Escapee

[Shellystanley]

Is there a way to keep a chicken from jumping the fence? It's only a 4 ft chain link fence so I'm not sure what to do. I let my chickens free range during the day but one of them keeps jumping out of our back yard. I'm afraid she is going to jump out when the neighbors dog is out and it's going to kill her. Any advice for something I can do?

 

[sourland]

Other than clipping one of her wings, there is little than can be done. She has learned that 'the grass is greener on the other side of the fence'.

 

[Shellystanley]

How would I do that? I'm a new chicken owner so I'm not sure which feathers I would even clip. Does it hurt her? I read somewhere that I need to clip her primary feathers but I don't know what those are. She is a 5 month old RIR. So far our other girls haven't jumped the fence but she is doing it several times a day now. I came home from work the other day to find her in my front yard haha

 

[the poppster]

It won't hurt her to clip the primary feathers of one wing she might not enjoy the handling but if she keeps going over the top...it's just a matter of time before one or the rest of your birds Find out what those funny flapper things are for...just one wing...if you do both she may still be able to clear the fence.

 

[Shellystanley]

She likes being held so I don't think she will mind it. If she doesn't like it I'll just have my husband help me. I hope this fixes the problem! I am going to be so sad if she jumps the fence when my neighbors dogs are out there. They are hunting dogs and she wouldn't last two seconds

 

[aart]

Does she land on the top rail before going over? Maybe you don't know.
Adding a floppy topped 1-2 foot section of chicken wire on top of the chain link has worked very well for some folks.

The only real way to keep your birds safe from predators,
and you safe from irate neighbors who don't want poop on their property and their garden beds torn up,
is to keep your birds confined to a covered run unless you are there to supervise.

 

[the poppster]

I've tucked slender bamboo "Sticks" into the top edge of my welded wire fence they stick up like teeth of a comb.. about 3 inches apart...it doesn't look that great but seems to dissuade most of my "Escapees" from making the attempt...they find it difficult to perch between them and if they miss the wire between the poles...they usually end up hitting the poles and falling back into their own yard

 

[aart]

I've tucked slender bamboo "Sticks" into the top edge of my welded wire fence they stick up like teeth of a comb.. about 3 inches apart...it doesn't look that great but seems to dissuade most of my "Escapees" from making the attempt...they find it difficult to perch between them and if they miss the wire between the poles...they usually end up hitting the poles and falling back into their own yard

That's a great idea!!
Don't think I've heard of that one before.
Hey, function over form wins in my book any day.