Hens flying over the fence.

[Wheeler Farms Chickens]

My hens have just started flying over the fence into the neighbors yard. I dont want to confine them to their run because I have a big back yard for them to forage in. Any suggestions?

 

[chickmashnoon]

clip their wings. It will keep them from flying over the fence. or get a taller fence

 

[Wheeler Farms Chickens]

I figured, but I have never done it before. They are about 17 weeks old.

 

[Ksane]

There's instructions all over the web on wing clipping. Just do 1 side though, not both. That throws them off balance if they try to fly. Sometimes if you clip both wings feathers they can flap real hard and still get over a fence. You'll have to repeat it when they molt and grow their next set of feathers.

 

[Beekissed]

Unless you have a 6 ft. or higher fence they will still go over...even with clipped wings. They don't actually fly over a fence but they do hop up onto the top and then drop down on the other side. Sometimes they will still hop up onto a 6 ft. fence top...depends on the bird and how lightweight it is.

It's the hopping up that you can prevent if you place your fencing material about 6-8 in. above any solid surface like gates, fence posts, fence tops. You can even string some individual wires across those areas that deflect the bird when it hops up to the surface.

You can also slant a piece of fencing inwards at the top of your fence that borders your neighbor's yard.....just cut and attach a strip about 10 in. wide that slants towards the interior of your run/yard...sort of like deer fencing.

 

[chickmashnoon]

as they get older and heavier you may have less of a problem with escapees. Some breeds get heavier than others, and some fly better than others, but many dual purpose breeds begin to bulk up with maturity and lose alot of their ability to gain lift. Other people can probably give you more info on which lose flight distance and which don't, I'm still kinda a newbie myself so I don't have much experience with the different breeds. But I did want you to know that it may

be a temporary problem.

 

[Beekissed]

IME, the heaviest gals I have(8-10 lbs) can jump to the top of a 5 ft. roost without any difficulty...with one wing clipped. They've even managed it with the "prison cut"...all primaries and secondaries trimmed to the max. The only solution I've found after all these years is the barriers at the top of the fencing that prevents them finding a landing.