I think I need to re-home my chickens

[equinelyn]

This is the video I referred to when I started clipping my chickens wings...

Best of luck!

 

[Beekissed]

I can see a couple, three options here....you only have 5 hens, so a small chicken tractor would allow fresh foraging without the escape issue. One can be made quite easily out of cattle panelling, chicken wire, 2X4s, fencing staples and zip ties.

OR....you could purchase some fiberglass electric fence posts...very slim and lightweight...and come inside your perimeter fencing about a foot or two and erect a fence out of plastic deer or poultry netting. Easy to erect, easy to take down when you leave, virtually invisible from the outside of your fencing and easy to store when you no longer need it. They shouldn't fly over this and onto your perimeter fencing.

OR...use electric poultry netting and the fiberglass posts and erect a large free range within your perimeter fencing and just move it on occasion to a new area of the yard....say, section your yard into 4ths or 3rds and just rotate your free range.

 

[RCMomto4]

My girls are almost seven months old and had me pulling my hair out trying to keep them in their area. We are in a regular neighborhood (that allows hens only) and they have been flying on top of the five foot high fence and jumping over the other side. We tried everything except clipping their wings, but decided on netting them in. They have a 8ft X 35ft enclosed area with a high security coop they love. They have picked everything clean in their enclosure but I make sure they get scratch and treats daily. I also bring them out to the front yard everyday for about two hours---until their bedtime. It's been GREAT seeing my neighbors come over and visit and bring them treats. I've met more people in the past few months than in the nine plus years I've lived here because of my chickens!! I hope you don't have to re-home your girls---try netting!

 

[donrae]

Quote:
I think this is your only option, a larger pen/tractor. If you're not wanting to do that, you should probably rehome them. You should be able to get a decent price for point of lay pullets.

 

[anderson8505]

I've clipped one wing of all my hens for the same reason. The first time I tried it I only did one hen because she was the WORST at getting back in the yard. I clipped the wrong feathers even after looking at some info on here because "KFC" still kept getting out. The second time I watched a video and I clipped about 12 feathers starting from the feathers closest to the bird's face back towards the butt. Now, they all stay in the fence!!! My rooster never leaves the yard. Don't give up on them. IT can be done. KFC got her name because I thought she'd end up on a dinner plate. Now I just call her Kay.

 

[SaraFL]

Thanks all. I haven't done anything yet because I've been so busy, but I'll try trimming them more like it shows in that video and then go from there. I'll let you know.

Thanks again!