Electric fence or clip wings?

[kuntrychick]

My teenager pullets & roo have started flying up on top of the fence of their enclosed yard & out into our yard.

There are already posts up where an electric fence used to be from previous owners. Hubby had taken the wire down because a lot of it was missing & some hanging down all over the place.

I've never had electric fencing. Is it ok for chickens? Would it solve this problem?

I don't know what to do. Hoping we can do the electric fence as I don't know anything about clipping wings.

 

[RedDrgn]

I don't think electric fence would solve this problem. If they can fly up that high, what's a little bit more to just skip right over a hot wire of an electric fence? Not much, and in my experience, if you bar a chicken from one area, they will seek out and try alternatives until they exhaust all possibilities or succeed in finding one.

A cheaper, and overall better route would be to put netting or wire over the top of the area they're escaping. They can't fly up/over/through it, and it keeps predators out, too.

 

[peachachecha]

I know nothing of electric fencing, but I did clip one wing on each of my three hens. The very first day that I put my moveable fencing up my Isa Brown flew right over it. I went on youtube and found a few on clipping wings. It was very simple. I have not had any other attempts of flying over the fence. Some people think that clipping the wings does not work but it has worked for me. Clipping one wing keeps them off balance.

 

[cslosberg]

My teenagers were also flying up and perching on my fence, and on the roof of the coop as well. We clipped their wings, very easy and haven't had a problem since.

 

[bleith]

Clipping wings is easy. Go to u tube and watch a video, that's what i did. Very informative. And it doesn't cost anything. If that doesn't work I would build some sort of roof over the run

 

[kuntrychick]

Does clipping wings affect the appearance of the chicken in any way? Also, what about if there is a predator or something....they couldn't fly away from it?

 

[hollyehall]

You won't notice the "clipped wings" as they are feathers that usually hide under the wing. It doesn't hurt the bird, takes only a minute and really works well. First time it's easiest with two people.

 

[dainerra]

they will still be able to fly, much farther than you would think. They just can't get as much lift, so don't go as high.