puffball Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Hello forum Have had this particular chicken for about 1 1/2 months now and we have clipped her wing, however she will not stop escaping! We have just put up 2 massive gates to stop her from getting out of our driveway and she appeared outside about 5 minutes later... does anyone have any ideas of how to contain the actual bird without affecting the garden as this doesnt seem to help much! Is it possible to completely stop her from flying higher than a foot or so? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Has she got a way of getting up onto a take off point such as the top of an Eglu, which is close enough to let her fly over your fence/netting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 no i think she just runs and jumps? from the looks of it she managed to fly over 5ft gates without any take off point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 What breed is she? We have a gold legbar who escapes no matter what. She jumps up on a branch then walks up it until she can jump on the chicken shed roof, then out! She's had her wing clipped & we have put up chicken mesh etc on top of the shed roof, but she flies over it. Amazing she is. I guess it is just a light weight flighty breed, same as Leghorns. Emma. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted July 25, 2010 Author Share Posted July 25, 2010 I suppose it could be the breed but she is a hybrid ginger chicken - one of the all rounders for tamness, egg laying etc that they sell for quite cheap. As far as I know they aren't supposed to be flighty birds but after re-clipping her wing just now she still got out...think I need some CCTV!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 hmmm she's just a minx then. - how high is your fencing / netting? We have ours at about 8 feet, as 4 foot wasn't enough. But there is always one who still escapes. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burtie14 Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Are you sure she's not pushing herself under a gate or through a gap? Mine are pretty adept at squeezing themselves through fairly small spaces in a bid for freedom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 My gingernut is a devil too. She can leap over omlet netting no problem and a higher fence from a downhill startpoint. I clipped a wing but it didn't make any difference. Got supercharged thighs. I have found that bending the top of the wire in slightly has stopped her.............for a bit I just keep sending her back but I wouldn't leave them in the garden without me around anyway. They can get through quite small gaps so I would check the bottom of the fence, hedge, wire. Plus side is that she stands a better chance of leaping out of trouble if you ever get a fox or dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Jane Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 My niece's neighbour keeps chickens - he apparently had a cockerel and hen fly into his garden! He has kept them and now my niece can hear the cockerel crowing in the early hours, but luckily she doesn't mind. I wonder if I can get away with that "Sorry dear, they just dropped in!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted July 30, 2010 Author Share Posted July 30, 2010 Thanks for all your replies!! I will reinforce the top and bottom of the fencing and see if that helps...if not i think maybe she is magic!! thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
