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Ideas on how to keep them in their run!

post #1 of 10
7/9/12 at 1:17pm
Thread Starter 

I have a LARGE run for my 12 chickens and most of them jump/fly over the fence all day every day...I looking for ideas on how to keep them in. I know the two best ideas are put in a taller fence and/or clip their wings...But does anyone have better ideas so I dont have to spend the $ of redoing their whole fence,,,,?....

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post #2 of 10
7/9/12 at 2:33pm

Netting over the top. That'd be the best bet is to put a top on.

Loving my poultry. Have Guineas as well!

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Loving my poultry. Have Guineas as well!

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post #3 of 10
7/9/12 at 2:34pm

How high is your fence BTW? I have a large run as well with a 5' fence. I haven't had any issues. I keep all roosting areas away from the fence and they've stayed in despite the fact they can fly quite high. They roost in the barn eaves.

Loving my poultry. Have Guineas as well!

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Loving my poultry. Have Guineas as well!

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post #4 of 10
7/9/12 at 5:48pm
Thread Starter 

I wish I could top it... their area is about 30ft x 70ft... The fence we have not is just a 4 footer

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post #5 of 10
7/9/12 at 6:16pm

Rather than redoing the whole fence, you could attach something  to the existing fence to extend the height.  Since your fence is only 4', I'm assuming you don't consider it your primary predator prevention?  If so, even something flimsy like 2' (or 3' so that you could have some overlap in your fencing) chicken wire might work.  It's light enough that you MIGHT not even have to support it if you had enough overlap.  It's also light enough that your birds couldn't land on it and use it as a staging area to jump down from.  A short utility fence might also work.

Caretaker of 1 BA, 1 BR's, 2 Wellies, 1 Dominiques, 1 EEs & a Jack Russel Mix (affectionately called the B**ch dog from HELL).  RIP Hootchie & Slick, my best friends.

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Caretaker of 1 BA, 1 BR's, 2 Wellies, 1 Dominiques, 1 EEs & a Jack Russel Mix (affectionately called the B**ch dog from HELL).  RIP Hootchie & Slick, my best friends.

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post #6 of 10
7/9/12 at 10:37pm
I got some new RIR hens a few weeks ago that were used to being free ranged and I only have a Run.Its a really nice big run but not the same lol. 1 of them kept flying over my fence day after day and my dog runs around the property, so I just clipped her wings. Problem solved! big_smile.png
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post #7 of 10
7/10/12 at 1:46am
Clip their wings, I have done all mine just cause I let them roam my yard most days and I can't raise all the fences.
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post #8 of 10
7/10/12 at 7:08am

you could always buy twine (or any heavy string) and zig zag a grid over top... it's time consuming and you have to make sure to string it tight so they can't get tangled in it... but it is inexpensive.  We did it until we had the time and money to take our fencing up higher.  I work very well.  The only down side is that if you needed to go into the run, you had to walk all hunched over which was a bit of a pain in the neck (literally).  oh, and make sure the weave is small.

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post #9 of 10
7/10/12 at 11:12am

My pen is 5 feet high, too low to walk in up-right, so, I put 2 foot extensions on each post with a nail on top (be sure you put the nail in before you put up the extension). I then, (like chickebythesea suggested) zig-zaged 40 lb fishing line over the top. go around each nail two or three times before moving to the next. It keeps the girls in and the Hawks, Owls and other flying predators out.

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post #10 of 10
7/10/12 at 12:12pm

About two weeks ago we had to evacuate our property because if the Waldo Canyon Fire.  We ended up housing our 8 mature and 35 juvenile chickens in my sister-in-law's garage and attached dog run.  We were worried that the fence was not tall enough, so we extended it by inserting 3' metal fence posts into the top of the existing hollow metal fence posts.  The "T" shape at the bottom only allowed the bottom foot or so to slide into the existing fence post.  We then used plastic zip ties to fasten this orange plastic netting to the top.  It was pretty unsightly, but what was available on evacuation day and it did work.  You could probably find something more attractive.  I've included a photo in case my narrative isn't clear.  The white cloth hanging there was just an attempt to provide some shade, because it was extremely hot and sunny.

 

DSCN0941.JPG

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