Does anyones chickens ever escape?

[GopherBoyFarms]

We had 2 that flew the coop today!!

First thing this morning after they got let our of the coop one flew over the 6 ft fence that devides us from the neighbors. Luckly it was one of the more friendly ones so I was able to walk over and get her. About 2 hours later we where in the chicken run working on the fontain and pond addition and I noticed another one had flown over the fence. She was a little harder to catch...to DH and I both to get her. I think what they are doing is going from the ground to the cargo net that we had covering half the top of the run area then from there flying over the fence into the neighbors yard. We took the cargo net down and so far no one else has flown the coop. The first one that escaped has how ever flown up to the roof (from the patio, to the table, to the roof). I am just wondering if anyone else has chickens that stray? I am normally home all day but I am just worried that they might do this sometime when I am gone. The neighbor knows we have chickens and seems to be ok with it...but they raise little yappy dogs, and I would hate for a chicken to get over there and killed.

 

[herbandteas]

I have had one fly over the fence or maybe it was land on the fence then fly down. This was just the pen fence though. When I came out it was running back and forth trying to figure out how to get back in

Later that evening all 6 chickens (8 weeks old) were sitting on top of the gate. So we had to shoo them off then put them in the coop for the night. I think as far as I know that they have not done this again.

Any way that is my expereince with it.

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

Everyday

 

[FutureChickenMan]

I had two escape; EE hen and a Jersey Giant roo. The hen was easy as pie to catch, just walked up to her slowly and snatched her right up. The roo, he was out for a couple of days and wouldn't let me catch him. The beagles had a hay day chasing the roo around the yard. But they never did catch him. So one night I spotted the roo roosting near the coop at dusk. I snuck up behind him and grabbed a leg before he knew what happened. I was pretty surprised neither of the chickens ran off considering where I live is wooded all around me.

 

[the1much]

trim their wings,,,after they try again a few times,, they'll stop trying.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

Hmmm I dont know if I want to trim their wings.
I guess I need to think about whats worse...trimming their wings, of having to go next door to get them if they fly over again.

 

[plucky]

I agree with the1much, clip the wings! Such an easy yet very effective solution. I was having daily "chicken leaks" out of our chicken yard - once they figured it out, they would constantly fly over the 5' electrified fence any time they'd see me (the food/treat provider). It was no big deal putting them back in, but since I have dogs, a neighbor's dog up the road who visits sometimes, and a resident bobcat, I feel much better with them IN the yard. It took hubby and I no more than 5 minutes and a sharp pair of scissors to fix the problem. I believe there is a link on this site somewhere on the correct way to trim flight feathers. It's painless for the chickens, and you can't tell they have trimmed feathers when their wings are folded, so no "cosmetic concerns."

 

[Cuban Longtails]

I'm with trimming wings. I've had to do it as well, they can still get to the roosts (mine have a ladder type), they just can't go over the fence anymore. The feathers will come back after they molt, hopefully by then they won't realize they can fly the coop again.

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
Did anyone else SEE this part?

Do tell! Or show...

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Here's our problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5058

We kept fattening them up, trimming wings, raising fences, and giving them less reason to leave and more reason to stay. All that together has worked out well.