Have some new hybrid chickens yesterday of the star variety, the run is about 16ft x 12ft, it is 6ft high all round most wood fencing and some welded mesh. Hens seemed like they were settling in well then around last light I noticed one of them in the garden which i coaxed back in, then later one one perched on top of the fence. I was told that 6ft would be high enough so decided not to mesh overhead which was not to my liking. Not sure if i have to clip their wings, not sure how. I was told these birds aren't flighty, they are docile creatures. Any suggestions
My new chickens are flying out of the run
- Thread starter careyking
- Start date
Most young POL pullets are quite flighty, especially when getting used to new surroundings, but they do settle down once they start to lay and get used to their new home. Are your birds White Stars or Silver Stars? White Stars are a Leghorn cross, and their flying talents come from the Leghorn breeding. If you can cover the top of your run with garden netting, the sort you would use to keep butterflies off your vegetables will do, it will stop them flying out as they won't be able to perch on top of the sides of your run and will bounce back harmlessly off the netting. Of course it would actually be good to cover the top with proper mesh, as although these birds will soon stop flying out, a fox could get up and over 6ft with no trouble at all.
Thankyou. These are Gold and Black star, i think neither have leghorn in them, RIR and light sussex/marran i think. Looks like i will have to get some netting first thing tomorow and quite an area to cover. Looked on youtube at how to trim flight feathers, I could do this as a safeguard tomorow though i guess netting is the way to go in the long term, Just startling to see one perched above my head looking somewhat nonchalant. Thanks
I use plastic bean netting over the top of my pens which keeps them in. The finer meshed plastic fruit netting will do as well. Is there no-one in the vacinity that could show you how to clip wings. Young birds are a bit flighty and they should settle especially when they get well into lay. The birds you have are quite heavy, or will be. White Stars are pure White Leghorn, a light breed and are the best flyers so you are lucky.
Even if you clip wings, if they can flutter on to the roof of the coop, they are half way to escaping so you need to take that into account.
Even if you clip wings, if they can flutter on to the roof of the coop, they are half way to escaping so you need to take that into account.
charliefox
New member
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2012
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 0
hi fancy telling someone that a fox can climb 6 foot fencing with ease why bother putting a fence round at all might as well put a sign on the front gate saying mr fox help your self sometimes i despair ? uncle fox
Sue
New member
Hi careyking. I clipped the wings of my POL's when they arrived 12 months ago as a precaution as the fence between us and next door was 6' and they had a dog who would kill them if they got over! Once they knew where home was they weren't interested in escaping! They have now moulted and got nice new feathers and I haven't trimmed their wings this time. Now of course they are much heavier anyway and probably couldn't get over even if they tried!
my run is almost 7 ft high with sharp garden wire threaded around it coming out at about a 75 degree angle i think might be more and i used the strongest netting i could get via the garden company harrods and it was pretty cheap considering the area i needed to cover its been up 4 yrs now and hasnt even started to give way and its had branches on it everything even me whacking it with a broom to get the snow of ,its not what flys out its what flys in or climbs in thats the probelm .farmer freinds of mine have seen foxes go over 8 ft fencing before and get thier birds so 6 ft is easy to them .
