struggling to contain my free range hens

[teresarose]

so I have 4 free range hens. I live on a street in a mainly rural area, but on a street with neighbours. Our run is big enough for our hens but not huge or anything. I have been recently experiencing some issues when I let my hens out in my backyard (just under an acre). There is lots of room for them to forage, yet they keep wandering into my front yard, near the road, on my driveway, etc. I don't have a problem with it, I just shoo them back. However my dad finds it quite annoying I guess, not really sure. My neighbours kind of look at them funny when they drive by but I don't really care. Last week he found them in our front yard and lost it on them, he was so angry. It's so much work to contain them from my front yard, I never get anything done and the bugs are so bad outside I cant sit outside with them for more than five minutes, but I'd hate to leave them in their run all the time, they've eaten away at all the grass and there's nothing for them to do. They seem so much happier out but it's created a rift in my family life. What do I do?

 

[Flamens Farm]

Apparently, your dad does not want to step in chicken poo in his front yard at least that is usually what the main issue is when mine wanders to the front yard. I have plenty of land for them to roam but every once and a while they wander and I hear, OMG now I have to step in chicken S***. For their safety, I would definitely put up some kind of fence barrier so they could not go in the front yard especially by the road. Tell your dad you do not want to upset him but maybe he could help you contain them to the backyard. Not knowing the setup of your yard or your financial means that is the only suggestion I could give. Hopefully, someone else might come up with a better option for you.

 

[keesmom]

Can you build a chicken tractor that you could put them in during the day so they could have fresh pasture but be confined to a certain area? If that's too difficult how about using fencing (garden or chicken wire) to confine them in approved parts of the yard and rotate locations? Assuming they are heavy breeds unlikely to escape that is.

 

[RWise]

Sounds like a bit of fencing will solve the issue. I fence out a small area, a no poo area around the front door, my pasture is 225x150.
Good luck.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Yeah, you can't really contain them without some sort of fencing. We live on 6 acres, but in a subdivision, and our house sits pretty close to the road. The chickens have been content in the back yard for now, since they love to stay in the edge of the woods, but we have to shoo them out of the woods that head to the neighbors occasionally. When I can't stay out with them, I put them in a portable pen, and move it every few days. That way they get to eat yummy grass and clover.

 

[Cryss]

Maybe use free pallets to build a bit of fencing? If your in a country setting you can just stand them up as is and support them. If your in an area where it has to look less countrified you could deconstruct them and use the pieces creatively to build the fence complete with paint and decorations like hanging flower pots, flowers, bushes, or hostas growing in front, climbing plants and flowers growing there, whatever catches your fancy.

 

[lazy gardener]

Premier 1 sells poultry net fencing with attached step in posts that can easily be set up and moved. I suggest that you look into buying that. A 100' section would give you plenty of options to allow them to graze grass in the back yard, and you could move it around easily. You can also use a hose to blast those fresh chicken bombs into the grass so they are not an issue. Or you could get a doggie pooper scooper, and clean up after your hens. Your dad's yard, his home, his rules. It's gonna be a balancing act for you. I suggest that you do what ever you can do so you can earn the money to buy the fencing you need.