How to stop our hen from hopping the fence

[Coop de Grass]

These posts made me chuckle. I have a 28-inch high rabbit fence dividing our "people" yard from the "chicken" side. Our chickens, even the so-called flighty hens, have all come to respect the rabbit fencing no matter where we move it. They know if it's closed off, they don't jump over, and wait until we open it up before they enter the "people" side. It was not without some training however.

When we introduced our first White Leghorn, she wanted to fly to the top of the 4-foot coop. Gently, calmly, we took her down from the roof and after a couple times of that, she never ever flew to the roof again. Then, she jumped over the rabbit fence a half dozen times where we gently slowly stretched out our arms and walking behind her softly said "Shoo, shoo" until she saw our opening in the fence to go back to the chicken side (All our hens today know that a soft "Shoo" means to go to the chicken side automatically and calmly). Later if any of our hens find themselves on the wrong side of the rabbit fence they pace to get back to the chicken side and wait for us to open it for them (silly girls could just jump back over again but that's chickens for you!).

Currently, I'm training 3 new Dominique chicks so I have my work cut out for me because they are very ingenious crafty explorers. But raising them from chicks is making it a bit easier to train them.

Some photos of our backyard remodeling turmoil where the chickens respected the rabbit fence and never jumped over it. Of course, the workers loved the hens and made sure none escaped the enclosure or stray dogs entered the work area.

28-inch rabbit fence upper left of photo
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Yard was openly exposed during block fence construction.
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28-inch rabbit fence roll was all that separated the chickens from an openly exposed backyard while block wall fence construction was in progress. No matter how small or large we made the enclosure the chickens respected the short fencing. Chickens are creatures of habit and once they realize the fence is their limit, they're comfortable with that no matter where the fence is moved.
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Wow! I can't believe they don't hop that fence. My chickens don't fly over any fence that they can't land on. Most of them don't try to fly out at all, but I had one that would fly up to the top of the 5' chain link fence and then fly down... I gave up trying to keep her in, and she had lots of cover to hide in. None of the others even tried

 

[aart]

I can't believe they don't hop that fence.

Me neither....but what can get in would be my concern.

 

[black_dove2]

!y two have only flown over 6ft fence when a cat and mockingbird got in. I did add bird screen from one end to the other along the fence. It's helped keep cat and bird out and the chickens stay in the run.

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Edited to clarify; the run is covered along half lengthwise. The side along the house from the gate to the opposite end of run is open. My hens could easily hop from their roost to the top of the house. So far this has not been an issue because of the heat. Come fall and winter I'll see if that will still hold true. What they have consistently done is try to come in my room thru the window by their roost. Especially if they want treats.

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Is it possible to add talker gate a little further inside the run? Like dog parks, you have the outside gate enclosed area to bring dogs in , takeoff leashes and then open the inner gate to the dog run area. Maybe instead of fixing the gate you have now create an enclosure with fencing material.

 

[Sylvester017]

Wow! I can't believe they don't hop that fence. My chickens don't fly over any fence that they can't land on. Most of them don't try to fly out at all, but I had one that would fly up to the top of the 5' chain link fence and then fly down... I gave up trying to keep her in, and she had lots of cover to hide in. None of the others even tried

Newer pullets added to the flock will test their prowess to hop the short rabbit fencing but we patiently and calmly usher them back to the "other" side of the fence. Sometimes it only takes a couple times to show the new girls where they can't go and we do it very patiently and calmly. It's amazing how fast chickens can learn at times. We've had various breeds in the last 6 years and all were easily trained to respect the rabbit fence. We also trained them to understand that "Shoo" said softly means we want them to go toward their coop to their side of the yard. DH has trained them to understand that "Up" means we are picking them up in the "judge's hold" and "Watch Out" means to clear the doorway because we're walking out and they will move. Who knew chickens could ever understand human voice commands?

Me neither....but what can get in would be my concern.

Our property has a new 6-foot block wall with 18" of privacy fencing added on top, plus double gates on both sides of the house, plus a gated driveway in the front yard. Security is not an issue for us -- in our city neighborhood stray dogs can be an issue and we've taken care of that problem. The 28-inch rabbit fencing is utilized to divide our "people" side of the backyard from the "chicken" side. We also use the rabbit fencing to protect newly planted garden beds, or to put new chickens on one side of the fence to introduce to the old flock on the other side for a few days before integrating altogether. A couple rolls of plastic-coated rabbit fencing have been used for over 6 years and are much sturdier than rolls of flimsy hexwire poultry rolls.

 

[bruceha2000]

I used bird netting mostly to keep predator bird out, but it also keeps the chickens in.

I put 7' bird netting around the garden, attached with zip ties to 8' tall 2x2s attached to the 30" high posts put up by the prior owner (chicken wire along the bottom to keep rabbits out). Sadly the netting didn't last the winter. Too much wind just ripped it off, I expect because the plastic mesh is super thin and weak. Plus, the south side got ripped earlier in the summer. I think a deer went through it based on the height of damage to the beans and cucumbers. I replaced it with 4' chicken wire this year, no evidence of chickens nor deer in the garden this year.

 

[Sylvester017]

I put 7' bird netting around the garden, attached with zip ties to 8' tall 2x2s attached to the 30" high posts put up by the prior owner (chicken wire along the bottom to keep rabbits out). Sadly the netting didn't last the winter. Too much wind just ripped it off, I expect because the plastic mesh is super thin and weak. Plus, the south side got ripped earlier in the summer. I think a deer went through it based on the height of damage to the beans and cucumbers. I replaced it with 4' chicken wire this year, no evidence of chickens nor deer in the garden this year.

Hi @bruceha2000 Nice to hear from you! We tried rolls of bird netting from Lowe's hardware and I agree the stuff does tear easily. I tried something different this year to protect our young garden beds from moths, wild birds, and chickens -- extra fine/ultra-wide bridal tulle from JoAnn's Fabrics.

When the garden beds were young with newly planted seedlings we covered them with tulle and securely clipped them to the tomato cages.

Horrible 100 mph Santa Ana wind gusts tore up our canopy cover but the bridal tulle netting covering the garden beds wasn't damaged at all.

After the garden beds started growing tall and strong we removed the tulle netting -- strongest netting I've ever used for garden bed covers and I've had no tomato worms from moths or nasty June bug nests this year. The bridal tulle net was in good enough shape to roll up for use for next year's garden. I was never able to save the cheap bird netting from the hardware store which turned brittle in the sun and tore holes easily.

Chicken poultry hexwire has its uses but I found it too flimsy for our purpose. The longest lasting roll of fencing so far for us has been the plastic-coated 28-inch rabbit fencing -- there are 24-inch rolls of rabbit fencing but we like the taller 28-inch rolls better.

 

[TexasSam]

I had this problem and was afraid A dog would get them so I blew A air horn at them. After A few times they were to scared to try it again problem solved. I know not very nice but neither is being lunch for A dog

 

[Magicque]

Try clipping one wing.

how do you know how far to clip ?

 

[black_dove2]

Hi @bruceha2000 Nice to hear from you! We tried rolls of bird netting from Lowe's hardware and I agree the stuff does tear easily. I tried something different this year to protect our young garden beds from moths, wild birds, and chickens -- extra fine/ultra-wide bridal tulle from JoAnn's Fabrics.

When the garden beds were young with newly planted seedlings we covered them with tulle and securely clipped them to the tomato cages.
View attachment 1147829


Horrible 100 mph Santa Ana wind gusts tore up our canopy cover but the bridal tulle netting covering the garden beds wasn't damaged at all.
View attachment 1147830


After the garden beds started growing tall and strong we removed the tulle netting -- strongest netting I've ever used for garden bed covers and I've had no tomato worms from moths or nasty June bug nests this year. The bridal tulle net was in good enough shape to roll up for use for next year's garden. I was never able to save the cheap bird netting from the hardware store which turned brittle in the sun and tore holes easily.
View attachment 1147831

Chicken poultry hexwire has its uses but I found it too flimsy for our purpose. The longest lasting roll of fencing so far for us has been the plastic-coated 28-inch rabbit fencing -- there are 24-inch rolls of rabbit fencing but we like the taller 28-inch rolls better.

A great idea about tulle instead of bird netting! Please share on thread what did you do in the garden today?

 

[bruceha2000]

Wow @Sylvester017 that canopy is a real shame! Nice tip on the tulle, I had a terrible problem with cucumber beetles this year, this could solve that next year.