But how far can they fly and for how long? In this regard, domestic chickens cannot fly for long and cannot reach faraway destinations. However, the world’s record for the longest chicken flight is 13 seconds. So the question is how far can a chicken fly in 13 seconds? I am telling you, it is quite a length! It appears that in a 13 second’s flight, a chicken can travel over 300 feet! So that is something, right?

Can Chickens Fly Over The Fence?

Again, the answer is yes. They can and they most certainly will. As a matter of fact, your chickens will fly exactly where you don’t want them to. So keep an eye out for that fence! You might also reconsider adding a few inches to it. In their flying trip, your chickens will eventually get stuck in the fence but don’t expect them to give in. They will struggle and struggle until their purpose is accomplished and they land on the other side! It is not a pretty sight!

When it comes to heavy breeds of chickens, the chances are lower for them to succeed in flying over the fence.

When Can Baby Chicks Begin to Fly

Baby chicks will develop wings and will eventually experiment with them while growing up. As they are curious animals, they enjoy exploring and baby chicks make no exception. Therefore, you will find them flying around in no time!

Can All Chickens Fly?

As I mentioned before, chickens present different particularities, according to the breed they derive from. So, I will enumerate a couple of breeds and note their behavior in relation to flying.

They are the best at flying when they are light and leaving the ground. It’s not an impossible challenge for them.
Polish and Silkies are fancy breeds that are unlikely to experiment in flying around.
Barred Rock, australorp are heavier chickens, therefore their weight kind of prevents them from exploring the air.
Araucanas is a breed that is most likely to enjoy flying. They present lighter bodies.

Here is a video of chickens flying:

How to Deal With Flying Chickens

You might enjoy watching your chicken fly but this might also create a couple of problems. You might end up getting your neighbors angry and having your entire garden dug up. The bottom line is that they would make a mess! Needless to say that there is also the risk of predators. Therefore, there are certain things you ought to do in order to prevent that from happening.

Add a few inches to the fence. You might want to try raising the height of your fence. If you are the owner of a not-so-keen-on-flying breed, you might get away with this easily and this might be the easy solution for you.

Place a net that will prevent them from flying. If the previous option doesn’t work for you, netting the surface of the cage can be a possible, affordable option if you are dealing with flying chickens.

Clip their wings. If the area is too big for you to net it accordingly, this is probably the only option for you. You might frown upon clipping their wings. However, bear in mind that you are doing it for your chickens’ own good. It is the right thing to do in order to prevent them from dangerous outcomes in case they fly over the fence.

Conclusion

Coming back to the initial question, yes chickens can fly. However, they can’t fly too high or too long. They adapted living on the ground and were surviving mostly using their legs. Chickens were domesticated from “jungle fowl” (wild birds in Asia).