Help! Chicken won't stop going in neightbor's yard...

[flowerchic]

I had 8 hens and they found their way to the neighbors green lawn a month after I got them. The neighbor complained badly (their little kids and the moms screamed when they saw them and the grandpa called me. II was ****** but did fence the area they went through. I used 4 ft chicken wire held up by green garden stakes. We did 200 ft. Pretty easily and quickly, even through the woods between us. They have not found their way around it. But of course the neighbor never had a positive comment!

The mom and little kids would scream......sheesh, those kind of people have no clue. Screaming over a chicken...I bet those kids only think chickens come from the grocery store. Grandpa sounds lovely too.

I don't blame you for being angry. They would have been angry with me when I told them to "get over it, it's a chicken". Still would fence like you did, mainly to keep grandpa at bay. People like that never have anything positive to say, just negative. That's why they just freeze, scream...and have grandpa call and harass you.

 

[HEChicken]

Until recently I would have said it is not possible to "train" them to stay where you want them, but I moved a few months ago and built a Fort Knox chicken coop, and fenced off close to an acre for them. They had previously free-ranged and I couldn't stand the idea of penning them up, but since we moved from the city to some acreage, I also knew predators would be more of an issue here so my compromise was to lock them up safely at night, and give them some sense of free-range by day, while at the same time keeping them contained. You can get an idea of the size of the coop/yard if you look at the "My Coop" link in my profile.

At first, when I opened the gate to the chicken yard, they would all try to run through my legs to get out - and sometimes succeed. In the first few weeks it seemed I was forever herding birds back through the gate. But a few days ago I realized they don't do that any more. In fact, I walked in, left the gate open and started filling waterers, and they all walked right past the gate but none ventured out. It seems that now that they know where "home" is, they are content and no longer feel the need to break free.

Although fencing the line between your house and your neighbors may be problematic due to the woods, is it possible to build them some kind of yard around their coop so that they still have a decent space to forage but you don't need to worry about what they're up to?

 

[RileyB]

I wanted to give an update on my situation. Shortly after I started this thread I spoke with my neighbor. She doesn't mind the chickens in her backyard as long as they don't go on her front walkway. I told her that if they went on the walkway again (they were caught doing this once) I would coop them full time. But...no need. The first time they went into her front yard she sprayed them with a hose and they came back home. Then a couple of days later I noticed them in her backyard creeping towards her front steps. I chased them back home and there have been no issues since then. In fact, they don't even go in her backyard much anymore.

So...I'm glad I have a success story and don't have to coop them all the time. And if/when they start going back over there, I know now that one hose spray will keep them away for many, many days afterward!

 

[chickenzoo]

I personally would still put up a fence....its a hassle...( we are doing 16.acres..ugh) but often worth it in the long run. If your neighbor is fine with it, then great....however what often starts as ok... goes sour quickly.when critters start getting into trouble. Also your neighbors may use.chemicals on their lawn...flowers... car....etc that your birds could injest and die.from. When you are not home a Dog...etc may...wonder in and kill your birds....

 

[Smijen]

Did the fence come with any of the posts etc?

 

[Krazzy]

Good luck.

 

[Savannahw124]

If this hasn't been solved herbs marigolds catnip give them compost bins to turn for bugs and a dust bath area best of luck

I think I may be giving the wrong impression. I keep restating that I will not keep allowing them to go into the neighbor's yard and if need be they will be cooped all of the time.

However, I disagree that this will definitely not work. Does it have a possibility to fail? Absolutely...overwhelming in fact. But I have read accounts of people training their birds to stay out of certain areas. In fact, there's an area of the yard that the chickens previously loved. But too many times of the dogs chasing them out of that area has resulted in them not going there at all anymore. We have tons of green land with trees, bushes, etc. So far they have not explored that area.

Also, maybe I didn't make this clear, but currently the chickens spend the majority of their day in the woods or other parts of our yard. It seems to be the 30-60 minutes prior to dark when they enter the neighbor's yard. So it will not require me standing out there 24/7 to keep them out of the neighbor's. However, as I said, if it does not work (and you are right it has a high probability of failing) then they will be confined to the coop (or a tractor).

Also, since this just started happening, I don't even know if the neighbor's actually mind. (Don't worry...I'm not going to assume that they don't and continue to allow it to happen). We live in a small country town where lots of people have chickens. Everyday I see chickens in yards that are not theirs. I plan to apologize to them this weekend and tell them my plan and that it will no longer be an issue (I don't even think they've noticed the chickens in their yard). Maybe a miracle will happen and they'll say it's fine!