I recently observed some new behavior that may be of interest to this discussion.
I have many lines of chickens. My “wildest” line are red jungle fowl x American gamefowl hybrids. Short of giving them a covered run, they cannot be contained. They’ll fly over any fence or barrier.
I have need to keep the hybrids separate from other lines on free-range, but I also want them to live as free and with as little human care as possible. My farm is large enough to support separate free-range flocks, but in practice the flocks will intermingle because flocks turned loose on distant parts of the farm always return to the barnyard within a few weeks.
To the goal of keeping the hybrid “Cracker” gamefowl separate from other flocks, I recently began experimenting with a 68” electric net. I know they can fly higher than 68,” but I hoped they simply wouldn’t as a matter of practicality.
The high net encloses an area of a quarter acre. Its out in the woods and encompasses several oak and pine trees as well as blueberries. There is no coop. The chickens are expected to roost in the trees and nest on the ground, as my free-range chickens generally do. There’s plenty of natural food to sustain them in the enclosure to sustain them. I provide one small feeder with some commercial feed and a 5 gallon waterer.
To the edge of the enclosure, but on the outside of it, is a 30 foot high holly tree.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
The chickens very naturally chose the tall and prickly holly tree for their roost. Yet the holly is outside the enclosure. They spend the nights outside the enclosure, and fly down into the enclosure at daylight. They spend all day behind the electric and return to the holly at night.
I trained them to do this, to fly down into the enclosure and not outside of it. It was easy. I’ll do a writeup later. The utility would be that should you find yourself needing to contain very flighty chickens in a woodland environment while minimizing the actual confinement, it can be done.
I have many lines of chickens. My “wildest” line are red jungle fowl x American gamefowl hybrids. Short of giving them a covered run, they cannot be contained. They’ll fly over any fence or barrier.
I have need to keep the hybrids separate from other lines on free-range, but I also want them to live as free and with as little human care as possible. My farm is large enough to support separate free-range flocks, but in practice the flocks will intermingle because flocks turned loose on distant parts of the farm always return to the barnyard within a few weeks.
To the goal of keeping the hybrid “Cracker” gamefowl separate from other flocks, I recently began experimenting with a 68” electric net. I know they can fly higher than 68,” but I hoped they simply wouldn’t as a matter of practicality.
The high net encloses an area of a quarter acre. Its out in the woods and encompasses several oak and pine trees as well as blueberries. There is no coop. The chickens are expected to roost in the trees and nest on the ground, as my free-range chickens generally do. There’s plenty of natural food to sustain them in the enclosure to sustain them. I provide one small feeder with some commercial feed and a 5 gallon waterer.
To the edge of the enclosure, but on the outside of it, is a 30 foot high holly tree.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
The chickens very naturally chose the tall and prickly holly tree for their roost. Yet the holly is outside the enclosure. They spend the nights outside the enclosure, and fly down into the enclosure at daylight. They spend all day behind the electric and return to the holly at night.
I trained them to do this, to fly down into the enclosure and not outside of it. It was easy. I’ll do a writeup later. The utility would be that should you find yourself needing to contain very flighty chickens in a woodland environment while minimizing the actual confinement, it can be done.
