EmmaE Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 . . . but am hoping to soon as we're having a new higher fence this coming w/end - 6' high plus trellis on top! Will that keep a White Star and a Lohmanns in? I understand White Stars can fly quite well . . . ? Should I clip their wings or not? I'd like them to be able to get out of trouble if they need to . . . My main worry is they won't go back in their run! Any advice would be most welcome . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 Personally I would clip their wings, but then my hens never free-range unless I am in the garden so I hope the risk of them needing to get away from a predator is fairly low. I don't have experience of White Stars, but 6' would be too high for any of my hens to get over, unless there is a handy launch pad (Cube, compost bin, picnic table) nearby! As for getting them back in the run, you need to train them that when you call/whistle/rattle their bowl or whatever the signal is, that means treats. It will only take a few goes to get them used to this, and it's worth doing it while they are still IN the run for a couple of times, so they get the idea! I use a handful of birdseed, or anything in the way of veg s"Ooops, word censored!"s that I have to hand, but as soon as I shout 'Chook, chook' they come running and when I throw it in the back of the run, they all pile in. Apart from the one that can't find the door that is - there's always one pacing frantically at the side of the run, trying to work out how to get inside! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnb Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 . . . but am hoping to soon as we're having a new higher fence this coming w/end - 6' high plus trellis on top! Will that keep a White Star and a Lohmanns in? I understand White Stars can fly quite well . . . ? Should I clip their wings or not? I'd like them to be able to get out of trouble if they need to . . . My main worry is they won't go back in their run! Any advice would be most welcome . . . I've let my birds out recently. We've only a three foot fence at some points and clipped their wings. So far they seem to show no inclination to wandre too far (though I suppose to some extent that depends how big your garden is). For getting them back in they've become used to people meaning food, so stand next to the ark and rattle a container with corn in it and chickens com running from under the borders. They then obediently follow me round to the ark door and go straight in for a handful of corn. Only problem was wing clipping as I had no experience so I think the first one out had a poor time as we hummed and hahhed and decided what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 I would clip their wings too. My white star did manage a vertical take off to the top of the run which was 7ft high but that was when she first arrived and was still very nervous. Chooks quickly learn that food is mainly to be found on the ground so tend not to look up that much just make sure she has nothing she can use as a stepping stone upwards. As Olly said - get them used to a treats bowl and they'll follow it everywhere, makes getting them back in the run a doddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 as above - see Useful to get them to come to whistle (or whatever) in case fox appears etc. and I needthem to run to me. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelbel Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 I've not clipped my girls' wings nor those of my last ones (one of which was a Lohmans who would jump the Omlet type fencing to get to the area of the garden I wanted chook free - but never over the fences. We have 6' fences and they show no inclination of jumping up at all - too busy head down pootling about in the borders and clipping the grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickyhazel Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 As Olly said - get them used to a treats bowl and they'll follow it everywhere, makes getting them back in the run a doddle. We don't need a treat bowl - ours follow us everywhere! Although they do know that the white pot means "corn!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaE Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 Many thanks! Can't wait to be able to let them out now . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
