David

[wayne]

Hi ive been looking at a few topics on here ( old topics ) about peoples hens jumping over to next doors garden and just wanted to know more about how high hens can jump and how high you should or how high some of your fences are in your gardens do any of you find your hens jumping over the gardens ?

[chocchick]

My 5 foot approx chickenwire fence keeps the chickens in. I find it is more learned behaviour and learning where they are supposed to be that keeps them in. Katy has perched on it and flown out, so they could make it, but it's rare they try, and that was when I was cleaning out the nest and she wanted to lay. I don't actually clip wing. It tend to be lighter breeds of birds, e.g. bantams and the younger ones-especially in their first few days, that try. If I let them out of the pen I find they feel it is their right to escape, so I'm being consistant about keeping them in their own area, and they ignore the gap in the chickenwire when I go out, instead of pushing through.

[wayne]

What type of breeds are not known for jumping flying over fences then i will look them up i do have a 6ft fence so any breeds anyone thinks will be ok for this i dont mind having the wings cliped its just i no some can jump pritty high that is what im a bit worried about

[Karen & co.]

Cochins are very unlikely to fly over the fence, just because they are a big ball of feathers and too lazy

 

karen x

[The Pearsons]

Princess (Skyline) can clear a 6 foot fence and it is really a great jumper. Maybe she will make the Olympics High Jump squad!!!

 

Helen in Hume

[Snowy]

Of mine, the crested legbar/araucana/blue egg layer types seem to be quite skittish. They often go past me at head height, but none have tackled the 6' fence yet (although they could probably do it easily). Also Little Bo my white chicken can leap and fly quite high. And they all have their wings clipped. The gingernuts and pepperpots don't even TRY to get off the ground unless forced, and they come back down again very quickly!

[chelsea]

Cochins are very unlikely to fly over the fence, just because they are a big ball of feathers and too lazy

 

 

Thats why we have cochins!!!

 

Orpingtons, Brahma's, and other big hens have trouble flying. Check out the breed guide on this website it will tell you all about the flyers/non flyers.

We got some new hens back along which were very flighty, so flighty that one of them flew above the top of our caravan which is just over 7 feet tall. So we took those hens back and got the cochins!!

[Karen & co.]

I watched one of my leghorns fly over the trampoline yesterday, and not come down for a good distance after that, bearing in mind the trampoline is about 13 foot across and she was really high above it

 

karen x

[arowland17]

we have 2 gingernuts (or very similar to gingernuts) and they don't really try to fly much - they'll half run half fly if they're the other end of the garden and we come out the back door, and they'll jump ontop of a cupboard that's about window height and see if they can see any signs of treats in the kitchen but that's about it! One of them once attempted to fly onto the parasol in the summer but it was a disaster as not very stable and sloped so she had to keep flying to stay on and that was the last time she did that!

We only let ours out for an hour or so in the evening after work and at weekends to free range as we like to supervise due to foxes but they don't even seem to be interested in flying, too much grass to eat and flowerbeds to dig up! My mum's chickens free range all day every day and she's had to go over to the neighbours a couple of times when they've flown over the 5foot fence and settled down in their flowerbeds!!

Ssaying that, neither my hens or my mum's have clipped wings so if they did they probably wouldn't get out as much.

[chocolatedog]

My 3 don't tend to fly up as such - but they do fly along the ground to try to get from A to B more quickly, and once Ginger flew over a bush - about 3 ft in height - but she's never done it since.....and I haven't clipped their wings. My wall and fences are only about 4 1/2 feet high but they still don't seem to want to attempt it. (Now I've said that no doubt one of them will go and prove me wrong later..... ) BTW they're a Bovans Nera, a Rhode Star and a Speckled Star - all medium sized hybrids.....

[Shirl]

My Pekins will jump/flap into one of my trees but it's only about 3ft high at the lowest point they can perch on. I have 2 silkie crosses and they are very good fliers. One flew on top of the shed the other day when the dog got into their part of the garden. They have escaped in to a tree adjoining next door's garden but they've only done it when frightened by the dogs. Generally they are quite well behaved, I was going to get a few wings slipped but decided that as they only flew when threatened it would be wise not to get them clipped. My do free range all day though so just incase Mr fox should visit theye have got a chance of escape.

[chocolatedog]

My Pekins will jump/flap into one of my trees but it's only about 3ft high at the lowest point they can perch on. I have 2 silkie crosses and they are very good fliers. One flew on top of the shed the other day when the dog got into their part of the garden. They have escaped in to a tree adjoining next door's garden but they've only done it when frightened by the dogs. Generally they are quite well behaved, I was going to get a few wings slipped but decided that as they only flew when threatened it would be wise not to get them clipped. My do free range all day though so just incase Mr fox should visit theye have got a chance of escape.

 

My thoughts exactly - at least they can escape if the need was urgent - a stray dog might be able to get into my garden and I didn't like the idea of the girls not being able to escape in an absolute emergency. Of course if they decide to stretch their wings and explore my neighbours' gardens I may have to think again........