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Deterring chickens from neighbor's garden

Discussion in 'Managing Your Flock' started by Selma, Dec 15, 2010.

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  1. Dec 15, 2010 #1
    Selma

    Selma Hatching

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    Jun 29, 2010
    Hello all! I've been reading and learning from this great forum. I have a private acre and about 10 hens. Normally they free range happily in my yard and sometimes spill over behind me where they can roam no problem.

    Unfortunately, now that the ground is frozen they keep going to my neighbors garden which is her pride and joy. She has protected her perennials with mulch and, well, you can imagine. She has been very patient with me, but I need to solve asap. I have some plastic fencing running across the driveway that they go down, but she saw them hop it. My house is on banked hill, so they don't have that many ways to access her yard. I am thinking about running some flagging above it with strips hanging down to blow in the wind. If not, maybe putting up a small electric fence at that spot.
    Any input would be appreciated! I do not want to pen them in.
     
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2010

  4. Dec 15, 2010 #2
    Scottingitup

    Scottingitup Songster

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    Nov 18, 2010
    Crestview, FL
    Nothing shorter than 4' will slow them down. If there are any other ways around to the area they want to reach they will find it. Fence your whole yard or build a run- I went with the run option.
     
  6. Dec 15, 2010 #3
    spartacus_63

    spartacus_63 Songster

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    Aug 21, 2009
    Central Iowa
    They will walk a mile (figuratively) to get into mulch...possibly, if you had some closer they would be less inclined to toss your neighbors. I had the same problem and put up a 4' welded wire fence around my 2+ acres of chicken range. So far it has kept them in, but they are hardly getting out of the coop, let alone into the neighbors garden these days.

    Good luck.
     
  8. Dec 15, 2010 #4
    midget_farms

    midget_farms Songster

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    Apr 15, 2008
    Dunlap Illinois
    mine do this sometimes too.

    they usually dont stray - but when the bugs dwindle they start wandering farther from home to forage. Try tossing a bunch of bird seed down in your yard or give them other things to destract them. If the grass is greener so to speak in your yard they will be less likely to wander. This is not a 100% but mine are content to hang close if I entertain them.
     
  10. Dec 15, 2010 #5
    Olive Hill

    Olive Hill Crowing

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    Apr 19, 2009
    Adequately fence them in. Or offer to fence your neighbor's garden in to keep them out. And I'd suggest doing it before you get a bill for the plants they ruined and you have to put up fences on top of the cost of the plants.
     
  12. Dec 17, 2010 #6
    cluckin tractor

    cluckin tractor Chirping

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    Aug 6, 2010
    australia, nsw, riverena
    if u put up a sturdy fence around your property enough the keep predatory animals and chickens in it should be a good investment
    it should also keep wild dogs that can do savage work
    seen it myself
    or like the others said a fence around her garden as it may also keep rabbits and hares out which can be a bonus

    if they find their way then maybe giving the poop and eggs as saying soz
     

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