Stay in the yard!!!

[swampcat]

Just in the past week or so my girls have found the neighbors across the road have grape vines

Thankfully the neighbors are cool with chickens. The house behind them in the woods also has chickens that just end up in their yard. Apparently their yard is the chicken party spot.

I pretty much have the predator situation taken care of and was thrilled to be able to free range the girls again. Now this. If I do my crazy-lady-treat-call they come flying, but of course I don't want them to cross the road in the first place. I have neighbors who will speed past my kids on bicycles so forget about them slowing down for a chicken.

I hate that feeling like I have to hover over them at every moment. I will chase them back up into the yard but they will eventually wander back. Are there any statues or anything that may deter them from going near the road? Like an owl? I'm willing to drag the garden hose down there to keep them away, but will they learn or will they come to associate me and the garden hose with the edge of the road and still wander over if I'm not right there?

Chickens are worse than toddlers!

 

[SarniaTricia]

Funny you should say toddlers....
I opened my blind yesterday morning to the view of one of my girls running back and forth in FRONT of the fence trying to get back in!
Just like kids, she did it, because she could, then paniced cause she did it.

(escape hatch now fixed and girls safely reunited)

I would start on a very large fence. I would be terrified if the girls got across the road!

 

[christineavatar]

I finally put up a very inexpensive fence. It is pretty low budget. It is 6 feet tall narrow metal posts and a tree 'wrap' material strung between/around the posts. We had to fasten the base of the tree 'wrap' so the chickens couldn't go under it but it works.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Mine have started venturing across our road (dead end gravel no worries) However the neighbor isnt that fond of chickens and turkeys jumping up on his round bales of hay, and i dont want them doing it either. Sp I took my hunting dog out and had him run them off. This has been done a dozen times or so the past week -10 days and they are somewhat getting the point. Im not fencing in 700 ft of driveway LOL, so the dog gets to work, the chickens and turkeys and ducks get to run away from the mean ol' yeller dog and all is well.

Now my other neighbor wants me to try and get my turkeys to go to his place so he can enjoy watching them. His home is 1/4 mile away across our two fields. The ducks have found his pond and he loves it, but I dont think I want my turkeys running that far away so we wont be "training them" lol.

 

[BrattishTaz]

I asked my neighbors to turn the water hose on mine when they go over the fence. They got the message after the third soaking.

Keeping the more stubborn ones locked up for a few days should break the habit as well.

 

[chicken grandma]

FENCES. Can't train chickens. FENCES.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You need a fence.

If someone else's birds came over and stole my grapes, it's possible that something bad might happen to them.

Keep your livestock home.

 

[swampcat]

Quote:
They weren't stealing. Like I said, my neighbors are cool with chickens. They are welcome to help themselves, but I just don't want them crossing the road.