Fencing ?

[Chick_in_Indiana]

How high should the fence be for standard chickens w/ 1 clipped wing? Does it help if you clip both?

 

[Chirpy]

Most standards won't fly even with no wings clipped.

However, some will fly and can easily fly over a four foot fence. I don't know if they could fly over a six foot fence - someone else with more experience will have to answer that.

I've seen my standards spread their wings and take off to a height of about two to three feet above ground. Mine do it to get away from something that frightens them or just to enjoy the feeling of flight (at least that's what I think!).

 

[justusnak]

It really depends on the bird. Something say like a Buff orp...langshan..they are heavies..and once mature, rarely can get maybe 2 or 3 feet off the ground. Now, banties...and I think OEGB...lighter birds, can fly pretty well. My Pheonix are in a 6 ft fence, and on the first day just calmly flew to the top of the fence and perched. I quickly put a top on that run!

 

[SusanJoM]

My first outdoor run had 6' fencing around it; I figured that should do, especially since it was only about 8' across and I didn't see how they'd get enough momentum to get up and over it. HA!!!! The Ameraucanas simply rose up and flapped over the top like it wasn't there. It was a sight to behold. Reminded me of the helicopters coming up over the horizon in Apocalypse Now.

Susan

 

[Chick_in_Indiana]

Quote:
Wow was that w/ a clipped wing?

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

It depends on the breed.

The heavy breeds can fly out of a 6 foot tall fence while young, but once they are full grown, they usually can't get their big fluffy butts that high in the air.

Our laying hen run has 6 foot tall fencing. We always have some that fly out while they are young. We clip one wing of those hens that fly out. It stops it on some and others still will fly out.
Then we just catch hens every day until they get too heavy to fly out.
We usually only have about 4 or 5 out of 150 that continue to fly out after 1 wing has been clipped.

My Ameraucana's can still fly when full grown. I had one hen that would fly over the fence, go into the big coop, lay her egg, and then fly back to her own run.

If you are planning on having a light breed, then you will have to have a top on your run to keep them from flying out.

If you are getting Silkies, they are not known to fly much at all, so a shorter fence will hold them.

Hope this helps you.
Jean

 

[SusanJoM]

Quote:
Wow was that w/ a clipped wing?

Nope.

I used to clip the wings on my ducks when they were young and got used to sticking around, but it never occurred to me (duh....) to clip the chickens' wings. I'm about to rebuild a run, and I think I'm going to put 2" poultry netting over the top. .... just in case.

Susan

 

[silkiechicken]

Depends on the breed and what's on the other side of the fence. If it's something they want on the other side, they will go there. I had some chicks on yard duty and when trying to integrate them with the adults when they grew up, they just up and cleared a 4 foot fence no problem to get back IN the fenced area they grew up in...Finally broke them of that habit! Just took 2 months!

A 6 foot fence will generally keep heavier birds in, but my 10.5 lb cochin cross got spooked and cleared 5 feet no problem. I don't bother fencing any of mine, but I fence in the garden with 3 foot fence and nobody goes in there since there are lots of goodies outside the fence. Did have a leghorn (a light breed) running across the roof though... we have a 2 story house...