Escape artists!

[Elsalithe]

I have 4 new chickens that are determined to leave my yard. I've tried everything to keep them in from treats to using bird netting to make my fence higher, clipping one and then 2 wings, everything. The house next door is for sale and other neighbors are complaining so I can't keep letting them escape. It's been months of dealing with this. I've decided to confine them to the run instead of roaming the yard (and neighborhood!) as they please. My question is: do you think if I let them out half an hour before bed they would be likely to stay in the yard? I feel like they wouldn't venture out with it being so close to dark. And they are reliable about getting in the coop at dark so that's not an issue. Any thoughts?

 

[7Chickencreek]

Sorry to hear about your problem, but I used to have the same problem where my hens would sneak into the neighboring yards and eat their plants. I fixed this by sitting at the border of the yard each day while them foraged, and whenever they tried to walk past me I chased them away with a long stick that I hit against rocks to scare them back. Now they still walk to the border of the yard, but they scurry back to the coopwhen I yell “BED TIME!”.

 

[m3shelly]

I let mine roam, but they aren't allowed on our deck. Of course they don't care, but I use a small squirt gun on them when they stray onto the deck. They hate getting squirted with water, but like 7chickencreek's method, it requires your time to monitor.

 

[RWise]

Well this also takes time, I use a fishing dip net and catch them with it if/when I see one outside the fence. Now all I need do is pick it up and they all run back near the coop. (even the little ones that have never been in it)

What bread are your birds? Some will do this more than others
Is there something in the other yard not in your yard? IF they are going after something, if you can add that to their run, it may help.
You have already found that clipping wings will stop flight but not jumping.
Good luck!