Keeping Chickens Free Range

[duluthralphie]

The new neighbors moved in a few months ago. I have spoken to them twice. I wish I lived on a larger parcel of land, but I have what I have. At least I live in the unincorporated part of the county so I get to own more hen than those in the "city." They are limited to two hen.

Yep, I understand, we all make do with what we have, I wish I had 200 acres,,,oh well.

 

[Free Feather]

I am currently having issues with my chickens going into the neighbors yard. Not all of them do it, like six of them. It sucks because now I do not know if I can free range. There is a chain link fence between our yards, but there is a space between where the fence ends and the woods start that is about 6 feet wide, so they head over to hang in his dormant garden. My mother is really good friends with the wife, but the husband is not very happy. He has a lot of chickens, but he does not actually like chickens. He keeps his fenced in a dirt run. He is one of the type that treats their lawn. He said if they head over the fence again, we will never see them again. I get that it is his yard, his right and all, but he is flipping out. I do not want them over there anyways because his yard is ground zero for herbicides and pesticides. But my chickens are not going to be very happy about this, at all.

 

[hennible]

Free feather that sucks... Maybe there's a way to deter them from going the direction.... Or a way to attract them the other way... I'm sure we can brain storm with you.

 

[dpenning]

Free Feather, can you put up some temporary fencing to block that access and curve it around in front of the woods to create a visual barrier and encourage them to go the other direction?

 

[Free Feather]

Free feather that sucks... Maybe there's a way to deter them from going the direction.... Or a way to attract them the other way... I'm sure we can brain storm with you.

In the warmer season I plan to have thick, dense gardens all through and around their run. In the Summer, they stay here. It is when it is colder they range farther in search of greens. They have ornamental grass and tall, huge pines that have leaves and such underneath-very appealing to a chicken.

Free Feather, can you put up some temporary fencing to block that access and curve it around in front of the woods to create a visual barrier and encourage them to go the other direction?

I would love to, but mother says it will look trashy... I am attempting to convince her. I hate the thoughts of confining them, even in winter.

 

[duluthralphie]

In the warmer season I plan to have thick, dense gardens all through and around their run. In the Summer, they stay here. It is when it is colder they range farther in search of greens. They have ornamental grass and tall, huge pines that have leaves and such underneath-very appealing to a chicken.
I would love to, but mother says it will look trashy... I am attempting to convince her. I hate the thoughts of confining them, even in winter.

You can get netting that is nearly invisible. It comes in rolls about 50 ft long. I doubt anyone would even see the netting unless they were right next to it.

Here is the stuff I got to keep the birds out of my wife's tomatoes:

http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...7-x-100-wildlife-netting/p-1908088-c-5770.htm


I know you do not have a menards in Ps. but you should be able to get this somewhere it is cheap and easy to use,,,,and invisible almost.

 

[lazy gardener]

Deer fencing comes in a 100' roll, 7' high. You can easily cut through the whole roll with a pair of scissors, giving you 200 linear feet. My chickens never see the stuff, so they don't think about going over it.

 

[Free Feather]

I have used the deer netting, just not up against the perimeter fence. I will have to ask my mother, then get the neighbor's approval...
They are our only close neighbors. I really do not feel like dealing with some kind of chicken war.

 

[vpatt]

I have used the deer netting, just not up against the perimeter fence. I will have to ask my mother, then get the neighbor's approval... 
   They are our only close neighbors.  I really do not feel like dealing with some kind of chicken war.

Good luck! I cannot see why they would care if it is almost invisible. But I know how these things can work. I hope everyone is agreeable.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Free Feather: I would definitely use some netting there! I have a neighbor on one side of me that is sometimes nice/sometimes not. We had a couple chickens sneak through the fence to their side and surprisingly, they helped us get them back and even gave us a bunch of apples for them! However, because of the "sometimes not nice" I put netting all along the fence so the chickens can't squeeze through anymore (it's a wire fence with large square built to keep horses in, not chickens). Since putting that up, we only had one chick get over their somehow.

On the flipside, our neighbor actually said he enjoys watching our chickens, but he is deathly afraid his dog is going to hurt them. You can't see the netting at all unless you are up close. My neighbor is nicer than he has ever been now. Some battles aren't worth the fight when it's a simple fix to bring about peace.