My chickens won't quit flying

[marisa]

Ahhh.... I wish the store would have told me that when they showed me how to clip wings. I love this forum already!

We have had chickens for about a year and haven't had a problem with predators. But, it doesn't mean we won't. I will add another item to my hubby's list of "to do's".

 

[oceanbird]

I clipped one wing and still have 4 of my chickens flying. I am hoping they will fatten up really soon- some of my neighbors don't love it. We have two fences, one around the chicken coup and one around the whole yard and still they fly out. Bribe your neighbors with eggs?

 

[1acrefarm]

If you have a 6x20 run it would be cheap and easy to cover it with a tarp or poultry netting.
It would not be predator proof but it would keep them from flying out. A twenty foot section of 6' welded dog wire or chainlink would be better for the predators.

 

[picklespickles]

i am trying to think of why mine never fly out of the yard. only one time ever when one was very startled and then it came back that same day. they fly up in the tree. they sit on the fences, but only those inside the yard. i don't see them perch on the outside fences.

obviously, i am very lucky. but i am trying to think of what the setting is, if it might make a difference. is there more food in your neighbors area, is it possible your dog might bother them when you're not around, are there better things to investigate/dig up/whatever in your neighbor's yard?

i was just thinking? is there a gate you always go out and do they go over that one? i have a gate along the back that i treat as a wall and never use cause it would just be too hard to monitor them all about going in and out. plus, i never wanted the goats espeically to realize they could easily just be scot free. the only gates i let them know are usable are rock solid tall wood fences. i don't know if the chickens are smart enough to pay attention to this, but just thinking aloud......

 

[herechickchick]

What type of chickens do you have? I have light weight chickens like Andalusians and they fly over the fence and I have to go and get them. I think I am going to have their wings clipped (by a vet, not cutting the feathers, cutting the tendon or what ever they cut.) I also have heavy breeds like Orpingtons and they do not fly over the fence. I am sure they could if they wanted to but they don't. So you might think of a different breed that are fatter and can't fly. Just a thought.

 

[arlee453]

6' by 20'??? AND your fence is already 6' high?? I'd definately recommend DEER NETTING. It's super cheap at less than $15 for a roll that is 7' by 100'. That's cheaper than any type of wire or tarp.

I used it over my run and it keeps the chickens in no problem. It wouldn't keep out a really determined predator, but it is enough to keep the chickens in, and they won't get tangled in it either. I had to use PVC pipes to make arcs across the span of the run since mine was 20 x 80 ft, and I wanted to be able to walk around in there. It is also relatively attractive - you can't really see it until you get right up on it as it is made of a very thin black nylon monofilament.

BUT if your run is really 6x20 and already 6' tall, then all you need is ONE roll and a pack of cable ties and you are set. Worst case, you would have to connect two lengths of netting together. I did that in my run since it was wider than 7' and used the cable ties for that too. Got the cable ties at the $1 store - 40 in a pack for $1. So, for less than $20 you'd have your run covered and your headache gone.

You can buy the netting at Lowes or home improvement type stores. They keep it in the area where they keep the landscape & weedblock fabric, not with the traditional fencing materials.

I'm sure you could get it online too.

Here's a pic of what it looks like:

And a pic of what my run looks like covered:

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, thats a good point, what is it about the neighbors yard they like so much? I have a 3-4 foot fence... that is only 18 inches tall in some areas, which my 3 month old birds stay inside of. I've seen them a top the peaks of some of the fence which is 5 feet up there from the ground, but they seem to not care about hopping out even though they could literally just jump with no effort.

 

[Rosalind]

marisa I clipped only one wing, and my 7 1/2-month-old chickens are still perfectly capable of flying up to my barn rafters 10 feet off the ground. These are big heavy standard Cochins, mind you. My conclusion is that some chickens are homebodies and others like to travel, and that's just the way it is. Use the netting like arlee453 has, that's my vote.

 

[picklespickles]

it's true. some do just like to fly. in the evening, i have had people ask me what those exotic birds are up in my trees. lol. i say, chickens. they say, no there are the chickens hiding in the wood pile. i say, yes, those are the walking chickens and those are their breathren the flying chickens. lol. i am going to see if the faa requires them to list their flight plans.

 

[silkiechicken]

I wish they would, because then we could intercept them!