How to contain former free range hens? Neighbors complaining.

[RachelJoy]

We have two Ameraucanas (the last of our first foray into hens) who have moved out on their own. After a few predator attacks in our yard (which is surrounded by a 4 ft fence) they moved into a neighbor's tree. They free range during the day and sleep in the tree at night. This has been going on since November. This spring they started coming back to the coop to lay their eggs. They look fat and healthy, as they've been eating from the neighbor's bird feeder and foraging. I'm really surprised that no raccoon has found them.

We've actually really enjoyed them as free range hens, as have many of the neighbors. However, our next door neighbors (who keep the house as a vacation home - barely ever here) are now complaining because the girls have been digging in their yard. I went over to check it out - it's not too bad, but yes, they have been digging. The neighbors told us they are paying someone to come put in a garden and make their yard look nice, and they would "hate" to have to ask us for reimbursement if our hens cause damage.

So, what to do? I was wondering if clipping their wings might be enough to move them back into our fenced yard. We finally managed to catch one girl last night, clipped her feathers on one side, and put her back into the fenced yard. Within ten minutes she was over the fence. Then, to make matters worse, she could no longer get up into her sleeping tree. I don't know where she ended up sleeping, but I was relieved to see her still alive this morning.

The only idea we have left is to buy one of those chain-link dog runs (maybe 10'x10', and 6' high) to keep them in. We can put something over the top so they can't get out. I really don't want to do this - they look so good and happy free ranging, and a chain link fences are rather ugly (won't really suit our neighborhood), but I just can't think of anything else without a lot of expense. There's no way we can figure out to add an enclosed run onto our coop (it's a converted Little Tykes playhouse), so dog fence it may be unless someone has any other ideas.

And to complicate things, we are getting our new chicks next week. They'll live in the house for a couple of months, then will move outside. We'd like them in the full fenced in yard (the fence kept in our other girls for 3 1/2 years, so they should be fine). Not sure how we'll manage this.

Unfortunately, we need to deal with this quickly. We've been ignoring the neighbors for the past month (easy, because they're not around) but they came to talk to us again last weekend.

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[moetrout]

One way to get "new" hens use to their coup and to know to come back there at night, and to get them to understand the coup is their home is to lock them inside the coup for several days. Maybe try that and see if it won't re-train them to come back to the coup.

 

[lbc1]

You said the yard kept the chickens in for 3 1/2 years, what changed when they started getting out? Was it that they started flying out? I would try clipping their wings again, make sure your fence is completely secure, and definitely try putting them back into their coop at night. If you can get them to stay in the yard and sleep in the coop again, it sounds like you should still be able to let them run in the yard.

 

[RachelJoy]

Guess I should have made that clear - they are able to fly over the 4 ft fence. It started after we had a raccoon actually break into the coop at night - for awhile they stayed in the fenced in yard during the day, but flew out in the evening to go sleep in the neighbor's tree. In the morning they'd be waiting by the gate to be let back in (why they would fly out, but not fly back in, was a mystery to me.) But after awhile they decided they liked being out of the yard and started wandering the neighborhood all day.

Even if we can get them back in the coop to sleep (which I'm not sure we can do - but maybe we'll try locking them in for a couple of days) I think that they'd keep going over the fence in the daytime, as they seem to enjoy being out and about.

From what I'd read about clipping wings I realized it might not limit them enough that they couldn't get over the fence, but I was still hoping.

 

[lbc1]

It may depend on the bird, but I had one RIR in particular who was flying and had me scared she would fly out of the yard. It took a few tries, and I had to trim everything starting below the wing tip section (I left that section intact) back to her sides but she is definitely not flying anymore. Just be careful not to draw any blood, I would look at each feather and determine how far is safe to cut down. We also have a pretty flat backyard with no objects or trees nearby she could use to help her get over the fence.

They are probably just skittish after the raccoon attack but if you can re-adjust them back into the coop, they should at least get used to coming back to it at night. If you have no luck with trimming their wings or limiting their climbing, you may need to look at doing something like an enclosed run or a chicken tractor. As long as they can fly or climb it sounds like they may wander.

 

[4 the Birds]

I would set-up some tall poles or run tree wires up high with netting to keep the birds in your area. It would not be raccoon proof but it would give them a free range area and keep them out of the neighbors flower beds/trees. I am lucky that our birds stay within a 4' high perimeter fence without any wing clipping. Give them plenty of hiding places/things to climb in their free range area.