Controlling chickens in yard

[voxcox]

Is there a practical way to train or keep chickens from going into gardens and such? Other then fencing?

 

[MissPrissy]

The shortest simplest answer - No.

 

[fivebigreds]

You can teach them not to go places but, that doesn't mean they won't go there when your back is turned. They are like cats they aren't to interested in pleaseing us.

 

[spook]

amen!

 

[digitS']

It depends, voxcox. Where is this garden?

My hens don't really like to go into our herb garden because it is out-of-sight from the coop. Besides, the neighbor's big, scary dog is on the other side of the fence over there. She can't get to the chickens but . . .

The front yard can only be reached after a trip along the side of the house opposite the coop. Once they show up out there, they will meet a creature that looks something like the "boss." This creature will have strange mannnerisms and appear intent on eating 'em RAW!!

You can frighten animals by acting completely "unnatural" in a way they are unaccustomed to seeing. Do your best Mel Brooks' "Igor" routine complete with odd vocalizations . . . try that around your dog and you might get bit

! Neighbors find this hilarious, I can assure you . . . local law enforcement, not so much!!

One front yard experience is all that it usually takes to convince the girls NOT to go out there. However, the hens are never free ranging unless someone is in the yard with 'em. When we go back indoors, they are delighted to have a treat back in their henyard. In and out they go as we are available throughout the day - it works out.

There is no more than 4 adult hens & NO rooster . . . to boldly go where no hen has gone before!!!

Steve

 

[my three chickens]

This brings up my own question: how to get the chickens to go back in their coop _before_ sunset. We go out at night often and want to train them to go back in without a lot of hassle. But now that they've seen the world outside the coop, it's hard to coerce them back in (especially the wily Delawares). Anyone had luck training chickens (I can hear the laughter already...)

They are: 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Black Australorps, 2 Delawares, all 12 weeks old.

 

[flock-mama]

Ok I'm laughing! My chickens love to free range!
I have the same problem with my chickens. They go to nieghbors garden and they don't like it at all. It's like traspassing, they can shoot a dog or my chickens if it comes on thier property. They have called the cops on me over my chickens! I have found out in the State of Colorado free range rights only go to brandable animals, goats, horses, cows, etc. You can't brand a chicken as far as I know. If those nieghbors wanted to, they could put a huge value on the garden and sue me and they would win! So be careful where your chickens do go, if its a problem you might need to keep them cooped up. Good luck

 

[SeaChick]

You can frighten animals by acting completely "unnatural" in a way they are unaccustomed to seeing. Do your best Mel Brooks' "Igor" routine complete with odd vocalizations . . . try that around your dog and you might get bit ! Neighbors find this hilarious, I can assure you . . . local law enforcement, not so much!!

This cracked me up--- and its so true!

 

[fullhouse]

Boarder Collie

 

[mtnchicks]

Sorry, Flockmama, but you don't sound too sympathetic for your neighbor's plight. I'd be upset if ANY domestic animal was destroying my garden. Chickens can do a lot of damage in a short while. I wouldn't call the cops the first time, but if it kept happening, I would. If my pet rabbits dug a hole under the fence and and messed up my neighbors yard, or my chickens flew over and trashed some plants, I would be mortified, and do whatever I could to keep it from happening again. I expect my neighbors to do the same. I'm not talking about chickens crossing property lines and pecking around a bit, but doing real damage. I have one neighbor that would probably accuse us of starting a Salmonella outbreak if one of my hens stuck it's head through her fence, and some people are like that, but I think we need to be respectful of property rights. We don't want chicken owners to get any more of a bad rap!