How do i keep my free range girls in my yard ?

[percy]

I desire nothing more than for my girls to roam my yard and not wonder off into the neighbors. We have fences, but they have jumped them into the neighbors yard already and weren't able to get back. we're considering clipping the wings, but wondering what some other options might be... our yard is pretty small.
BTW, we have six hens around 4 months - no eggs yet - would they be more willing to stay near the coop / run once they start to lay?

 

[Californichicken]

 

[SunnyDawn]

I clip 1 wing only on each bird. When I find one over the fence I know it's time to clip again.

 

[Tala]

I clipped the flight feathers. They can get just over 3ft up now, and our fences are about 5 feet. They have since escaped under the fence, through holes between fences, and by walking over our back deck like we do

The neighbors don't seem to mind and they never stray far, but we have cars and occasional loose dogs. I can't protect them if they aren't inside my fence

 

[chickenmamalp]

clip the wing

 

[comp6512]

I don't know what breed you have... I have Buff Orpintongs.

I only have simple deer net fencing around their run. That's the cheap plastic stuff you buy at a box store at $12 per 100 feet of 7 feet high. I have 4 feet posts with deer fencing zip tied to them. The deal with chickens, as I understand, they cannot fly "over" things, like an eagle or a hawk. They need to "land" first, then jump on the other side. So, if you have fencing where they can see the "landing target", they will surely try to jump on it. With the deer fencing, it being so transparent, they don't see where they can land , therefore, they don't fly over it. Worked for me so far beautifully.

 

[Country Heart]

Seems like clipping their wings would be the safest way to go. Eventually, depending on the breed, they may get too heavy to make it over the fence - but at four months they are light enough to get up and over.

 

[LilBizzy]

This may just be my oddball chickens, but I have the fence posts 2 feet higher than the actual fence. I KNOW they can fly over it, but they have never even attempted to fly over that side. I think they see the posts, and think it is too high for them to fly.
On the part of the run that sides with the neighbors yard, I added another 18 inches of chicken wire, on a slant inward, so if they try to jump, they hit on the fence. They don't try to fly over that side either. However, they will run and fly up higher than the fence, to the roof of the coop, walk across the roof, jump off the other side, and immediately run into the neighbors yard LOL.

 

[percy]

Thanks for all the responses - looks like a few higher fences & clipping is the way to go.
we have Barred Rock, Americauna [sp], Buff Orpingtons, & Cal. White.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Yeah that too. My RIR rooster doesn't fly over, ever. Not even when the ladies went under the fence (he was too big to fit) he just stood in the yard and squalked at them.

I know he has roosted up over 6' one time, but he has not once gone over the fence, so he has all of his wing feathers intact.


If you cut them, you will have to re-cut them every time they grow back, unless of course the bird grows too fat and lazy to fly out

Just be aware that you may have to re-do it a couple of times as they are growing and mini-molting into adulthood.