Name: 9 Ways to Keep Chickens From Leaving Your Yard
Brand: homesteadingwhereyouare.com
SKU: homesteadingwhereyouare-com-5
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

9 Ways to Keep Chickens From Leaving Your Yard

preview

Skip to content As a chicken owner, I know how frustrating it can be when your feathered friends decide to wander off. Not only can it be dangerous for them to roam free, but it can also be a nuisance for your neighbors. Luckily, there are several simple steps you can take to keep your chickens from leaving your yard. Having free-range chickens is ideal and important to our family. Not only are the fresh eggs even more nutritious because they have access to insects and plenty of forage, but it reduces their stress. Plus, did you know chickens eat ticks? My son had Lyme disease, so eliminating ticks on our property is a huge deal! After my chickens destroyed my flower beds and vegetable garden, I knew I needed to find some better ways to keep my chickens from leaving my yard. Keep reading to find some effective choices to consider! Related: How to Stop Chickens From Getting in Your Garden: 10 Tricks to Try Well, let me tell you a story. We have our garden situated to the right of our property. Next to our garden is our neighbor’s yard, including his tiny garden with three tomato plants and three zucchini plants. I bet you see where this story is going. Last year, our flock decided to bypass my amazing garden with 50 tomato plants and dozens of green bean plants. Instead, they ate all of his plants. Why? I have no idea. Mine sure looked more appealing. Needless to say, he was angry, we gave him goodies from our garden and eggs. I still have trouble looking him in the eye. Chickens will leave your yard and cause a ruckus. They will keep foraging and roaming, happy as clams, but they can cause destruction. That’s why you need to keep them in your yard. Another reason is predators. Predators love your chickens. If they are out in the open and away from protection, chickens will not outsmart predators. Honestly, they are far from the smartest animal. Predators are a huge reason why many farmers opt to fence their property. Even with fences, you can’t always stop them, but you are at least making it a bit harder for them to access your animals. Free-ranging chickens have such a good time exploring their world that they continue on, eating and foraging, without stopping. You have to figure out how to keep chickens from leaving your yard before you let them free-range. One of the easiest ways to keep chickens from leaving your yard is to install a chicken run. A chicken run is ideal for those who live somewhere their chickens can’t free-range their flock. Chicken runs attach to your chicken coop, giving your backyard chickens space to explore, forage, and enjoy the day without wandering away from home. Another benefit of a chicken run is that it provides extra protection from predators. However, you need to make sure you have plenty of space for your hens. If it’s cramped, you may end up with hens bullying and fighting with each other. When it comes to keeping free range chickens in your yard, fencing is an essential component. A sturdy and reliable fence will not only keep your chickens safe from predators but also prevent them from wandering off. I recommend using a fence that is at least six feet tall to prevent chickens from flying over it. The fence should also be buried at least a foot underground to prevent predators from digging underneath it. Chicken wire is a popular option for fencing because it is affordable and effective. However, it is not very durable and may need to be replaced every few years. If you want a more long-lasting option, consider using welded wire fencing. This type of fencing is more expensive than chicken wire, but it is much more durable and can last for decades. You can also use wooden fencing, but keep in mind that it may require more maintenance than wire fencing. Regardless of the type of fence you choose, make sure to inspect it regularly for any holes or damage. Predators can easily exploit weaknesses in the fence, so it’s important to keep it in good condition. In addition to a fence, you may want to consider putting up netting or bird wire over the top of your chicken yard to prevent any aerial predators from swooping in. This is especially important if you live in an area with a lot of hawks or other birds of prey. One of the best ways to keep your chickens from leaving your yard is to offer a movable pen for your small flock. A chicken tractor is a movable pen with part of the coop covered for protection at night and the other part open to sunlight. Building a chicken tractor involves a bit of DIY work, but it keeps your own chickens safe while giving them access to forage. Another idea is to use a movable electric fence. These fences have poles that easily stick into the ground; farmers use them for everything from chickens to cows. It’s a great idea if you want to give them new pastures each day to forage but also want to keep them safe. I highly recommend the RentACoop Electric Fence for Poultry! It’s easy to use and works fantastic. When it comes to keeping chickens in your yard, providing adequate shelter is essential. Chickens need a safe and comfortable place to roost and lay their eggs. Here are some tips on how to provide the best shelter for your chickens: Don’t forget the entertainment! If your chickens have fun in their chicken run, they may spend time there, even when the door is open to their run. Things like chicken swings and lettuce holders are great investments for your flock. Don’t forget dust baths! If you keep dust baths in the chicken run, they’ll be more likely to stay there because they have something they need and love right there! Clipping your chickens’ wings is another step to take to keep chickens from leaving your yard. My chickens flew right over the top of the chicken run and fencing. Trimming their primary flight feathers – the long feathers at the front of the wing – only takes a few moments. It”s an easy and simple process, and you only need to clip one wing. Flipping one wing throws the hen off balance when trying to fly. Proper wing clipping is pain-free and doesn’t lead to any serious stress. They simply lose their favorite ability to fly over the fence blocking their path to freedom. However, keep in mind that primary feathers grow back whenever the chickens molt. You need to clip feathers once a year to prevent them from flying. Another disadvantage to wing clipping is that it reduces the possibility that your chicken will escape a predator. If a predator climbs your fence (because no fence is truly predator-proof), then a chicken with clipped wings doesn’t have a chance to escape. You want to give your free ranging chickens as much space as possible, but you still have some areas they need to avoid. What can you do? Well, one easy option is to install a motion sensor sprinkler. I assure you that chickens will run from a sprinkler, but since you can’t keep it running all the time, a motion sensor makes the most sense. It also might deter some potential predators! Another idea is to use wire mesh around flower gardens and other delicate plants. That stops your chickens from thinking your new perennial herbs are a delicious food source. Of course, there are other things that may halt your chickens in their tracks. Fake predators set up in areas you want them to avoid, citrus juices sprinkled around gardens, cinnamon, and black pepper are all things that your flock will not appreciate. In general, strong smells are things that will deter your new chickens from places on your property. A common method to keep chickens from leaving your yard is to train your chickens to return. Typically, you train them to return a half hour before dark. At first, you keep your chickens in the chicken run without any access to free ranging. Make sure you close them in the chicken coop at night and release them in the morning. Then, let them out of the chicken coop, but be sure to round them up and put them back into the pen at night. Soon, they’ll return on their own. Chicken owners often train their flock, and you may want to use an automatic chicken coop door over time. It helps maintain the schedule in their mind, even if you can’t get there to close or open the door for various reasons. To keep my chickens happy and healthy, I make sure they always have access to fresh water and food. If your chickens need water, then they’ll search for it, even if that means leaving your yard. The same goes for food! So, if you provide them with plenty of nutrients with high-quality, high-protein chicken feed and keep fresh, clean water available, you eliminate two reasons they may try to escape. Related: 14 Protein Sources for Chickens Your Flock Will Love To keep my chickens from leaving my yard, I make sure to maintain a clean and healthy environment for them. This not only keeps them happy and healthy, but also helps to prevent them from wandering off in search of better living conditions. I start by regularly cleaning their coop and run. This includes removing any old bedding, droppings, and food scraps. I replace the bedding with fresh straw or wood shavings and make sure to scrub down the surfaces with a mild detergent. In addition to cleaning, I also make sure to provide my chickens with fresh food and water daily. I use a hanging feeder and waterer to keep the food and water clean and prevent spills. To further promote a healthy environment, I add natural supplements to their diet, such as oyster shells for calcium and apple cider vinegar for digestion. I also make sure to provide them with plenty of space to roam and dust bathe, as this helps to keep them clean and free of parasites. Overall, maintaining a clean and healthy environment for my chickens is essential for keeping them happy and content in my yard. Overall, figuring out how to keep chickens from leaving your yard takes a multitude of steps. Usually, you want to make sure you have several things in line to keep your chickens in your yard and out of trouble! Preserve cranberries this holiday season by canning cranberry juice, a great canning recipe for beginners! I thoroughly enjoy cranberries, and they go on sale in November and December during the holiday months. Take advantage of the sales and try canning cranberry juice yourself. There are two ways to can cranberry juice. You can use a… Seed starting is typically one of the right tasks a gardener begins with in the year, aside from order those seeds. I love starting seeds; it means that full gardening season isn’t very far off. I look forward to the time when I can prepare the trays and lights for my seedlings. At the same… Learning traditional skills helps us save money, live a more natural life, and connect with our past in meaningful ways. As I strive towards more homestead living, I find myself thinking about how fast life moves; we no longer live a simple life. Everything is technology-based, and while progress is amazing, losing traditional skills is… Are you ready to raise quails? Start by incubating quail eggs to get started! This year, we added quail to our homestead on a whim – when you’re offered fertilized quail eggs in a trade for seeds, take it! – and I started my journey by incubating quail eggs. It’s considerably easier than I expected…. I’m going to tell you a secret; I love winter on the homestead almost as much, if not more than the summertime. All of the winter homesteading activities make me feel cozy, and I’m a cozy addict. Seriously, I love everything that comes with being cozy in my house. Slipper, warm blankets, crafting time, baking… Are you a new gardener? Don’t fret! Here are 5 veggies you can grow and have success.

Skip to content As a chicken owner, I know how frustrating it can be when your feathered friends decide to wander off. Not only can it be dangerous for them to roam free, but it can also be a nuisance for your neighbors. Luckily, there are several simple steps you can take to keep your chickens from leaving your yard. Having free-range chickens is ideal and important to our family. Not only are the fresh eggs even more nutritious because they have access to insects and plenty of forage, but it reduces their stress. Plus, did you know chickens eat ticks? My son had Lyme disease, so...

9 Ways to Keep Chickens From Leaving Your Yard

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS