Prolapsed vent - am I getting it right?

[Cyber Chook]

My five young ladies arrived mid-April. I set up the Omlet netting run around the Cube, and was amazed that, within the hour, Olive had very nearly succeeded in flying over the top of the netting.

 

Now today, Audrey just took off and sailed right over Luckily her beady eyes were distracted by a handful of corn and it was easy to catch her. She didn't try to run off, but our garden isn't secure (neighbour's fence is down in places), so it was lucky I saw her.

 

Do you think maybe their wing feathers weren't clipped short enough by the nice Omlet chap on arrival? I can't easily tell. The run is nice and upright, no saggy low bits (unlike me).

Also, it's only set out over quite a small area, so it isn't as if I can reduce their take-off runway by much.

 

Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions as to what to do? I don't want to leave them in their little Cube run all day, and we're still saving up for a permanent run.

 

Caroline

[foreveryoung]

did the just clip the one wing???

 

 

 

if not then its because their are even (if that makes sence?)

[Egg Lou]

I'm sorry I can't offer much advice as a novice myself, however I am sure the wings are clipped enough as Omlet chaps seem to really know their stuff! I did mine myself after being shown how..but as I found out yesterday all mine can still fly (after a fashion) as flew/skimmed jumped from one end of garden to the other.. was surprised how weel they did fly but it was only a foot or two off the ground.

 

Not sure what will help you but I guess you should make sure the netting is well away from any "launching" pads

[Egluntyne]

Mine have never managed it from ground level, but have sailed over from the top of the Eglu run.

 

Could this be the case with yours?

 

I had to shift things about a bit to stop it.

[beach chick]

definitely avoid 'launching pads' - so make sure netting is far enough away from anything they could climb.

also, make sure the netting is stretched tightly enough so it doesnt droop too low, but also not so tight it can provide a foothold (process of trial and error I think).

also worth making sure it is well pegged down at the bottom, as when mine werent flying, they were tunnelling...!

[chickenanne]

When they get older they do get heavier whislt there wings don't really grow to keep up - so they get progressively more rubbish at flying - they also seem to lose the urge!

No consolation now though. I think no launch-pad and once they settle in they'll be less nervy therefore less interested in flying anyway.

[Cyber Chook]

Thanks everyone. I love this forum!

 

Yes, their wings were only clipped on one side. And no, they do launch themselves straight off the ground, with the minimum of runway apparently required. I have a cube, not an eglu, so they don't even have anything they can stand on to give them that extra take-off advantage.

 

I obviously have very athletic (as well as intelligent AND beautiful) girls.

 

Audrey took off like a Harrier Jump Jet.

 

I'll have to feed them lots of corn so they get too fat and lazy to bother any more

 

It's reassuring to hear that they get progressively more rubbish at flying - that really made me laugh, Chickenanne.

 

Caroline

[ajm200]

We've got one hen that can still fly short distances despite a clipped wing.

If Omlet clipped their wings when they arrived, you might need to check them and give them a trim as we found that some of their flight feathers had regrown a month after they arrived as they'd been through a mini moult.

 

If all else fails, cut all the flight feathers on one wing rather than just the first 5. It worked to keep poppy off the top of the 6 foot fence . She can't get much height now but does some long low level swoops to get to treats, etc.

[surferdog]

Coco can fly with a clipped wing as well. She sailed across from the wall to land on the patio table and then looked very surprised to find herself there. Was'nt sure how to get down though - she ended up half climbing, half sliding down the chairs with much squawking and flapping

[superjules]

My skylines are a bit too good at flying for my liking, but then they are not as substantially built as my other hybrids. I wouldn't clip their wings any further back though as you might make them bleed. They do get worse at flying, my Daffodil (2 years old) rarely gets any higher than 6 inches off the ground now! Also, if they're not laying that makes a difference, maybe the eggs weigh them down!!

[chickenanne]

One of mine does the jump-jet-launches, too, though only when she considers her servants are being too slow dishing out the treats! She can "boing" onto our knees very easily if sitting down. She used to be able to get to shoulders, (at about 18 weeks old) but not now (at about 48 weeks).

[Bondinho]

My poland can launch from the ground (directly under a fence) and land perfectly on the top of the 6ft fene - and that is with a wing clipped! Luckily she only did it the once and obviously didn't like what she saw as she jumped straight back down into my garden again.

 

I have to say I can't see how the Omlet netting can really prevent the more streamlined chooks from flying over them as it is only about 4ft high isn't it?

[..lay a little egg for me]

We have the electrified netting and so far (keeps fingers crossed) none of ours have attempted to get out. I think that once they know the fence can 'bite' they don't want to get too close to it. Mind you we have lots of launching points as they are in the orchard but none have managed to work out how to get up into the trees either. The highest I have seen them jump/fly is about 2 ft. We've had them since late March so they must be about the same age as yours, Caroline.

 

I prefer the peace of mind knowing that they are protected by the electric fence and I didn't trust my cats and the neighbour's jack russell not to get tangled up in the fence if it wasn't electrified.

[DW]

My omlet netting is mainly used round the legs of our trampline, with just one movable 'extension' out onto the lawn. One of our girls escaped from this in the early days, so since then I've draped black plastic netting (the sort you put over fruit bushes to keep the birds off) over the top - securing it to the poles with bulldog clips. It works a treat!

 

D.

[Abbey Road Girl]

I am a bit sad (but also relieved) that my hens limit themselves to a few basketball jumps for the remnants of bindweed.

 

I did love the few "foot off the ground" flying efforts they made before turning into more dignified (though still squabbling) matrons.

[ajm200]

The omlet netting tends to work as they only like to land on what appears to be a solid surface. Ours used to jump right over t from the top of the cube but have never tried to land on it.

[psapie]

When ours first arrived from Omlet (clipped by the nice Omlet chap) they could fly over the Omlet netting if they wanted to, which was a little worrying - perhaps it should be a foot or so higher!

 

I have now made something much higher and more substantial.

 

Good fun.

[Tiggy]

2 of mine take a run at the eglu & try to jump off but they always slide off onto the ground first, Edina managed to fly over the netting from a standing start once & they have all managed to get under the netting where I have not pegged it because It is my way in, now they are older & heavier flying over the net is less of a problem

[Cyber Chook]

I love hearing about other people's chicken stories.

 

I've discovered that even when they do manage to fly over, they don't go far, preferring to stay near to their chicken chums on the other side of the net, so I'm less worried now.

 

Having said that, yesterday my neighbour stuck his head over the fence and said "We have a little guest", and there was Audrey busily sorting out his shrub border.

 

Never a dull moment

 

Caroline