Single hen

[m0bmn]

Hi from a couple of newbie owners,

just had 4 chickens this week, a mix of breeds and all seem to be happy here, we have a wooden coop and i have just finished the run. the girls are at pol and in fact one has now started laying and we have sampled the taste of home produced eggs, very nice !

my question is should i clip the wings or not, we want the girls to beable to roam around the garden (when we are around) and we have six foot high fencing all around, any advice would be most welcome

best wishes

Anne & Paul

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum, Anne & Paul . It's probably unlikely they'd clear 6ft unless they had a launch pad (like their coop!). Also, the older they are the heavier they get and less able to fly properly. You could watch them to see if they look flighty and then clip them? Or there's no harm just clipping them all as a precaution . Sorry, that doesn't really help .

 

Congratulations on getting an egg already, btw .

[Egluntyne]

Welcome to the forum.

 

I agree with ANH that they are unlikely to clear a 6ft fence unless they can take off from the top of their coop or similar. It isn't imposssible though. I'd observe them for a few days and make a deision then.

[Hen Watch]

Mine have never got over a 6ft fence (under yes, but over no).

 

When they were younger at POL and smaller, they would clear 4ft into the veg patch. Now they are 2 yrs old and heavier, they stay happily behind their 4ft Omlet netting and never get over it unless their is a handy lauch pad nearby (like the compost bin).

 

By the way, welcome to the forum.