- Apr 19, 2009
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Right now we have all our chickens in a HUGE run with a 5ft fence we put up. Recently because the escapes started to occur more frequently (several times a day instead of once a week!) we had to clip the flight feathers on a few but here's my stories (sorry no pics!).
We have Silver Spangled Spitzhauben Appenzellers...two BEAUTIFUL (contrary to other peoples birds, our three (we sold one, was also perfect though) all had perfect crests and perfect spangling from Ideal Poultry) pullets (just got their red wattles, are really close to henhood!) that until we clipped their wings were escaping quite often. We'd go out when it's dusk to lock them in the shed for the night and one of them would be missing (each time a different one). We'd find them eventually after our frantic searching that they were not only WATCHING us the entire time while we searched but roosting either on top of our raised deck, ON TOP OF THE SHED, or on top of wheelbarrows or on low branches of trees. After I saw one fly up without much trouble on top of the at least 12ft tall shed's roof I decided it was time to clip their wings before they go over the neighbors fence and get lost...
Now with our Gold Ameraucana Mutt EE pullet (she has Blue-Wheaten PERFECT coloring though) from Ideal. While she's pretty close to laying herself, she is still pretty light weight and her well-grown wings didn't help either with her flying over the 5ft fence. She didn't get into as much trouble as the appenzellers but earlier this week when we had a small heatwave (temperature suddenly rose 20F) we caught her on the other side of the yard out of the run sitting in the cool green grass in the shade. Another time that same day when she escaped AGAIN she was pacing the run's fence trying to figure out how to get back in (if only she remembered how she got out!!!) to get to the water. I caught her fairly easily then and dropped her on the inside and needless to say she scurried over to the waterer. Then that SAME day when I was shutting them all in the shed for the night I couldn't spot her on the roost. Again after frantic searching around my yard I spotted her watching me...sitting on the air conditioning system thing with the fan from it blowing cool air past her... The chicken figured out where the cool air is!!! After that though because we don't want to lose her we clipped her wings...no escapes yet and I don't think she's too happy that she can't fly straight anymore!
~Ed
We have Silver Spangled Spitzhauben Appenzellers...two BEAUTIFUL (contrary to other peoples birds, our three (we sold one, was also perfect though) all had perfect crests and perfect spangling from Ideal Poultry) pullets (just got their red wattles, are really close to henhood!) that until we clipped their wings were escaping quite often. We'd go out when it's dusk to lock them in the shed for the night and one of them would be missing (each time a different one). We'd find them eventually after our frantic searching that they were not only WATCHING us the entire time while we searched but roosting either on top of our raised deck, ON TOP OF THE SHED, or on top of wheelbarrows or on low branches of trees. After I saw one fly up without much trouble on top of the at least 12ft tall shed's roof I decided it was time to clip their wings before they go over the neighbors fence and get lost...
Now with our Gold Ameraucana Mutt EE pullet (she has Blue-Wheaten PERFECT coloring though) from Ideal. While she's pretty close to laying herself, she is still pretty light weight and her well-grown wings didn't help either with her flying over the 5ft fence. She didn't get into as much trouble as the appenzellers but earlier this week when we had a small heatwave (temperature suddenly rose 20F) we caught her on the other side of the yard out of the run sitting in the cool green grass in the shade. Another time that same day when she escaped AGAIN she was pacing the run's fence trying to figure out how to get back in (if only she remembered how she got out!!!) to get to the water. I caught her fairly easily then and dropped her on the inside and needless to say she scurried over to the waterer. Then that SAME day when I was shutting them all in the shed for the night I couldn't spot her on the roost. Again after frantic searching around my yard I spotted her watching me...sitting on the air conditioning system thing with the fan from it blowing cool air past her... The chicken figured out where the cool air is!!! After that though because we don't want to lose her we clipped her wings...no escapes yet and I don't think she's too happy that she can't fly straight anymore!
~Ed
