Chickens keep going into neighbor's yard

[eighthens525]

My chickens keep wandering into my neighbor's yard even though they have 5 acres to free-range on. My run is pretty small and so I don't like to leave them in there all the time and they are so much happier free-ranging but I really don't want them wandering into my neighbor's yard. Does anyone have any tips to keep them more contained that doesn't involve locking them in?

 

[Isadora]

If the run is too small that it would not be humane to keep them in there 24/7, it needs to be expanded. Period.
If it's not reasonable to put fencing because of how the property lines work, I'm not sure you have a lot for options. As someone else already mentioned, you could try to figure out what it is about the neighbor's place that has them going over there, but even if you put those things on your property it's no guarantee your chickens are going to stay. I'm glad you're asking about this though, as it is 100% your responsibility to keep your animals off your neighbors property.
I had a problem with chickens going into the woods behind their hen house and a couple of them got grabbed by predators a couple years ago. I put fencing just along that portion behind their coop and they don't go in the woods over there anymore, even though there are a lot of other entry points. Maybe fencing in a few strategic places would be enough to deter them.

 

[nuthatched]

It comes down to making your run bigger or fencing in your property, unfortunately, there's not many options.
Chickens love to be places they shouldn't.

 

[Mrs. K]

A temporary solution, is to leave them locked up for several days. I have insane predators, so I have to have a set up where they can go into lock down 24/7 if needed. But one of the things I have noticed, is that if they have been locked down, they tend to stay near the coop and run, even when let out. And that the more and longer you let them out, the farther they go.

Mrs K

 

[Isadora]

I do wonder if the neighbor would shoo them (maybe even a little spray with a hose?) would then discourage them from wanting to go.

It could work but it's not reasonable for the neighbor to have to do anything to keep the birds off her property.

 

[eighthens525]

Thanks everyone. I am going to fence in an area around their coop and will have to leave them in there until the afternoon then let them out for just a few hours at the end of the day instead of all day long. It kills me to have to do that as I love having them free range and they are so happy but it's so stressful seeing them go into the neighbor's yard many many times a day. Even when I am home I call them back all the time but I can't spend my entire day doing that.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Simple fencing…. Doesn’t have to be predator-proof, just talk enough to deter them. The posts will be your biggest investment, unless you make your own with wood. The fencing can be chicken wire, snow fencing…second hand even — check craigslist and other sites near you. How much space are you talking about?

 

[Isadora]

Absolutely agree! It was just a thought. If the relationship was there with said neighbor, could be an option.

Absolutely. I just know if I was in the neighbor's shoes that I would be highly irritated if the chicken owner suggested this to me, but that could just be me.

 

[FunClucks]

Have you considered Premier electric fencing with some bird netting on top to deter aerial predators? Provides good predator protection, keeps chickens in place, large area they can roam around in, and you can move it periodically to give them new foraging grounds. If you can extend it from the run exit, extra bonus points.

 

[AnnPann]

I had a problem with mine wandering over to my neighbors as well and we have 10 acres. The neighbors have some interesting bushes and mulch and shade that were easy for them to get to, so that's where they headed every day. I have since stopped free ranging because of it (neighbor has 4 dogs that I trust to not come into my yard, but I don't trust they wouldn't make a snack out of a chicken that was in their yard). Plus my neighbor has nice landscaping (unlike me) and wouldn't be too thrilled with them making a mess of her mulch.

I have a large protected run that is sufficient for them to spend the day in when needed (which is important for bad weather days anyway), but I also give them access to my garden which is fenced and about 50x80'. The fence is not great and only 4' tall, but it provides a boundary that is inconvenient for them to go over, so it works. They get a large area, full of dirt and bugs and greens. It's large enough for them to roam around in as if they were fully free ranging, and they seem satisfied with that amount of space now. In the summer, I block off areas that I've just planted, and then plant extra to account for what they might damage.

So maybe just fence off a large area round your coop (not the whole property)?