Flying height of standard breeds - choosing fencing height

samana

In the Brooder
8 Years
Mar 30, 2011
46
3
34
Right now I have fencing that is about 3 feet high wire around my yard. I have heard chickens aren't so great at flying especially when they're bigger.

Two questions - 1) how high can they fly if they want to? And, 2) will this fence be fairly sufficient? Or are they more adventurous than I'm suspecting they will be? I do have a large yard so they have a lot of space to roam. The other side of the fence on all sides is woods.

Breeds I have:

Isa Brown (sex link)
Australorps
Wyandottes
Auracanas
Barred Rocks
 
Mine have occasionally gotten over a 5 ft fence.

More often have wiggled under it, or around it.

Imp
 
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Can't speak for the rest of the breeds, but I have barred rocks. My coop/run set-up includes a 3-ft inter-run and a 5 ft outer-run. The barred rocks had no problem, jumping/flying to the top of the 3-ft run, but never made it over the 5-ft run fencing. When my buff orpingtons were small they could fly higher, but now there too fat. LOL!!!!
 
I find my RIR perched as high as 6 feet up on boards or truck bedsides. You need to either accept they will go where the want, raise the fence or clip wings and hope they are happy where they're at.
 
Looks like my ladies will be hopping the fence then! Hmm.. now this may seem a very dumb question but do chickens in general wander much or stick somewhat near the coop?

I have been taking them out on little 'fieldtrips' to the yard and they all so far have stayed as a pack mostly and stick fairly close to the original spot I've set them down in.

I know they will get more comfortable and adventurous in time, but having never owned chickens I'm curious about their general wandering tendencies.
 
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Mine separate but all stay within 50yds of the coop unless they are chased by a predator then they have ranged upwards of 200yds.
 
Once they are motivated and now they can do it, flying top of 6 foot fence likely. My standard dominiques can di 10 feet relatively well which should be only marginally better than most larger standard breeds. With your larger breeds, clipping of wing feathers might be more effective than with small breeds.
 

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