Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[Mr Rhode Island Red]

All 3 of my Ancona cockerels (aged about 20 weeks old) are constantly flying over the run fence and into the garden.

 

a few days ago I trimmed back one wing on each cockerel, as this is supposed to be sufficient to unbalance them while flying, which eventually will put them off it all together.

 

But no, no sooner had I the wing trimmed and they were flying over the run fence again.

 

Now I know that the Ancona is known to be an excellent flyer, but I wasn't going to be chasing cockerels around the garden for the rest of my holidays.

 

So the next day, I trimmed the other wing on each cockerel, so they would have no wing on either side.

 

But still, they fly over the run fence

 

Anybody have any ideas as to how I can get them to stay put, and stop flying over the fence.

 

Thanks,

 

Mr Rhode Island Red

[fluffy chick]

I had the same problem with some exbats which had next to no feathers by the time I'd finished poor things. But they kept flying over and I couldn't justify a walk in run for them so I had to rehome them. Sorry not much help but can sympathise!

[Snowy]

Some of them are such determined flyers that you will always have your hands full with them!

Several options:

- make sure they have plenty to do on their own side of the fence - what is it they can see that looks more attractive?

- increase the height of the fence - some floppy netting above the existing fence may help. Floppy is better than rigid as they can't stand on it to launch themselves over the other side.

- make sure they aren't using a launch pad. if they have something high to give them a head start, they will use it.

I had to do these with my veg patch as the gold campine and whitestar were determined to get in there, it looked like fort knox by the time I'd finished

[Sammiboo]

sometimes by clipping both wings it can even their balance. When i worked at a bird sanctuary we had a homing pigeon that decided a old ladys house was his home. He was brought to us (60 miles away) we clipped his wing and thought that would do the trick. Old lady called to say its back again. We then severly clipped both wings... a few days later the lady called to say back again.

 

To cut a long story short if they are determined enough to get over the fence they will!!

 

My amberlinks used to go over the fence to next door when i first got them, the furthest they have got is ontop of the shed or fence and they just jump back down again.

[Henergy]

I've had a couple of escapees too. I realised that I'd not been brave enough with my snipping - so found a how to video on Youtube & followed that.

 

I'm not sure whether its just folklore or whether my breeder was winding me up (probably ) but he told me to trim the left wing rather than the right !!!!!

[vickichicky]

I'm not sure whether its just folklore or whether my breeder was winding me up (probably ) but he told me to trim the left wing rather than the right !!!!!

 

No I have read that on here too - apparently they are slightly heavier on their left side!

[Olly]

The point of wing-clipping is to unbalance them, so you usually only clip one wing.

 

At 20 weeks your chaps are still growing, I don't have much experience of cockerels but I know that with young hens their body weight is still quite low in proportion to size at this age - as they grow older and fill out a bit, they probably won't find it so easy to take off.