My Chickens are Trespassing

[Hannahhubers]

I just got my first chickens in May and they have been free ranging for about a month now. At first they did great, stayed close to home. But now they spend more time in my neighbors yard than mine, they have lots of flowers and a large garden. My neighbors haven’t gotten upset are being extremely patient, but I need an affordable way to fix the problem. Any ideas? Should I just keep them in a run at this point?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I just got my first chickens in May and they have been free ranging for about a month now. At first they did great, stayed close to home. But now they spend more time in my neighbors yard than mine, they have lots of flowers and a large garden. My neighbors haven’t gotten upset are being extremely patient, but I need an affordable way to fix the problem. Any ideas? Should I just keep them in a run at this point?

Keep them in a run. Sooner or later they will start wreaking havoc on the flowers and garden

 

[StinkyAcres]

Have you looked into a netting fence? I use this: https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/chicken-net-12-48-3-electric-netting?criteria=chicken+net
I don't electrify mine and have not had a problem with full-grown standard chickens and ducks, but the company doesn't recommend it with that particular fence.
They do have non-electric netting options but they are more expensive:
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/shock-or-not-poultry-fence?criteria=noshock
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/noshock-hen-day-pen?criteria=noshock

 

[Evelynh0924]

My chickens kept flying/jumping over the 4' chain-link fence to get to my neighbor's yard, and they have dogs! I finally trimmed one wing on each of them and no more going over the fence. I know I will have to do this again after they molt. Not sure if you have a fence between you and your neighbor but this might help if they are flying/jumping over it.

 

[Perris]

I just got my first chickens in May and they have been free ranging for about a month now. At first they did great, stayed close to home. But now they spend more time in my neighbors yard than mine, they have lots of flowers and a large garden. My neighbors haven’t gotten upset are being extremely patient, but I need an affordable way to fix the problem. Any ideas? Should I just keep them in a run at this point?

try to find out what exactly is attracting them into your neighbour's garden, and when you've done that, try to replicate it in your own. It could be some particular plants or areas, desirable to the chickens as a source of food directly (to eat) or indirectly (insects attracted to it are eaten) or for shade, or cover, etc.

They will also stay closer if they have less need to forage, so supplying a changing variety of fresh seasonal foods in larger quantities than you have been doing might also help to curb their wanderlust.

 

[Hannahhubers]

try to find out what exactly is attracting them into your neighbour's garden, and when you've done that, try to replicate it in your own. It could be some particular plants or areas, desirable to the chickens as a source of food directly (to eat) or indirectly (insects attracted to it are eaten) or for shade, or cover, etc.

They will also stay closer if they have less need to forage, so supplying a changing variety of fresh seasonal foods in larger quantities than you have been doing might also help to curb their wanderlust.

I also have 3 large gardens(one for flowers, herbs, and I’ve started some produce), theirs is right next to a ditch that they love to forage in though. Is their something that I can put into their garden that would deter the chickens from wanting to be in there, but not hurt their plants?

 

[Hannahhubers]

Have you looked into a netting fence? I use this: https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/chicken-net-12-48-3-electric-netting?criteria=chicken+net
I don't electrify mine and have not had a problem with full-grown standard chickens and ducks, but the company doesn't recommend it with that particular fence.
They do have non-electric netting options but they are more expensive:
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/shock-or-not-poultry-fence?criteria=noshock
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/noshock-hen-day-pen?criteria=noshock

This looks like a great option, we actually do share a gravel road between our houses though that the fencing would have to go over. Is it possible to move if needed on the very end? Also how long is it, it’s hard for me to know if I’m going to need multiple. Is it quite long?

 

[Hannahhubers]

Keep them in a run. Sooner or later they will start wreaking havoc on the flowers and garden

My chicken coop is on cement, is it okay for chickens to have their run also on a cement pad. There’s not a easy way to make their run go all the way to the grass.

 

[Perris]

right next to a ditch that they love to forage in

mine are very partial to foraging in a ditch too. Why not dig one in your garden? If you let it collect fallen leaves and other detritus that will make a great habitat for detritivores, which the chickens will eat.

Is their something that I can put into their garden that would deter the chickens from wanting to be in there, but not hurt their plants?

I have not identified any such thing yet, other than an aggressive dog, but that's probably not ideal, for lots of reasons.

 

[StinkyAcres]

This looks like a great option, we actually do share a gravel road between our houses though that the fencing would have to go over. Is it possible to move if needed on the very end? Also how long is it, it’s hard for me to know if I’m going to need multiple. Is it quite long?

There are several lengths to choose from, from 39 feet to 160 feet long (lengths are specified on the pages I linked). Yes, these fences are very easy to move (if you follow the directions) and you can move the end like a gate (or just press it down and step over it like I do).