Thank you, everybody! Since I do want the larger dual-purpose birds it sounds rather hopeful that they'll stay inside the fence. Especially since that's where the garden (with corn) will be. Thanks!
I have heavy breeds, whose wings have not been clipped, and they easily fly up to the top of a 5 foot fence. I think they'll be enticed to jump a fence especially if there is something on the other side that they really want.
I have 3' chicken wire for a fence and most of my BO stay in the yard. I have one or two that will occassionally get out, but they stay close to the fence.
I have a Welsummer roo with clipped wings who likes to sit on top of the chicken coop. The lowest point to the ground is 10 feet off the ground. There will always be one, that is my saying. You think something can't happen, well there will always be one. That being said I think you will be fine with 6 foot high fences as long as you keep them in there the entire time they are babies.
I'm so glad someone posted about this! I was going to ask the same thing today! We've got a 6' fence, but our neighbours on both sides have dogs (fortunately neither of them has fences and their small breed dogs are hardly ever outside), I'd hate to think of my chickens flying over the fence and getting hurt/scared by dogs or wandering off getting lost. But I only plan to let them roam around the yard when I'm home and can keep an eye on them.
How much do you clip off of the feathers, and how many feathers do you clip?