Chickens getting out of pen!

[Agoodman3]

I have 5 lovely hens 4 sussex star and 1 bebcock.
But we have just bought them. when we went to put them back in the coop everything seemed fine.
no chickens opened up the hatch and had a quick peek.
could see 3 chickens (i thought the other 2 must be in the somewere) so i left it.
came back in the morning opened up the coop 3 came out, we were really worried so i looked around the filed.
went all the way round couldent find them then suddenly they juped out of a tree next to it.
they had somehow jumped over our fence and into a tree.
It took us 4 houres to get all the cickens back into the coop.
Is there anything i can do from keeping my hens from jumping out?
We have already doubled the size of the pen and moved the coop away from the edges but were still a bit worried!

 

[jojo54]

Some people cover their pens with netting or wire.

My chickens were getting out where we used cheap chicken wire instead of stucco wire.

They would jump/fly to the top (4 feet) and then fly into the yard. It started with one or two but then increased to about eight or so.

They were eating stuff from the garden.

We replaced the chicken wire with stucco wire and now we just have one determined hen that flies out. We also have one hen that flies into the trees along the fence and keeps hopping around in them until she comes to an opening and goes next door. Sometimes she will come back on her own, other times we have to get her.

The neighbour had a rottie that ignores her completely. Most of the hens are content to stay where they are. It seems, however, that once they find a way out, they use it.

Oh and BTW, welcome to BYC!

 

[ChickLover98]

Well, my coop is built in to a garage under a roof, so they never get out unless I allow them to. Sorry, I wasnt much help... BTW

 

[Agoodman3]

No problem thanks for the help anyway

 

[grandmaof5]

I think that if they are getting out so easily, predators can get IN easily, too. Be careful.