How to stop my chickens roaming

[missymecano]

I have 6 chickens free ranging on half an acre but I have recently had to remove them from my very annoyed neighbours garden. It looks like they walked through 2 fields to get there but I didn't think chickens roamed this far! Could they be bored? There's plenty of food in the garden. Anyone else experienced this and have any solutions?

 

[Pork Pie]

I'd suggest your only solution is fencing your property or building a run for them.

CT

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd suggest your only solution is fencing your property or building a run for them.

CT

Agree!

 

[missymecano]

This is what I'm finding strange, I have the garden fenced, but for one or two gaps which I have closed up. I have seen them going to where the holes used to be and trying very hard to get out. That's why I thought boredom could be the problem.

 

[Monguire]

It's likely not just a case of boredom, they will go where the goodies are. If your neighbor has a nice garden the chooks will be drawn to it for all the bugs and choice veggies. It is most definitely our responsibility as Backyarders not to inflict our decision to keep chooks on our neighbors. Good fences make for good neighbors. I personally use this style of fencing for my pasture. Easy setup, easy adjustment, green color blends in with environment making it less visible/obtrusive.

I still have to occasionally wing-clip the serial offenders but it's all a very small price to pay to responsibly exercise my right to keep chooks in MY (and not anyone else's) backyard.

 

[Pork Pie]

This is what I'm finding strange, I have the garden fenced, but for one or two gaps which I have closed up. I have seen them going to where the holes used to be and trying very hard to get out. That's why I thought boredom could be the problem.

Chickens are creatures of habit, so thats probably why this still want to try and get through the wire.

CT

 

[jordan293]

I just clip all my chickens wings I have a mixed flock of around 20 hens an 3 roosters and they would just roam everywhere and I could never find there eggs no matter how hard I looked. clipped the wings and now they all stay in a 30' x 40'exposed pen/fenced in area just a 4'tall fence with a wind breakshelter and roosts in the middle, I now get around 15 or so eggs a day and haven't lost a single bird to predators yet best decision I ever made with them cutting their wings! haha