New Here - Not a Chicken Owner but want to be!!!!

[fowltemptress]

First, you can have it both ways, mine are subject to whatever whims I have in regard to allowing them out. I always let them out in the morning, but if I need to go out for whatever reason I lure them back into the coop using a tiny bit of scratch, where they stay locked up until I'm done with my errands. Sometimes this happens several times a day, depending on how often I need to leave the house. They certainly aren't stressed by it since they come willingly, and probably prefer it because it means more treats for them.

Secondly, if you're truly worried about the flight thing, and since you only plan on having a few chickens, I would recommend getting whatever breed or breeds you think is prettiest, and just clip their wings. There are great pictures on here on where and how to clip them . . . I'm not sure where, but if you ask someone will give you the link. It's fairly easy to do, and you wouldn't have to do it often, as they're good to go until their next molt when they're clipped, and you only need to clip one of the wings. As long as there isn't anything near the fence chickens can hop up on, clipped wings work really well to keep them in their yard. Of course, someone will inevitably tell you if a chicken wants out, clipped wings do nothing. All I know is, before I clipped their wings my chickens would wind up on my roof, up in trees, and outside the yard . . . I've never had a problem with that since I started clipping. Just another option you can consider

 

[Mahonri]

Orps or silkies.

I have a RIR and a black star that could easily go over an 8 ft fence.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:
I have EE's and leghorns that could as well and that's with ONE clipped wing!

 

[blackbrandy]

Thank You all soooo much for your wonderful support and comments.

We live in the very South East of England so we do get some rough weather - very depressing and wet lately here. My partner is a great carpenter though and he has already been coming up with all sorts of ideas to protect them not only from hawks and foxes etc, but also think of keeping them dry and draught proof. I love animals and so naturally we want to do everything possible to protect them and ensure that they have a safe warm home and are happy here.

Love reading all your posts ... really encouraging us again, as we thought we had it sorted and then last weekend made us think we had got it all wrong, but thanks to you I am all excited again, just got to try and find someone who can supply us with three orpingtons March time ... needs to be near as we dont want them to have to travel to far in getting to us - ahhhhhh!