how high for fence for run/wing clipping

[lisamarie]

Hi All,
We were free ranging our chickens but the poop is just about driving me mad. so we fenced in a smaller area by our coop, but they are getting out of it very easily. we clipped their wings, but they still get out. is 3 feet too low even if the wings are clipped? or should we clip the wings more? or clip them in a certain way?
thanks!
lisa

 

[HuestisFarm]

Yes.... ideally would be twice that height (6 ft.)... but I would also cover it. This would end the problem abruptly.

 

[dacjohns]

Cover it if you can. I've had birds fly up to the top of a 7 foot high fence with no problem.

Did you clip both wings or just one. If you clip one it puts them off balance which makes it harder to fly.

 

[ninjapoodles]

We just covered our chicken run with poultry netting, and our turkey yard with chicken-wire. We haven't (yet) had an instance of chickens flying over our 6' perimeter fence, but we did clip one wing on each turkey to prevent that, since they were getting up into the treetops while ranging.

 

[jubylives]

I use 4 foot with no cover. We have few hawks or airborne predators to worry about. I've never had a chicken fly over the fence. I have had them go under. Very funny thing watching chickens squeeze under chicken wire.


jeremy

 

[6mutts]

I am using 5 ft hardwar clothe fencing with no cover and all the girls have their wings clipped, haven't had a problem yet. I did hear a hawk going crazy outside today and say him eyeing my babies from a nearby tree!

 

[lisamarie]

thanks, everyone. I will try clipping wings on one side and cross fingers.

 

[Beekissed]

I have a 3 ft. and keep a wing clipped but there is always that one chicken that will find a way. For the most part, I have no problem with escapees when I have to pen up the freerangers for some reason.

 

[tvtaber]

It depends on how heavy of a breed you have and whether they enjoy breaking out! I have a white leghorn that gets over a 6 foot fence every day and wanders the yard and one that stays in the run no matter what. I also have two EEs that can clear the fence no problem but rarely do. One actually went over the run fence and over the privacy fence and couldn't figure out how to get home again! Luckily, our neighbor saw her and let us know where she was.