Chickens Visiting Neighbors' Hens

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Well, my neighbors (subdivision, houses close together) put a chicken coop in their backyard last week that is on the opposite side of a 6' wood fence from our hens.

This morning, their son came over and said "We got our chickens yesterday... and one of yours is in our back yard." Surprised, I went next door, and low and behold one of our two hens was visting their five new youngin's. I apologized (they didn't mind) and "threw" her back over the fence (unclipped wings), but am wondering if I should be worrying about this more.

Do hens "visit" other hens if they hear them next door? Maybe I know the answer, but I hadn't done the wing-clipping thing yet, and was hoping not to. I guess maybe it's time to reconsider.

The other thing I noticed this morning is our hens were a little more vocal than normal. I'm wondering now if this will be a daily occurance, as they will know there are chickens just over the fence, but aren't readily able to see them.

Anyhow, never a dull moment....

-Dave

 

[SandraChick]

Well, they are after all a flock animal and like company. It seems they would want to go and check out their neighbors. I suggest clipping their wing (remember...only clip one)

Sandra

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

I am not looking forward to doing this the first time, but I agree that it needs to be done.

-Dave

 

[Standard Hen]

I think it is cute that they want to be little nosebags and visit the girls next door.

 

[thndrdancr]

MORE vocal???? omg...

 

[lurky]

I think BYC learning center has a thing on clipping wings. Its nice that you cant even see it really.

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Quote:
Well...More FREQUENTLY vocal.

Quote:
LOL! I thought so too, actually. I just wasn't liking this being the first day.

We'll see how it goes, though. I'm actually expecting their chickens to be in my yard, as their coop is right up against our fence, and I know ours can get up on our coop easily (ours is about 15 feet from the fence though). In fact, I'm not sure how, but one of their chickens was running around in their driveway this afternoon. The gate was shut, so they may very well have figured out how to "escape" already.

-Dave

 

[thndrdancr]

I think I shall have to teach mine how to cluck. Mine were so quiet yesterday Mom thought something was wrong. They were just out there pecking around, as usual. They were just unusually quiet yesterday. They do make SOME noise.

Perhaps I shall play your tape over and over for them, so they know how they are supposed to sound.

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Quote:
For the most part, ours are pretty quiet. But that video gives me a pit in my stomache the moment it starts up! In fact, today my wife and I were standing at our bedroom window looking down at our hens when the new neighbor hens started doing that clucking thing. Instant stress!

We leave this Thursday for a five-day camping trip. I'm hoping to persuade the neighbor kids to let our hens out first thing in the morning. They will DEFINITELY get the neighbors attention if they are not let out IMMEDIATELY!!



-Dave

 

[SandraChick]

Here are the step by step instructions to wingclipping...with pics!


https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-wingclipping.html
Sandra