High flyers- I give up!

[RunningChicken]

Our 22 week old pullets have a very nice, large pen fenced to 7'. For the past 3 days I have found 3 girls happily on the other side of the fence, pestering the other, penned, girls to come out. The flyers are EEs and a small australorp. I don't want to clip wings (bad experiences with dog toenails). I'm tempted to just let them be, but add a bowl of water outside. We've got trees around for them to fly into in case of predators. (we're on a fenced acre-BUT we have had one dog massacre). I do let all the girls out around lunch time to free range (and meet up with the other 3). I'm trying to keep girls in the pen mornings, close to the nest boxes with the apparently skewed idea that someday they might like to lay eggs in their nest boxes. (slackers). SO.... will the flyers outgrow the flying as they mature? Does anyone else just leave them be? Is clipping wings the only answer? (shudder). Thanks!

 

[steelshot]

Maybe you could put netting on top of the pen

 

[wren]

Can you let them all loose during the day then lock them in at night?

 

[RunningChicken]

The whole flock has been let loose during the day, after lunch, and cooped at night. However- I'm trying to keep them more contained to keep them near the nest boxes (and to get them used to being contained for when we need a pet sitter). The pen is about 40' x 40'- too big for netting. It's wonderful- dappled sun with some branches to roost on. They should be happy there.... but no....

 

[retiredwithchicks]

Clipping the wings isn't bad/hard. You only trim the feathers. Don't even have to get near skin to try the first time. That is the only way I can keep mine in the pen. I have 2 white rocks have got to take time to do now.

 

[steelshot]

Quote:
It may cost a littel more than you want to put into it but they sell netting that big. My run is 45x100. Granted it used to be a flight pen for quail but I got the netting at cutlers pheasant supply. They will probably stop flying when they get fatter. I know I am getting fatter and can't jump as high as I used to

 

[ShaggysGirl]

We have hawks so I keep my runs covered with garden netting on one and that orange net stuff they sell at home depot.

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Clipping their wings only involves clipping the ends of the feathers - it doesn't hurt them any more than it hurts us to cut our hair or fingernails. You could search on YouTube for videos of how to do it (I haven't looked but I bet they're out there) to give you a better idea what to expect. Doing it the first time, it would be best to have 2 people - one to hold the bird still and the other to spread the wing and clip the feathers.

 

[txchickie]

Clipping wings is EASY! Nothing like dog toenails, don't compare the two

You can do it!

 

[NellaBean]

I had some girls flying out also, and had to finally just clip wings. It is not hard at all and there is a link in the learning center at the top of the page that shows how to do it. I probably left mine a little longer than "best" but it was the first time I had done it so I was being overly careful. I have not had any more escapees since then. My fence was 6ft but they were managing to clear that one, a 15 foot spread and another 4 foot perimeter fence all in one jump/flap/fly and were landing out in the back brush area loose and unfenced. I hoped it was a fluke as it was only one at a time every day. then one day there were 3 that had all flown out together, so they got their wings clipped as I caught them toput them back. I do not clip wings on the fat ones who can't fly (giants, cochins, etc).

I would wait until they are roosting or just getting settled for the night, lay them on their side with their head covered and just clip one wing. Only takes a few seconds and once mine were on their side, they did not try to fight. These were my leghorns were are VERY flighty and nervous and they gave me no problems.