How high can a chicken jump?

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OldForum
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Joined: 28 Apr 2007, 01:12

How high can a chicken jump?

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Mo
Helen asked this in a diffent thread.
We 've discussed it before under 'Flock netting', and 'wing clipping'.
Mine are outside my window at the moment as I don't want them in the orchard pecking the low fruit. I heard a lot of squawking so went out to see what was the matter. Jane had jumped out and was heading for the orchard.
I clipped them in Autumn as recommended by http://www.poultryhelp.com/wingclipping.html
only one wing but a lot more off each feather, maybe she's grown new ones, I'll do it again tonight when she's roosting and I can grab her easily.
They jump onto the arc and if it's near the netting use it as a launch pad. Any broken thread in my flocknet makes a big enough hole, and they remember where they found it.
They'll keep you amused and exasperated, good luck Helen


helenq
Thanks Mo We have lots of low-growing fruit (step-over apple trees, strawbs and raspberries) I was hoping to get the first harvest off the apples this year - but it sounds like Olympic pole-vaulting chickens might beat me to it!


Well, ours didn't find the strawberries this year (it might have been the buttercup camouflage!)
And we got some cherries too, only white cherries, as the blackbirds prefer black cherries (so do we, but we never get any).
The hens were given the ones that the blackies had taken a bite out of (oh dear, will they catch blackbird flu! I never thought)
Enjoy your apples, if you can.

Mo
Just been to look at Jane/Houdini. One wing was still clipped, so no use clipping again.
She's not been out yesterday or today but Thurs she jumped over my 4 foot flock netting twice.
Maybe she was bored (or thought we were).


minidaz
We're going to be having 6ft chicken wire all the way around, so hopefully this will stop any escapees, but you never know

chickpea
Our pair have escaped twice in the last two days. We think cats are spooking them and making them fly over the fence so we don't want to clip their wings because then they won't be able to get away from the cats. We've been building a cat-proof chicken-proof roofed chicken run today out of reclaimed timber (we kept it when we took out a stud wall in the house) and some chicken wire we found in the garage when we bought the house. I love it when you can make something for nothing.


Richard
I had one getting out a few months back and was really worried about sowing the veggies etc.

I hid up the garden for half an hour. She was jumping/flying onto some chicken wire next to the gate, about 5 feet high !

I changed the said wire so as it was more vertical hence no 'landing space'.

Problem always is getting back in again, especially if you're out all day.

I would hazzard a roughness of 'if the fox can't get in, the chicken can't get out'.

helenq
Definitely! Our 11 week-olds have been with us just over a week now and have made themselves very much at home. So far four foot netting has protected the fruit and veg. But I was wondering (ever the optimist!) if anything else deters chickens. Yesterday they discovered the patio and seem to have decided it's the coolest place to hang out...and poo...and poo ...
Would like to have one outside area that is poo-free but am reluctant to put up yet more fencing. Has anyone had any luck with other chuck-deterrents? I was thinking of the sorts of things we use to deter wild birds in the fruit and veg - strips of metallic material etc. But seeing the determined glint in their beady little eyes I sense I may be on a hiding to nothing ...?
BTW - my son named one of our chickens Mo (short for mower, when he saw the way she attacked our lawn )

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