I have read alot on this subject but i still have a question on chicken that fly over fences (even with clipped wing). Is it possible that they dont feel safe or they miss something in the backyard were they live and that why they try to jump over the fence ??? Or maby chicken or like dog ?? for any reasons, some dog will stay in the backyard even with the gate open and some others will dig, jump, and try anything to escape !!!
We bought some 1 year old free range chickens, and only the rooster and one of the smaller hens ever go over the fence. The other ones are much too large to hop over the fence, they can barely hop off the ground. But even our small 4 month old chickens don't try to go over our fence. We did clip their wings to try to help them with that, but we also have nearly an acre for them all and we never really tell them no if they do hop over the fence since we don't have neighbors and they come back anyway. Perhaps there are too many chickens and not enough room? Or they are just little poop heads.
I'm guessing that the "grass is greener on the other side". Your chickens probably just want to scratch and eat in the grass and debris in the yard. My chicken run is pecked and scratched bare. They're only wanting to eat out.
I agree with this - they always seem to want to check out something they don't already have - they are a curious critter!
