[RobH]

I have built a 4m x 6m pen to keep my chickens in. The fences, which have chicken wire on, are about 1.3m hight.  I'm thinking of letting my 4 hen out of a smaller encloused run for the first time this week but I am worried about them fluttering off!! or at least going places where i dont want them to.

What do people think? do you think my fences are high enough to keep them in or should I consider clipping their wings as a precaution? I seems a bit mean but I undertstand lots of people do it?

Thanks for looking!!

[pennsylvania planters]

My first run was 3m high with no roof. One of my girls used  to climb/flap its way up the fencing and perch herself on top of one of the uprights. It was hilarious to watch the wife try and entice her down with corn and an 8 foot cane . Sorry, no advice on the clipping, my new run has a roof , .

[grumpydad]

it will depend on the breed of chicken that you have, most of the larger full sized chucks are not good flyers, but some of the smaller bantams are able to fly quite well.
as a general rule, a fence of 5 to 6 feet will be adequate for most full size and most bantams.

if you do clip their wings, remember to only clip the feathers on one wing only.

[RobH]

I've got 2 full size and 2 bantams. It looks like they maybe getting a feather trim this weekend!

[Flowerpower136]

I think a determined chuck would get over 1.3 mtr.  Wondering if a fox could get over too?
Don't know, mine's got a roof on too.

[sallylouise]

Hi, I have 3 chickens and when I first got them they were clipped I have had them now for 18 months and really should do them again but they are not intersted in flying really, however i use to come home several times and find them perching on our 6 foot fence happily chattering away to each other  ,  they are quite clever as to get up onto the fence they would of had to jump up onto the chair then onto the table but they were obviously quite happy to do this, I got too worried so I ended up being mean   :mad:and moving evereything out of their reach when they were out  , I was told if the chickens are happy and know where there food is they wont go any where 
Sally

[CWatters]

We're quite new to keeping chickens but have clipped ours twice. Once when they first arrived and were quite little then again about 6 weeks later when they grew new feathers. It's easy to do if one person holds them and the other does the trimming. Seems no worse than having a hair cut. In case it's not obvious (it wasn't to us) you only clip one wing. The idea is to make them feel out of balance. This hasn't stopped them flying up onto our log store and looking in the dining room window. The log store is about 1m 20 high so I suspect your fence isn't high enough.

[agingchick]

My Dorking girl is flying over a 2 meter fence with one wing clipped  :mad:I am going to have to put some netting over to stop her. 
Diane

[beulah59]

Our ex-batts never really take off. We're getting some POL this week ... I bet I'll be clipping them pronto!

It's going to be a whole new ball game with hybrids!

[peter o]

  One of my dorkings (mrs Biggles) has one wing clipped> she never flys out except when she sees me coming with corn. then shes in a panic to get back in for the corn.
I've got others that have flown over the fence before and have stopped since clipping a wing.