Three questions

[Adrienne-m]

Hi!
1- So we clipped flight feathers today and they can still fly. I’ve decided to let them out to free range but would like them to stay in theirs fence when nobody is home. They can fly over the fence (4.5 ft tall) even after clipping 8 feathers. Any advice?
2- Any tips to discourage them from eating all my vegetables? I don’t mind them in the garden eating bugs but they are eating all our food. Allowing them in the garden keeps them ranging close to the house which I like, but I’d like to save my veggies.
3- Does mating get less violent with age? Our flock is 4 months old. Our rooster is vicious trying to mate with the girls. Will he get more respectful with age or when the girls are laying? I love Meatball (the rooster) but the girls seem terrified when he gets in the mood.
thanks all!

 

[Weeg]

For the flying problem, we have fishing net over our fence to keep chickens on, birds of prey out. Pic for reference. I don’t know about the vegetable problem, but for the mating problem, I would purchase Painless peepers on amazon to help keep the rooster off you girls. What they do is keep them from seeing strait forward, and this makes it harder to mate a hen. I would also purchase from amazon, that will help to keep the rooster from pulling out the ladies feathers. And until the items arrive, you can seperate the roo from the flock to give him a time out.

 

[Weeg]

 

[aart]

1. Making the fence taller might work.
Post pics of fence, please.

2. Fence them out.

3. That's how they do.
Males become sexually mature at a younger age than the females.
You might need to isolate your boy, 24/7 until the girls are laying,
or at least part of the day to give the girls a break.
Or get rid of him, if you don't plan to hatch eggs, you don't need him.