Gashead Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Hi Can't wait to get my chickens but I have a few questions. We have a fence on one side of our garden but not on the other. How high can a chicken fly if it's it's wing is clipped? I can't really afford to put up a permanent fence so I was thinking of making something temporary from wooden/plastic stakes that can be hammered in with a mallet that could move around the garden. The chickens would only be this whilst we are in the garden so it doesn't need to be fox proof. If I made something like this how high would it need to be to contain them successfully? Is there something like this commercially available (has to be small about 10m or so). Clearly the chickens would like to be out and about but are they happy to stay in the eglu run for extended periods? If they do escape to the neigbours gardens how easy is it to entice them back (with bribes!) or would it be necessary to go and get them? Thanks in advance!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Hi, and welcome to the forum! This is the best place to get your questions answered. How high can a chicken fly if it's wing is clipped? Depends a bit on the breed - mostly, not much more than 3-4 feet high, but there will be someone else along on here telling you theirs can fly over 6'! I was thinking of making something temporary from wooden/plastic stakes that can be hammered in with a mallet that could move around the garden. The chickens would only be this whilst we are in the garden so it doesn't need to be fox proof. If I made something like this how high would it need to be to contain them successfully? Is there something like this commercially available Take a look in the Omlet shop - they sell netting, it's not cheap but it is very effective. You could try creating the same sort of thing yourself, with plastic stakes etc, but I think most people reckon it's not much cheaper. The Omlet stuff is quite long, it's always worth posting in the 'Wanted/For Sale' section on here, there might be someone who has cut theirs in half and wants to sell a shorter bit? The height of the Omlet netting will give you an idea of what you need. If they do escape to the neigbours gardens how easy is it to entice them back (with bribes!) or would it be necessary to go and get them? When they are new, they may be quite hard to catch; once they come into lay, they tend to be a bit more docile (although some breeds, especially white chickens, are more flighty than others!) Most chickens will do anything for food, so it's worth getting them used to a particular treat bowl - get a brightly-coloured dog bowl or something similar - then if you need to get them back in the run in a hurry, it should make it easier. However, they are not the brightest of birds - throw a treat through the open run door, and mine will charge up and down OUTSIDE the run, wondering why they can't get to it! Clearly the chickens would like to be out and about but are they happy to stay in the eglu run for extended periods? Yes, they are fine - we'd all like to let our chickens out for longer, but for most of us the risk of them being 'foxed' makes that impossible. Mine are in the run all day, five days a week, at this time of year and they are perfectly ok. You can put something like a cabbage in the run to keep them entertained, but they will not suffer from being confined - the Eglu run is designed to meet welfare standards. Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken-keeping, you won't regret it I promise you! Are you getting an Eglu, what colour is it, and how many chickens are you getting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gashead Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 Hi Olly Thanks for the great advice. We are getting a purple , blue or pink eglu ! The debate is still raging! In terms of the chickens we are getting 2, a pepperpot and a gingernut. So with these breeds can they only fly to 3-4 feet as you mentioned? As you say they may be able to fly higher occasionally (if they really try hard!) I don't mind them escaping every so often I just don't want them to be constantly escaping and the fence being pointless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 If you position the Eglu so that they can't use it as a launch pad over the fence, there should be few problems. I would clip one wing on each hen. That makes take off more difficult as it unbalances them. On the two occasions that mine have escaped into other peoples gardens I have had to go round and retrieve them. You get odd looks when you walk down the road with a hen tucked under your arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Well is but so are the other colours really! Of my four, the chicken that flies best is the biggest one, Sadie who is a speckledy - she's huge, but can take off and land on top of the Cube. The other three can only manage large flaps, usually when they think they are missing out on some sort of treat. None of them has ever got over the six-foot fence, though. Bet you can't wait for delivery day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I have Omlet hens with one clipped wing. When younger (and lighter) they could clear 4ft netting into hubbies veg patch and eat it but they never got over my 6ft garden fences. I have Omlet netting which I highly recomend as I move it round the garden regularily. Not cheap but I got the 25m one and cut it up so it forms 2 sides of their enclosure and the back and side garden fences are the other 2 sides. The Omlet netting is only 4 ft but I find my girls are now older and heavier and they have never escaped over it unless I carelessly leave a launch pad too close to the fence. Have fun choosing eglu colours...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ives Clan Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Most of our girls are happy spending their time on the ground except for our White Star. Lovely girl but is always up to something. Not long after we had her she was perched on top of our pergola some 8 foot up (wing chipped). She has clammed down alot and has settled for on top of the rotary line on several ocassions. We now move it when not in use. The Omlet hens are fine so if you are worried about fights stick to the Omlet hens and buy the tempory net fencing they sell. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farrowy Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Hiya!! Bet you can't wait till your girls arrive We have found the Omlet netting to be really good - so easy to move about and also doesn't really stick out like a sore thumb cos of the dark green colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katyed Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Hi We have had hens over a month and so far it is great! We keep them in the run and let them out when we are in the house. The fence around the entire garden is somwhere between 5 and 6ft and they have never made any attempts on it. We have now sectioned off a bit of the garden for them - we were getting a bit tired of chicken poo everywhere! The section fence is only about waist height. One of the hens has noticed she can reach the handy perching bit of wood on the gate and occasionally jumps over. I think they can learn that they shouldn't though as we have put her back a couple of times and now she just pecks happily around her alloted area. The other two hens haven't tried at all. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam1 Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Hi we have had our two since end of august. Dont like to speak to soon but we only have 4 ft fences in our garden and they have not yet (touch wood) gone over next door! They do like to jump on to the garden table chairs and bench think they are trying to get a better look nosing into the house to see what we are up to or if any treats are round the corner! Cam mya velma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
