Wandering chickens scared the poop outta me

[JennsPeeps]

My DBF is working on our chickens' coop & pen. It'll be done by this weekend. We've been letting our 4 chickens run around the backyard for the past few days, all supervised. My DBF left them for about 30 mins to come get me at the bus stop. When we got home only the bantam was in the yard.

I was frantic trying to find them. DBF found one in the neighbor's back yard. The renter neighbor with a wolf hybrid who is very scary. Thank goodness the dog was inside. I grabbed the chick through the picket fence & lifted her over it. She was grateful to be back at home.

I called the other 2 for about 2 mins. Finally I could hear them peeping on the side yard (ironically, where their pen is going to be). They were out front and came running through the fence. It's one of those peek-a-boo fences with slats altenating from front to back. Makes me wonder if they heard me out front talking to the neighbor on the other side & decided to come look for me (food? food? food?).

Once the flock was reassembled, I gave them yogurt and sat with them outside for the rest of the evening.

Lessons learned:
1. no more unsupervised, even for a little while, free-ranging in the back yard until they're too big to fit through or fly over the fence
2. get your chicks to associate you with treats ASAP, and reward them for coming when called
3. forgive DBF - not his fault

 

[dangerouschicken]

Or build a large run. If I had a neighbor with scary dogs, I would definitely keep them from free ranging. Some birds will never be too big to fly or jump a fence.

 

[JennsPeeps]

The good news it that the new run will cover up that area of the fence where they got through and prevent any more escapes through that part. I guess over time the chickens will show us from where they can escape.

DBF is already talking about fencing in the unused narrow area between the 2 yards' garages - it's about 3'x15" - as a supplemental run for them. We need to clear out the @#$* blackberries that the previous owner used to take care of b/c they're from their yard & invade ours.

DBF *also* wants to create an overhead tube through which the chickens can access the extra run. Think gerbil cage. Cracks him up every time he considers it!