Fence hopping and what to do about it

[mobius]

Clipping one wing won't deter them....I've done that and seen them mount up to 5 ft. roosts afterwards. And extending the fence itself just to make it higher will not work either....chickens can roost in the trees and rafters of barns.

Your best solution is to extend the top of your fencing with deer/bird netting so that no area on top of the fence has a sturdy structure to hop up to...that includes gates. Even a few strands of tightly strung, heavy duty fishing line or thin gauge wire at 4 & 8 in. above the fenceline will help but I've found the netting to be more effective.

I've currently got the wire netting extended above my garden fencing for the same reason and not a bird~even with a bench next to the fence from which to launch~has made it over that fence.

The way I extended it past the fence posts themselves was to attach a spiked stake to the posts and stapled the fencing to these spikes.

Yes. This.

I clipped one wing of each chicken. Then I attached non-electrified wire ABOVE the fence post to keep them from perching/flying up there. You cannot see the wire. A good alternative would have been deer netting but I was concerned about them getting caught in it...

The wing clipping initially did not deter a couple of determined ones from flying up four feet to the top of my fence. It just made it a little more difficult. The wire (which was electric fence wire but is not electrified) worked and was easy to handle, with extensions, as you are doing, vertically on the fence posts. Bonus: I can't see it (it blends).

I had a very determined hen that turned broody right after she started laying. She would disappear for days at a time and then show back up. I exhausted myself looking for her outside the fence and inside. I didn't know she was broody. Finally (to my amazement because predators are heavy here) I found her two feet OUTSIDE the fence, hunkered down and completely hidden in the underbrush over a lovely clutch of a dozen eggs. This behavior led to more wing clipping and fence wiring. I brought her inside, put her in a doggy carrier with food and water (she would have probably starved on her clutch for all I know or been eaten by a predator) and set a frozen water bag under her rear end. For about a day. After two days I put her back with the flock and she did not repeat. I would have hated to lose her.

Learning curve. SMH.

P.S. The coop and run itself is electrified at night when they go to bed. This has worked well with nary an invasion. The perimeter fence outside run and coop is not electrified.

 

[P-Dog]

This past weekend my neighbor's chickens got attacked by a dog. The noise and ruckus coming from a half mile away was heartbreaking.

The only chickens that survived were able to fly to the top of the coop building or into trees.

I know this is a discussion about yard containment, but if you are going to clip their wings, escaping from predators becomes more difficult. Escape is their only means of defense.

I would look into a really great chicken tractor, put a huge run on my coop, or extend my fencing.

 

[mobius]

Sometimes your own dogs can be trained to protect chickens as well. Another option.

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
~ Groucho Marx

 

[Harriettcl]

That's a very good idea, unless you have Easter Eggars. I don't think there's any limit at they can fly. They have very long legs, and even if you clip their wings, they can't be stopped.

 

[imsuperspy]

I have all heavy dual purpose breeds with the exception of 2 hamburgs. I have a large free range area, about 1/5 acre, bordered on one side with a pond and the rest of the fence field fence 48" tall with 2" x 4" squares. Along the pond line there is a four strand electric fence with highly visible poly wire. None of my chickens cross the electric fence and none of my neighbors geese breech the yard from the other side. The chickens could without getting shocked but they don't try. I think they can hear the current and it deters them. I have not had any predators breech the fence either. None of my chickens jump the field fence. I have plenty of things for them to explore in their yard. Keeping them occupied works best. I would not clip wings. How would you like it if someone cut off your right arm, dumped you in the shark infested ocean, and then told you to swim to shore against high current? (A general question for any humans who think it is ok to cripple, even if is temporary, an animal to inhibit their free will.)

 

[REMLAP]

I clip one wing on my girls they never get out anymore, has to be done each time after molting

 

[Nick 1]

yep as others say clip the feathers of one wing half way back .

 

[mobius]

Well not ALL the feathers, just very specific ones, please. There is a certain way to do this! And once I did, it did not show. Be careful, do not cut into the bloodline (like trimming nails on my doggies, don't cut into the quick). Also, I used VERY sharp scissors.

Look it up before you cut! There are only about ten (?) specific feathers that need trimmed.

Anyone? With a better description? Don't just randomly take off half the wing! They need those other wing feathers, warmth being one thing I can think of!