Fencing Ideas?

[apgreen79]

You'd have to look up how to do it, but you could clip their wing feathers. That keeps them from being able to fly.

 

[OScarlet]

I have a buff orpington, a BLRS wyandotte and an australorp (and two others) all three can easily (with one wing clipped) fly over a four foot fence. They don't tend to as it is a dog run and a little wobbly and very hard to perch on so when they have tried they don't like it. But they happily will fly up and sit on our five foot fence on the rare occasions it suits them.

 

[newchickmom]

I would go with a minimum 4 ft fence. I have a lot of the same breeds you have, but 3 or 4 of the girls can still fly over the fence, especially when they see me coming with treats. You could always clip the wings of the flyers. It's very easy and doesnt hurt them. You just cut off the first 4-5 inches of the flight feathers. I think there are about 8. There are some demonstrations on you-tube.

 

[Animals970]

I think I'm going with a 3 Ft fence, cause that's all I can afford right now. But I might get a 4-5 Ft fence this summer.

 

[Belott]

Why not just put up a 2 foot fence and then you will have some change in your pocket.

Not much difference if you are not willing to spend enough to actually keep your chickens in.
JMHO

David

 

[260906]

I think I'm going with a 3 Ft fence, cause that's all I can afford right now. But I might get a 4-5 Ft fence this summer.

I've learned from personal experience that it's better to save up and put in the money to build the best pen or coop you can from the start. I have a few really huge, fat hens in my flock, and they could all fly over a 3-4 foot fence even with their wings clipped. I've seen my Leghorn-mix hen fly over my garden--6 feet high for over 40 feet across the yard--WITH her wing clipped according to all the instructions I've researched. I agree that generally, if your chickens are content in their pen, they will not try to fly out. But..If a chicken gets very excited about something beyond the fence, or gets badly spooked by something, she will find a way to fly to places you would never think possible. In the last 3 years, I have not had any chickens escape over the 5 foot fence in our yard, but they have over an acre to run on with many big bushes and hiding places. I think my Cochin is the only hen I have that could possibly be contained by a 4 foot fence. Good luck and take good care of your chickens!

 

[Animals970]

Well, does it make the chickens look any different with clipped wings?, and it doesn't hurt them?. I'll look into clipping they're wings

 

[260906]

It doesn't hurt them, and you can't see it when their wings are tucked up. You can only see it if one tries to fly or you pull out the wing to look at it. You clip the 10 flight feathers closest to the tip of one wing; it is supposed to put them off balance so they can't fly. The internet has diagrams and videos of how to do it. Personally, I was disappointed with the results on my girls. I clipped one wing on my leghorn mix, and she didn't seem any different. I clipped the wing as closely as I could--she still flew up onto a 4 foot tall surface. I even tried clipping the other wing as well, but she just flapped harder and flew fairly well with her stubby wings! With my fattest hens, wing clipping seemed to help some. My cochin is so content (lazy?) I have never had to clip her wings.

 

[Animals970]

Yeah, I've heard Cochins are pretty lazy

I don't think I'll clip their wings anyways, it does show up, and I've heard too many bad reviews

 

[260906]

Cochins are the sweetest "lap-chickens" I've owned. Ours would happily sit in my lap all day, if I'd let her, and if I supplied enough treats.

It would be easier and best in the long run (in my opinion) if you save up the money to build a good, tall fence and find some way to safely enclose the top if you've seen any sign of predators in your area. Chickens aren't like dogs or people--if they have enough room to roam and plenty of food and water, they seem to be content in any pen. They will not feel trapped in their pen or be "mad" at you for enclosing them. You would just be doing what is in their best interests to keep them safe and healthy when you are not home to watch them. Keeping them secure is showing them love, just like when a family or a daycare or school puts up a fence to keep children from running out in the street.