The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: BML on May 17, 2016, 11:13:33 pm

Title: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: BML on May 17, 2016, 11:13:33 pm

I enjoy watching our few chickens wandering around our garden but I would like to keep them to one part.  The thought crossed m y mind that stringing a line across the area may persuade them to stay there hoping that they would see or touch the line and keep where they are.  Would that work?

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: in the hills on May 18, 2016, 08:00:17 am

A single line of string ..... no.

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: in the hills on May 18, 2016, 08:03:23 am

I thought that stock fence with top bar might keep most of them wandering around the fields rather than the garden .... but where do they all head?!
Smallest go through and biggies fly over!

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: Dave C on May 18, 2016, 08:31:04 am

You need at least a 5' fence & clip there wings after each moult.

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: UPoneacre on May 18, 2016, 10:09:53 am

We have the same problem with our hens who live in one end of the orchard but are allowed out to free range part of the rest of it during the day. I bought some plastic mesh fencing from Omlet, about 4' high, and we move that around as needed so that we can control the area that they access. This gives us a chance to fill in the hoels where they've been dust-bathing and reseed bare patches. Occasionally one of the hens will get ambitious and manage to get over it, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: BML on May 18, 2016, 10:33:33 am

Many thanks all.

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: twizzel on May 18, 2016, 10:35:10 am

Only thing that has kept the majority of my chickens in their pen is rentafence panels, and even then 1 or 2 managed to fly out despite having clipped wings  ::)

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 18, 2016, 12:23:17 pm

Light breeds tend to fly, heavy breeds much less.  Depends on how delicious the thing they spot the other side of the fence is.

Title: Re: Restricting chickens to a part of a garden.
Post by: doganjo on May 18, 2016, 04:31:01 pm

If anyone is on Facebook you can see what just happened here  :roflanim:
https://www.facebook.com/doganjo (https://www.facebook.com/doganjo)