Gavahen23 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Help! I am a new hen owner and am fed up with the chickens invading the garden near the house - onto our patio and eating the new plants, even the cat food given half a chance! We've put up a length of light weight mesh on bamboo posts in concreted flower pots half way down the garden, about 4' 6" high. It's been pegged down to stop them crawling underneath and the ends are secure - but still they get through. The mesh is fine as it gives a clear view down the garden but is the height sufficient? If you've constructed a successful see-through garden partition I'd love to hear how to do it. Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Do they have any launch pads near the netting? i.e. are they jumping up onto a plant pot, and then from the flower pot getting up over the fence? They can be very cunning - especially with nice plants to munch!! The omlet netting is very good - we use that around the veg patch and (touch wood) they haven't got over it yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I used omlet netting to begin with then used this wire fencing from B&Q. They don't go through or over it, only the gate I haven't really sorted out. Its easy to put up you buy metal stakes to secure it to. http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9426502&ecamp=trf-005&CAWELAID=266985184 With the omlet netting which I still use along flower beds and to make small runs they can jump over or if they panic one has got caught in it before now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelbel Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I got mine from here - delivered within a couple of days. I've set up a run with a 'cover' with it (no fox comments please -I've had them all on the fence thread I started ) and sectioned off a FR area of the garden. Joy did a standing jump over ithe FR area fencing the other day - but I was trying to get her in and she was having non of it. On their own they are perfectly OK with it (assuming there is no gaps at the bottom). Grace is a bit short sighted (I think) and could not see the way to FR yesterday so she tried climbing through one of the 'holes' of the netting. Anyway - I am going to let them out of their secure run now. Hope they cheer me up - I have just been diagnosed with a nasty ear infection that has caused my right eardrum to perforate. No doubt caught from being out in raid, drizzle, mist and fog with my girls without suitable clothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Just wondered if you've clipped their wings? On their first excursion last night, we found one of ours can fly remarkably well! I don't think 4 ft 6 would be enough to stop her, so we are going to clip them today before they are let out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanTheDiver Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Clipping helps but doesn't stop them. Lucy managed to fly higher than our net last night, not actually over it thank goodness Remember to only clip one wing as this makes flying more difficult and they are one-sided Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelbel Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 The lovely lady I got my girls from said clipping does not make a difference - as I asked her to show me how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Remember to only clip one wing as this makes flying more difficult and they are one-sided Yes, we're only going to do one side. Gwennie is a very good flyer and I don't think it will stop her, but it might slow her down. I just hope we have tolerant neighbours as I'm sure she'll be in their garden before long as the fence is only 5ft on their side and it's their fence so we can't do anything about it *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 We use ordinary chicken wire to fence off any veggies we don't want the hens to eat yet. We use thin garden canes to support it so that they can't land before they fly over. We have found that they don't fly over if they can't land first (or are my chooks different.) The wire is only about 2 feet high! I'm not a fan of wing clipping as they may need to get out of trouble one day and not being able to fly up would put them in danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CluckyBucks Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Hello and welcome to the forum Gavahen23 I would recommend sectioning off a FR area in the garden with some omlet netting, or sectioning off the bits of the garden you dont want the chickens to mess up best of luck xx xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomeena Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I must be very lazy. Put homebase plastic mesh around my fav plants and anything else the girls can nibble. Not that there is much to nibble. The gate to the veg garden is only 3ft but they dont seem intrested. Now ive said thet they will prob be in there like a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavahen23 Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 My grateful thanks for all the suggestions I have recieved. These hens are cleverer then you think! Wings were clipped when I first got them, I have since seen them flying. Cleaning the cube this afternoon, they were not far away enjoying the autumn sun and not being the usual escapologists. Will try various suggestions, my thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
