Will my 5.5' fence keep my Australorps in?

[blurose]

Without reading any of the other replies, I'd have to say a big, "no it won't keep them in." I'm speaking from my own personal experience. I've clipped wings, got them in a 5-1/2 ft chainlink fence and covered, with the exception of the cherry tree, with bird netting looped over PVC pipe arches. I still had one of my australorps get out just last week, via the cherry tree I think, up and over the henhouse, into the neighbor's yard next door and got herself shot and killed. Lovely neighbor I have, right?

 

[petercriddell]

Killed a chicken? Man, your neighbor has some unresolved issues. I'm very sorry about your loss. It's sad that there are dudes with that kind of anger running around.
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[blue fire]

I think my chickens might not jump the fence because they really have no need to jump real high so the have not practiced. Their roost is only 1ft off the floor and we don't have trees with low limbs...... Guess it depends on how they are raised as to if they will jump the fence.

 

[Preservation Acres]

When they're very young, they'll be able to fly over, but by the time they're about 9 months old or so, they won't even care to try.

 

[PacsMan]

I have a 4 foot chain link fence. At first, all of them flew up and over. Each time I found one over the fence, she got he wings clipped. They're a year old now, and don't bother trying.

Although I did have one escape while I was on vacation. A neighbor who also has chickens “forgot” to count them as she put them away each night.

We finally found “Pecker” at the county animal shelter. (Another neighbor had turned her in) When I called them, they said if this was my chicken it would be almost $75 to get her back. (Fees, Penalties, 3 days of housing, food, etc…) “But…” she said with a wink, “if you want to adopt this chicken we just found it’s only a dollar.”

Who says all government agencies are heartless bureaucrats?