Flighty chicks

[Ponte]

Got a Speckle Sussex and a Silver Ameraucana last week. Once a day I like to take them out of the brooder and place them in a 20 inch high enclosure on the lawn. The problem is that they have flown out of it twice. Did not have that problem with Buff Orpington’s.
Are these two breeds flighty as chicks and is it a harbinger of adult problems which I should begin to work on, i.e., higher fences.

 

[Folly's place]

Twenty inches high wouldn't keep very many of my chicks confined, and won't keep any predators out either. Rethink your enclosure!!!
Can they move to your coop and covered run? That would be best.
How old are these babies?
Mary

 

[Quackter]

Yep, 20" won't keep much in. I clipped the wing feathers pretty short and some of my birds can still get over 48". You can do PVC pipe hoops and poultry netting and make a little covered run really cheap. A couple pieces of 5/4 and you can make it movable. If you go that route use electrical conduit rather than water pipe, it resists light so it lasts longer.

 

[Ponte]

The 20” enclosure is used for only 20-30 minutes. At all other times they are kept secured.
The aviary for the Buff Orpington’s is fully enclosed and is 8 feet high.
The chicks are 1 week old.

 

[Quackter]

Week old... Hmm, you sure there isn't a hole or they're not just slipping through the wire?

 

[Ponte]

Week old... Hmm, you sure there isn't a hole or they're not just slipping through the wire?

First time I had no idea as to how they got out so I began to watch them from about 20 feet away. Today I witnessed one flight out and the other one followed a short while afterwards.

 

[Quackter]

Hoops? Roof of some kind.

 

[Ponte]

My main question is if these breeds are flighty, and if so, how high can they fly.

 

[Shezadandy]

My main question is if these breeds are flighty, and if so, how high can they fly.

They usually gain about a foot a week while they're chicks. I had some day olds arrive Tuesday - and they were jumping up and down off their heating cave from the start. As adults the smaller they are, usually the better they can fly. I've got some that can "helicopter" almost 8 feet straight in the air if startled, so the key is covering your run with aviary net -- this is also an excellent thing to keep hawks from dive bombing your hens if properly installed.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I have several breeds that are super skittish and flighty, including speckled Sussex. They seem to like hanging out on top of their 8 ft. tall chicken coop. They fly up there with no problems whatsoever.