Received complaint from humane services about "roaming"

[U_Stormcrow]

Like every other animal owner, you are 100% responsible to keep your animals on your own property.

Imagine if you had neighbors letting dogs run loose to kill your chickens? Your chickens are doing the same thing to the neighbors' gardens.

There are many options for building a run -- chainlink dog kennel panels are one of the easiest if you're not particularly hand.

^^^ this.

Chickens (or any creature) of property and off leash are generally considered by the law to be "at large". Being "at large" is, first and foremost irresponsible and disrespectful to the property of others. But perhaps more significantly, in many jurisdictions, either the locals, the sheriff, or the animal control folks can "take" at large livestock - and chickens are almost always viewed as livestock. "Take" does not always mean "kill" (anymore), but it frequently still does.

If you can't keep your chickens on your property, don't keep chickens. Simple.
Same with your dogs (if any).

Knowing more about your situation and location, the fine posters here at BYC can likely help with budget appropriate ways to assist you in preventing your chickens from leaving your property.

 

[Brooks_]

Cattle panels could be used to create a run on the cheap.

 

[Ponypoor]

My 4 16 wk old pullets have received complaints about "roaming" outside of our property. They told us to ensure our chickens are contained on our property. They used to do this a couple months ago but we thought they stopped, however the date of the complaint was 11 days ago, so it must've been when we were all at work. We live in a suburban area surrounded by 3 houses, one on each side, and the fences are all theirs so we can't put extra fencing on them. We let them wander around our backyard but Im not sure what to do now, their coop is obviously way too small to be locked into, and we can't get a chicken run because it's so snowy here. What should we do?

Sorry to hear u r learning a hard lesson, but I am sure u will figure it out.

There are many options for runs, you can search 'hoop coops' which can be made from PVC pipe, metal pipe (if u are handy and can learn to bend them), cattle panels, etc. These can be covered with chicken wire to contain your gals.

You can also drive 4x4 fence spikes and use 4x4 posts and build an run with chicken wire, and put a wire or netting top on this.

If u get lots of snow put a solid roof on your run, you can get clear plastic panels for this. Chickens don't like to go out in snow.

There are so many options all u need to do is some research

As for snow loads I live in a heavy wet yucky miserable snowbelt zone and get loads of it, all u need to do is some research on load capacity.

 

[McChooky]

Sorry to hear u r learning a hard lesson, but I am sure u will figure it out.

There are many options for runs, you can search 'hoop coops' which can be made from PVC pipe, metal pipe (if u are handy and can learn to bend them), cattle panels, etc. These can be covered with chicken wire to contain your gals.

You can also drive 4x4 fence spikes and use 4x4 posts and build an run with chicken wire, and put a wire or netting top on this.

If u get lots of snow put a solid roof on your run, you can get clear plastic panels for this. Chickens don't like to go out in snow.

There are so many options all u need to do is some research

As for snow loads I live in a heavy wet yucky miserable snowbelt zone and get loads of it, all u need to do is some research on load capacity.

Its your responsibility to keep them in your yard and off other peoples property.The easiest way is Frame up the top and sides then cover it with roll fencing and a tarp.

 

[Iluveggers]

Not sure what your budget is but Amazon has a few simple runs for between $200-$300 like this: https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Flat...4?keywords=Chicken+Runs&qid=1637807236&sr=8-4

Not sure if you can spend that much but we used one at the farm until we could build a “nicer” one & it arrived in 2 days and took only a few hours to assemble. It’s not predator proof but if they were free ranging anyway it doesn’t seem to be an issue where you are.

 

[debbier98]

My 4 16 wk old pullets have received complaints about "roaming" outside of our property. They told us to ensure our chickens are contained on our property. They used to do this a couple months ago but we thought they stopped, however the date of the complaint was 11 days ago, so it must've been when we were all at work. We live in a suburban area surrounded by 3 houses, one on each side, and the fences are all theirs so we can't put extra fencing on them. We let them wander around our backyard but Im not sure what to do now, their coop is obviously way too small to be locked into, and we can't get a chicken run because it's so snowy here. What should we do?

I think I would try to talk to my neighbors and see if an agreement can be made to allow you to add to the height of the fence to keep your chickens safely in your yard. If they won't be reasonable and won't allow you to add to the fence I would add to your chicken run area to make it as large as you can. And since you live in a state that gets snow, just make sure to give them a covered area where they can get out of the weather when they want.

 

[rbcss]

You can build a chicken tractor with some 2x4x8 feet and chicken wire for cheep and move them around your yard. You don't need a bottom just sides and a top.
Or again there are some suggestions what everyone said that will work until you can build a stable run

 

[TylerBareneckChickens]

I mean, I hate to say this, but if you can't contain your chickens in a suburban area, then they may not be the best pet for you. Their safety and the compliance of your area are both important.

If you can fence the other areas of your backyard (the area through which they are escaping), then you can trim one wing each to prevent flying over the fences.

Also, how is snow preventing the building of a run (where are you located?)? More info about the yard would be helpful.

Maybe there are too many "compliance's" in your area. I was raised in San Diego in the 60's as a child. There were chickens in our neighborhoods walking around all the time. All they did was eat all the bugs and lay eggs in everyone's yard. I often wonder if the people making the policies have connections with bug exterminator companies. After all, what do chickens do best? Eat all the bugs all around your house everyday. You will never see so much as a spider in your home of you have chickens running around.

 

[Folly's place]

Nobody wants other people's chickens pooping and digging up their flower beds! As a child, you likely didn't care, but I'll bet many adults in the area did care.
Our neighbors, who are fine with our crowing roosters, don't want the birds on their property at all. We have fencing to keep our birds at home!
Mary

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I often wonder if the people making the policies have connections with bug exterminator companies.

You can stop wondering. The answer is "NO". I've helped write legislation, change legislation, oppose changes to legislation on behalf of big business and industry groups. They haven't got that kind of pull, nor do they have pockets deep enough to push the changes you suggest nation wide.

No need to reach for some conspiracy theory - the answers are much closer at hand. A city (or county) gets its revenue from its tax base, via property taxes. For most of the last century and more, the #1 means of wealth accumulation was the appreciation of housing value. Any legislation which was percieved to increase housing value (or protect it from taking a hit) had a tendency to pass. This also helped fuel the rise in HOAs. All efforts by the existing community to keep the "other" out. Its NIMBY-ism recorded in legal form. The interests of the local gov't and existing owners (which is to say, voters) were aligned - homeowners protecting their investments and the municipality increasing its tax base.

"We have met the enemy, and it is us".

In addition to the economic incentives, there were cultural incentives as well - incentives you could likely imagine if you put your mind to it. BYC isn't the forum for exploration of them.

Only recently, and in communities of particular character, have we begun to see a (very limited) roll-back of anti- poultry keeping laws and ordinances in urban enclaves as vanity flocks become fashionable (often in conjunction with "green" movements).