Two girls escaped! Fencing question.

Background: our 1/10 acre backyard is fenced, 4' high.

I was eating my lunch and reading some postings on here when I had the thought, "I'll go check and see how our new blue rooster is doing." Put on my boots and a coat and go outside, with bits of cheese and egg collector in hand. I had let three of my eggers out to get some sun, and the last I'd seen of them, they were on my backyard deck, eating some quinoa I'd sprinkled for them. But as I walk down the hill to the animal area, I see only one chicken (Cream) in the yard, and she's just coming out from under the deck. Huh?

Walk around, calling their names, like they're gonna come running. But they usually do, especially when they know I have snacks. Only Cream came. I put her in the egger kennel, and start back up the hill, making snack sounds (crinkling plastic). My kid comes out of the back door, hat and mittens on, obviously on a mission. He starts out of the gate and we both stop short. There's Brownie, trying to get back into the backyard, but couldn't get through the holes in the fencing! Kid picks her up and throws her over, and by the time I get her back to the egger kennel, Kid comes back into the yard with Libby, my last missing chicken.

He'd been doing his schoolwork in the front room, the windows. Heard chicken noises and looked out. There's Libby, our fav white and black egger, just scratching and meandering around. And cooing.


Cream, Libby, Lola, Brownie

All back in their kennel, safe and sound. For now.

I didn't think there were any holes in the fence. So that means Brownie and Libby flew over the 4' tall fence. Which they are more than capable of doing. But this was their first time. Does that mean they will do it again, the next chance they get? I don't have the money to add another 2 feet to the top of the fence, and don't have the money to fence our property's perimeter (2 acres, 6' tall woodslat fence).

What do I do?

 

Bummer. Really didn't want to clip wings. Maybe if I'm actually out with them when they have the "outside" time... and can catch them then?

Wow. Super bummed.

 

I think I'll get some 7-8' t-posts, put them at intervals, and attach deer netting. Should make it too tall for them. Meanwhile, they don't go out of their "kennel" unless I'm there to supervise.

Gave the wing-clipping some thought and just don't think I can do that. Read lots of info that said a determined chicken will still find a way to escape.

Hoping this spring or summer we can build a nice long completely-enclosed run so I won't have to worry. We have lots of predators here (foxes, coyotes, dogs, mountain lion, hawks, etc.) so I'm thinking one with top netting (hardware cloth) is necessary.

Thanks!

 

ohhhdear... good to know. Thnx.