Flying the coop

[smkchick]

I have a black star (I think) pullet who loves to roost in a tree overnight. She was a "stray". I guess now I know why!

My question is this: When she gets bigger (she's roughly 12 weeks now, I guess) will she be too heavy to fly into the trees or over the fence? I live in a suburban neighborhood and neighbors are separated only by a fence. I'm hoping when she gets big enough to lay, she'll be too heavy and busy to roam all over the neighborhood.

BTW, I've been coaxing her into the coop at night (Thank goodness for Happy Hen Treats) to keep her safe and get her used to the idea.

This is how big she is now:

I mean, really, she's taking this whole free range thing too far!

 

[mamadukes5]

I have a couple of red hens (rhode island or new hampshire, not sure which) who every once in a while fly over my six foot chain link fence. As soon as they see everyone else on the other side of the fence, they fly back in. They are six and a half months old, and they are doing it less and less these days. It's not because they can't, they just don't like to be out alone. They also fly up into my maple tree once in a while but they come down when I call them. I dont think that getting heavier is stopping them because they can do it when they want to, it just seems lately they don't want to very often. I dont have any ideas about your breed or how heavy they get, but like I said, mine have pretty much decided they don't like to do it much anymore. They have the run of the yard most of the day, but they get locked up in the coop at night because of the raccoons.

 

[smkchick]

I'm so mad at myself. I missed her - she heads to the tree around 4pm unless I intervene. Once she's up there, forget it. She won't come down til morning. I think she feels safe up there, but I worry about her all night.

 

[Pinky]

If you want to, when you get her in the coop next time, get her when she falls asleep and clip her wing feathers.

 

[kiweed]

I had to clip a few feathers on my black star. She was the only one flying over the fence.

 

[smkchick]

To clip or not to clip? That is the question.

I felt weird about it, but I have to admit I would worry less about her if she couldn't fly over the fence or up in a tree. 3/4 of my neighbors aren't the nicest people in the world and like things "just so". I worry about their reactions if they found Gladys in their yard. One of them once actually threw my dog over the fence, and then put up a six foot fence. I can only imagine what he would do with a chicken...

Hmmm. I think I'll put up a posting and see what people think.


PS It poured rain here tonight and that crazy bird was up in the tree instead of her nice dry coop.