Help me get my chicken(s) to stay in their pen

[imthedude]

Need some advice here folks. Of the new replacement birds that we got back in Jan/Feb, a few of them do not want to stay in their pen. I enclosed a 25x60 pen for them to roam in during the day. Their house, feed, water, etc., are in this pen. One of my neighbors approached me yesterday and told me that one of the Partridge Rocks is laying on his deck in a flower pot, has been on his roof, etc., for a couple of weeks now. I caught her and found out that she had escaped getting her wings clipped, so I immediately trimmed both wings. About 5 minutes later when I was working in the garden, I watcher her hop on top of a 4.5' fence and head back out into the yard.

I also have a couple of others that like to hop out into the yard and get into the garden. I don't like it but will tolerate it as long as they don't start wandering the neighborhood.

First reaction is to sell her to someone else and let them deal with it, but before I do, I thought I'd ask here if any of you experienced chicken farmers have any good solutions to getting your birds to stay at home.

 

[ranchhand]

Mine stay in a covered run now, except for the occasional free range.

A 4.5 foot fence won't usually even slow mine down!

 

[upcdayz]

Quote:
When you clip their wings, you should only clip one - not both. This makes is harder for them to balance and take flight.

Some breeds are more prone to flying than others. What breeds do you have?

Is their pen covered?

 

[LoreenH]

I'd cover the run. I've heard of some chickens, even with one wing clipped, being able to get over a fence. Good luck.

 

[chickengrandma]

They should be in a covered run. Of course they want to get out - that is there the grass is greener and bugs are tastier!

 

[galanie]

Quote:
When you clip their wings, you should only clip one - not both. This makes is harder for them to balance and take flight.

Some breeds are more prone to flying than others. What breeds do you have?

Is their pen covered?

The only issue I have about clipping one wing is, isn't the idea for them not to fly in the first place?

 

[imthedude]

Quote:
When you clip their wings, you should only clip one - not both. This makes is harder for them to balance and take flight.

Some breeds are more prone to flying than others. What breeds do you have?

Is their pen covered?

The only issue I have about clipping one wing is, isn't the idea for them not to fly in the first place?

that was my exact thought too. i started with only one wing clipped, and obviously that wasn't working. i have barred and partridge rocks, buff orps, delawares, and RIR, 19 total. one of the dels and one of the RIR routinely get out, but they go to the garden to scratch for worms. i don't like it, but i'll live with it as long as they don't get my tomatoes. the PR insists on roaming the neighbors backyard, and i think he's getting tired of it. she may have to go because i'm not really into covering a 25x60 pen.

 

[galanie]

Ok, glad no one thought I was being ugly. I have small parrots and it's true that most advise those to have both wings clipped exactly for the reason stated. Just didn't think the same applied to chickens.

 

[imthedude]

Quote:
i think the common thought is that clipping one wing is sufficient to stop flight because it throws off their balance enough to not allow them to fly. that works for most of my birds but not all of them.