escapees!!!

[squirtnlex]

my chickens, 6 hens (5 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Leghorn) and 1 Leghorn Rooster keep escaping our rather large enclosure. My husband thinks they are tryiing to escape from the Rooster who is now trying to breed them.....
they should be old enough now to start laying eggs. we put them in at night in a small coop, and let them out every day into a pen for them. a friend came and clipped off a bit of one wing, but the next day they were out again. they can fly!!!
help!!

 

[cookinmom]

I'm sorry, I'm a bit slow tonight! What was the question?

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
She's asking how to keep the chickens from flying the coop.

How high is the run walls? You may have to cover the top.

 

[seedcorn]

if they are flying over, clip one wing. that will stop them. Don't clip the feathers so close to meat that it causes them to bleed.

 

[squirtnlex]

okay, sorry, yes, my problem is the chickens are flying out of the coop. we did clip one wing and the next day, they were out again. sometimes, they fly and roost in the trees! i guess the fence is 4 feet high, and the area they are in is too big to fence the top. thanks for you help.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
As long as you have 4' high walls they WILL get out. Looks like you're chickens will be free rangers if you can't get higher walls or cover the top. Even if you clip the wings correctly they can still get over 4'.

 

[cookinmom]

How big is they're run, squirtnlex? You'd be surprised how big of a space can be covered with various things. They're might be a way.

 

[squirtnlex]

Thanks, it is a huge area....like 50x50 feet? maybe bigger, no smaller.....
im okay with them gettin out, they like the fresh scratch outside of the pen.
thanks!

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

My run has a 4ft fence .If clipping one wing doesn't throw them off balance enough like it is supposed to, clip the other also. I have had to do this after clipping one, and if they are clipped close enough, they can't get the lift they need to clear 4 ft. I haven't had any escape after clipping both wings.