[TeaPots]

But only so she can watch what everyone is doing (she hasnt got a net curtain to peep behind), not so she can escape and fly away to pastures new.

[wolverine]

Still not clipped my lou she has been feathered again now for weeks and hasn't flew over the fence ( if she has not why I've been watching  I do belive she is planning something though I can see it in her eyes

[Lindeggs]

Still not clipped my lou she has been feathered again now for weeks and hasn't flew over the fence ( if she has not why I've been watching  I do belive she is planning something though I can see it in her eyes

Hmmm... That's got me thinking.  If you clip a hen's flight feathers I know you have to do it again each time she moults, as she grows new feathers.  But will she have learned by then that she can't fly over the fence, and therefore stop trying?  Or will she give it another go once she has grown her new feathers?  I wonder what experiences people can share?

[wolverine]

The reasons I have decided to leave her are
1 if I had the ability to fly and somebody took it away from my I would be majorly anoyed

2 I am hoping like you say that she may have forgottn she can and stop trying but I doubt that she is getting more adventerous

3 my girls are never locked up except at night I prefer to risk a fox that keep them cooped up. and if the fox does come I hope now she has a bit more of a chance being able to fly if she can remember but I recon instinct will kick in

I hope I'm not being foolish they all seem happy in my yard at present and with all the food we give them why would the want to fly away. ?

[Pertelotte]

The reasons I have decided to leave her are
1 if I had the ability to fly and somebody took it away from my I would be majorly anoyed

2 I am hoping like you say that she may have forgottn she can and stop trying but I doubt that she is getting more adventerous

3 my girls are never locked up except at night I prefer to risk a fox that keep them cooped up. and if the fox does come I hope now she has a bit more of a chance being able to fly if she can remember but I recon instinct will kick in

I hope I'm not being foolish they all seem happy in my yard at present and with all the food we give them why would the want to fly away. ?

A-ha! That's what I thought! The good bugs (and next door's vegetable patch) will be calling.

However, I must say I'm with you re clipping, if only because it gives them a bit more of a chance against Mr F.

Good Luck with your girls, though.

[penninehillbilly]

One of my marans sits on the top bar of the fruit cage (7'+)

But only so she can watch what everyone is doing (she hasnt got a net curtain to peep behind), not so she can escape and fly away to pastures new.

actuallyI think she manages to get up there thinking of the fruit, then decideds she's too high and can't get down, waits for me to find her at bedtime

[gibbo]

I built a pen and a chicken house back in the summer ready for my four new pullets.  My neighbour recomended that i make the pen six foot tall with netting on the top to stop wild birds.  This is what i did.  But i have to laugh as when you go into my neighbours garden and look at her pens, they are all three foot tall with no netting on the top.  Do the pens all contain their own breeding trios etc... Oh no, there are chickens, ducks, guinefowl, cats, dogs, ponies, all over the garden!!  I think she needs to follow her own advice!  My pen has been great, only a small problem has arrisen with this bad weather and that is that the snow has weighed down the netting on the pen over night and riped.  But im not worried about my girls excaping as they will not set foot on the scary white stuff!!

[penninehillbilly]

Hmmm... That's got me thinking.  If you clip a hen's flight feathers I know you have to do it again each time she moults, as she grows new feathers.  But will she have learned by then that she can't fly over the fence, and therefore stop trying?  Or will she give it another go once she has grown her new feathers?  I wonder what experiences people can share?
[/quote]

If I buy any poultry I would clip their wings, then after they moult only if there is a problem, it amuses me to see the call ducks circling round, one day they'll get the hang of landing as well