Chicken garden?

[msocen]

Greetings,

I want to fence off half of my suburban yard for the girls. My chickies are 8 weeks old, and at this time, they could easily fly over any fence I put up. How do I keep them in the yard?

For now, they live in their run, but as they get older, I want them to free range the yard...well, half the yard.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Susan

hi susan:
we have about half of our yard fenced in they love/ it. we used plastic fencing three ft high they never try to fly over it, i dalso have a secure area for them to roost in.

 

[schimbare]

Thanks for your reply.

Still, why don't your chickens try to get over the fence?

Dang, I just don't feel comfortable taking the chance that a hen would fly to a neighbor's yard.

I could just stay outside when they are free ranging....because I have nothing else in my life to do but sit and watch chickens....not.

Is there anything I could do?

Susan

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think the breed has a lot to do with it and not necessarily the difference in light and heavy breeds.
At my house, Jaerhons, Minorcas, Anconas and Jersey Giants are difficult to keep contained. But, I can keep Black Penedesencas confined in a 2' fence.

 

[schimbare]

Interesting, Chicken Canoe. So, then my question is, how does anyone in suburbia/the city keep their chickens from flying over the fence and wandering off? Do you think that everyone in my situation - where going to the neighbors' yard would be a very bad thing - keep the chickens in an area that has netting over the top?

Both of the people in my community that have chickens have also had chickens "escape" and wander over to the neighbors' house or once in a while I see a chicken walking down the street, which I think is the best thing ever. But even my direct neighbors thought that the chickens would fly at them or attack. Other people think they are walking ecoli-salmonella spreaders. Most people around here think it is illegal to keep chickens, but that is not true.

(We are allowed up to 8 chickens, no roosters.)

Thanks for any advice. I am going to check some city chicken sites to see if I find any answers there.

Susan

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Some people clip wing feathers, starting with one which makes the bird fly in circles. Sometimes that isn't enough and have to clip both.
I don't like doing that so the ones that are hard to confine are in a hoop pen and when they're not I have to use a 6' fence. Angling the top of the fence inwards helps too.
I actually live in the burbs but I only have a fence on two sides of the chicken area. The other 2 sides are toward my house and an open field.
We often hear stories of stray chickens walking the streets of St. Louis.

 

[schimbare]

One of my best friends lives in St Louis! One of her kids goes to that magnet school where they fired the principal and there was a big brouhaha. St Louis is a great city.

I did not think of the clipping the wings idea. I would really hate to do that. OTOH, it would not be a good thing for me to be putting up "lost chicken" signs in the neighborhood.

And I don't really want a giant enclosure in addition to their run. The yard is just too small.

On yet another hand, these are pets and I love them. I don't feel good about keeping them in their run for basically their entire lives.

Well, I have some time to decide. They are eight weeks old and they are happy as clams to stay in their run.

Thank you all again, and any other ideas are welcome.
Susan

 

[msocen]

Thanks for your reply.

Still, why don't your chickens try to get over the fence?

Dang, I just don't feel comfortable taking the chance that a hen would fly to a neighbor's yard.

I could just stay outside when they are free ranging....because I have nothing else in my life to do but sit and watch chickens....not.

Is there anything I could do?

Susan

Chickens are actually very smart, they know where they should stay they just enjoy free ranging, they come to the back door for treats, and at night go in their coop area, then i close the gate. Try it and see, I have clipped two of their wings, and it is very simple, and does not hurt them at all, we also have a pekin duck, and they all graze all day.
we have two rhode island reds, one red hen and two titi-tins, which are basically a cross between a red hen and a white leghorn chicken.
just trust them and they will be fun, none of mine have ever tried to fly, besides to roost.

 

[schimbare]

oh, thank you msocen. You (and the others) have helped put my mind at ease in regard to this issue. I feel much better about my options. Thanks again!

Susan