# Chickens Flying



## stuparfamily (Apr 25, 2013)

Alright my dad has been very miserable lately and I left town about 2 weeks ago. When I came back he told me the chickens got they're wings clipped and he clipped them. The other day I found out he cut both wings and not just one. We came back from vacation today and found out they were in the neighbors yard several times so obviously clipping the wings didn't work. He's now fed up lanes me. Any alternatives to keep then from flying other than keeping them penned up?


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

stuparfamily said:


> Alright my dad has been very miserable lately and I left town about 2 weeks ago. When I came back he told me the chickens got they're wings clipped and he clipped them. The other day I found out he cut both wings and not just one. We came back from vacation today and found out they were in the neighbors yard several times so obviously clipping the wings didn't work. He's now fed up lanes me. Any alternatives to keep then from flying other than keeping them penned up?


yes your fence is too short
min. 6' high some small breeds can still clear a fence that high
so i only keep large breeds that don't tend to fly all that high like orpingtons

good luck
piglett


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## stuparfamily (Apr 25, 2013)

Okay thanks! Yes we have a 6ft fence surrounding the whole yard and apparently they jump up it and over. I have 3 barred rock hens an I hate to keep then penned up.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

stuparfamily said:


> Okay thanks! Yes we have a 6ft fence surrounding the whole yard and apparently they jump up it and over. I have 3 barred rock hens an I hate to keep then penned up.


you could get some poultry netting for the top
it's doesn't cost all that much
how big is their outside run?


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## stuparfamily (Apr 25, 2013)

We have a huge backyard that they roam but keep flying out of. The coop is a two story jungle gym with a ramp from the outside to the top half where the big girls are staying. The bottom half is for my new chick and 3 baby pheasants right now and then there is 5x10 fly zone with grass and is as tall as the whole coop but the big girls aren't allowed out the top to it until my chicks are bigger.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

By any chance do you know why they're flying into the neighbor's yard? Is there something good over there they want? I'd see if I could figure that out and offer them something better on their side of the fence.  And eesh, I don't think my barred rocks could clear a 6 foot fence if they wanted to. Yours must be determined!


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

A covered pen will be you best bet since you have neighbors.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Extending your fencing beyond points of solid landing or placing wires along the same will knock down the birds when they fly/hop to that surface and they cannot safely land there to hop down on the other side. 

The only other alternative is investing in some good electric poultry netting, which is surprisingly cheap and has the duofold purpose of keeping out predators as well. Good stuff and worth the money invested, has the push in posts already built into the netting and it's an easy fix. 

Trust me...they won't come anywhere near the E-netting.


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## stuparfamily (Apr 25, 2013)

I may look into the electric fence. It's just my yards massive and that may be a costly fix. What they are doing is jumping up on the fence then flying down to the other side. Someone said I should maybe put Vaseline on the top so they don't have a grip? Any ideas?


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Extending fencing or just straight wires above the spot on which they jump up will deflect their bodies down when they attempt it. Without a solid surface on which to land and with the wire mesh or wire blocking where they fly to, they are often foiled in their attempts.


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## GratefulGirl (Sep 10, 2012)

Bee do you recommend a particular e netting brand?


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Naw...we found a great deer netting at Lowe's but I don't remember the brand...it wasn't the real fine and flimsy bird or deer netting, was 4 ft. x 50 ft. Sturdy stuff and lasts a long time.

Found it!! Here's a pic of a roll and I'll post a link also.... Blue Hawk brand!










Here's what the mesh looks like in use, as posted pics by Lowe's..









http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1


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## GratefulGirl (Sep 10, 2012)

Thanks Bee!


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## stuparfamily (Apr 25, 2013)

I've extended the fence in the part that they are jumping up onto and so far they've not escaped!(knock on wood)! The fence is now some 7 feet high. I'd love to see them make it over that!


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## mcchicken (Mar 24, 2013)

My girls looked at my electric fencing and laughed in fact they will try and balance on it. Even after they got shocked. Dumb. I have regular fencing with two wires of electric fencing running around the top. The bigger birds won't try it. But the smaller ones have no problem getting over. Very determined little creatures.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Yeah, regular high tensile electric fence doesn't seem to phase them. The electric poultry netting is somewhat different as the top is saggy and soft and cannot be balanced upon and the whole darn fence is electric, so any contact whatsoever is a shocking experience!


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## mamacitalujan (Jul 14, 2013)

I was told to only clip one wing so that when they fly the fly off-balance. Clipping both the wings still gives them the same balance; Which is what we don't want.


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## yessi_boo (May 4, 2013)

I once had the same issues and my neighbors started to complain. I have oegb's so it was VERY easy for them to clear the fence. Late i found out my chickens were going there because they thought it would be cute to feed them and call them so their toddler could see them but got mad when they notice that they have to poop sometimes. It took us FOREVER to get them to break the habit. In the end, we kindly told our neighbors to stop calling them, feeding them, and petting them. Also, we told them that when they saw them in the yard to chase them away with a broom (for some reason my whole flock flees at the mere sight of a broom). The nerve of my neighbors! Complaining yet they were the ones who took the time to learn the call I trained them to come to their yard!!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

yessi_boo said:


> I once had the same issues and my neighbors started to complain. I have oegb's so it was VERY easy for them to clear the fence. Late i found out my chickens were going there because they thought it would be cute to feed them and call them so their toddler could see them but got mad when they notice that they have to poop sometimes. It took us FOREVER to get them to break the habit. In the end, we kindly told our neighbors to stop calling them, feeding them, and petting them. Also, we told them that when they saw them in the yard to chase them away with a broom (for some reason my whole flock flees at the mere sight of a broom). The nerve of my neighbors! Complaining yet they were the ones who took the time to learn the call I trained them to come to their yard!!


pen up the neighbors, let the chickens free range


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