I thought Rouens were flightless birds?

[pookiethebear]

I guess I thought wrong! I have 2 pekins and 1 rouen. they live outside in the orchard in a 2' high fenced in area 50x50'. They will not go in their fancy box that we built them but oh well, they are living good. We had a heck of a storm last night and there was a BIG puddle in the yard outside their yard. Well, I seen the rouen outside the fence. I can not figure out for the life of me how she is getting out. Well I opened the gate to just corral her back in instead of trying to grab her and she took flight and flew way up high over the fence and to the feed station and crash landed. It was a beautiful flight, except for the landing. She is fine, just clumsy. I did not know they could fly like that! I guess I will be clipping her flight feathers soon....if I can catcher her.

 

[BantyHugger]

We had a pair with 6 pekins. They would "hop" out of the yard but always stayed close because they didn't like to leave the group. The male was also an escape artist. I'd put him in a cage so that the girls could get some rest. I even locked the door so that I was sure no one was letting him out, and still he'd be out of the cage within 3 hours. I never figured out how he did it. The lock was in place and the bars were close together. He never even lost a feather escaping. Rouens sure are something!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

By flightless, I think it means they cannot sustain flight. Chickens can't "fly" yet anyone who keeps them know the average chicken can clear a 4' fence. They're using their wings, but it is technically not flight.

Rouens are flightless in the sense, they aren't going to fly off or migrate on ya.

A 2' orchard fence isn't much of a barrier.

I honestly do not think clipping her wings is going to prevent her from "hopping/flying" over the fence.

They're flightless, but not completely grounded.

-Kim

 

[pookiethebear]

good point... I usually have to put one of the three back in the fence every other day... They do not wander off, so I guess I will either take down the fence or just keep doing what we are doing.

 

[LORDVENOM]

Hiya! Rouens can fly a few feet off the ground for about 10 to 30 feet depending on how much of a running start they can get. Your fence should be 4 to six feet high, as you can see 2 feet can be cleared.
Rick