jumping the fence, need ideas please

[phaethona]

we have chain link fence all the way around our property, and our neighbors on all three sides have dogs that bark at the chickens so they avoid those fences. but today my favorite white leghorn Lucy hopped up the fence on the only side where there are no dogs, luckily I saw her and coaxed her back with some cheese. now she's grounded in the run. I don't really want to electrify the fence but will if I absolutely have to(it would have to be very last resort, I have dogs and kids). does anyone have any ideas on how to keep them off the fence?

 

[phaethona]

anyone?

 

[gryeyes]

Bird netting. It will keep the chickens IN the run, and sparrows/finches/crows/jays OUT of the run, plus offer some protection against airborne predators.

Lowe's and Home Depot both sell it in 14 ft wide by 75 ft long rolls, for $19.95. I stretched it across my run and zip-tied the panels together. (I ran some twine through the edges of two panels, like sewing them together, but that was labor intensive, especially working over my head.)

 

[cybercat]

If you have leghorns you will have to keep them penned. They will have no problems as you found out going over your fence. There is no real way to stop it either once they start unless you make fence higher. BTW they will go over the other fencing too even with the dogs their. Chickens are not very smart but they are very determined.

 

[phaethona]

yeah, I'm scratching my head on this one. She's one of 11 and they all free range, I think it would be difficult to keep her by herself in the run all the time.
the only solution I'm coming up with is electrifying the fence, but then I wonder if she would just fly right over it or hop to the other side when she lands on it and realizes its electrified. maybe I could make it higher by putting up hogwire fencing across the top?
argh...

 

[Papadavid]

Just clip her wing. If you clip one wing only, cut the wing feathers about half their length, they will fly in a partial circle and can not gain any height. Clip them both and they can still fly. Good luck. For the electric fence to work she would have to touch it and the ground or something else to ground her. See those birds ssitting on power lines?, They do that and touch the pole and they are dead.

 

[phaethona]

Quote:
that's a good idea, but I have no clue how to do it

I didn't do enough homework about the birds before I got them, didnt realize that leghorns are so flighty. I also have other breeds that I wonder if I should clip theirs too, what do you think? I have:

5 production reds(they're older than the others and don't seem very flighty to me)
rhode island red
silver phoenix
black sex-link
welsummer(we think)
partridge rock(we think)
and the infamous leghorn

 

[Papadavid]

Take one wing and entend it out and start by about 1/3 off the ends. Turn it loose and see if that is enough. If not, trim a little more. Like cutting hair, it is painless.

 

[phaethona]

Quote:
I'm going to give it a go today. beats the heck outta messing with fences and what-not.
thanks for being the tylenol to my headache!

 

[Papadavid]

Hope I helped. Let me know how it works out, ok?