4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[OllieNLucys Mum]

Following a series of family problems it has taken me until this weekend to get my leccy fencing up and running and move the cube and all 4 chickens into it.

 

All seemed to be going well not too much pecking etc. We were just about to leave for home when we heard a huge squawking noise. Luckily my daughter went back onto the yard as Ollie had escaped.

 

Well I finally managed to catch him by which time one of the girls nearly made it over.

 

Ollie is a leghorn, Lucy a maran and Phoebe and Chicken are welsummers. Whilst they had been free ranging I had never seen them more than flap a bit but now they are safely behind the fencing they have formed an escape commitee ,

 

It's a shame as now they are all shut up in the cube run, it does have an extension but Ollie paces all the time desperate to be out. He loves it when he can free range but can only do this when i am there. I had hoped to leave them behind the leccy fencing and just put them into the safety of cube run at night.

 

So what to do? I am reluctant to clip their wings as what if a fox does get in the fencing.

 

Also i would be worried I'd hurt them

[CluckyBucks]

Hello

 

IF your going to clip wings,only clip one because it makes their flight unbalanced, but doesnt usually totally stop them from achieving good height. As long as you dont cut too far down, it shouldnt hurt them i would think.

 

Maybe you could invest in a higher fence? of foxwatch? alot of people try lion poo YUM and this is supposed to deter foxes apparently... foxes are great diggers, alot of people under-estimate their capabilitys. OR i suppose a nice row of Prikka-strips (search them on google) lines around your fence would stop any over-the-fence intruders.

 

Hope this helps you

 

xx xx

[Gamebird]

My girls have been protected with electric fencing for well over a year now.

 

At first 3 of them did fly over the top but since I clipped their wings (one wing only per bird) there have been no more escapees.

 

I found

useful and also these photos on the Omlet website.