Houdini hen

[pickledtink]

My four have settled in splendidly. Getting almost an egg an day from each.

However Mrs Harries who is certainly the brightest and most curious is determined to go a roaming. They have a largish fox and rat proof outdoor enclosure with a fenced off much bigger area to free range when I'm around to keep an eye out for the foxes which is most days as I work from the home office.
She keeps finding ways to escape and is always the first to try and shove past me when I go in.
After working out she could scramble up some logs and onto the hop vines on the fence she went for that persistently until I went and bashed together another 2 foot or so in height and shifted the logs. Sitting smugly relaxing with a book I then saw her get up onto the garden incinerator dustbin thing and she was nearly away over the dense hedge into next doors garden. I barely caught her in time by one leg and moved it out of their area. Now she is clearly investigating every possibility of getting over the fence/hedge somehow.

I need to clip her wings I think. I'd hate to lose her she's a real character and great layer. Fox would have her like a shot.
Now how?
I saw a wonderful diagram somewhere on the net which I forgot to bookmark. I think it may have been in a link from someone on here. Any suggestions folks?

[pdblake]

Here's one:

Omlet UK | Guide | Chickens | Chicken Care | wing clipping

[julesapple]

DD is a falconer and, when we had to trim oyr new Scots Dumpy's wings in Sunday, she found this diagram for me

http://www.capecodpet.net/avian/comp...ealth-wing.gif

I think we're going to have to do the Marsh Daisy and the Cream Legbar too.

Jules

[pickledtink]

Thanks all.
I need someone to give me a hand I think. she's a real fighter. It's now a must. Just as I finished typing the post I looked out and saw her right on top of the hen house roof. we're talking 7 foot or more here and large trees with cricket ground behind so I nearly lost her.
They've all been confined to the run until I can get their wings done now.

I can't cover their free range bit as it's also my mini orchard and the plum tree is far too high.

[lainey lou]

Don't think clipping her wing will make her give up. One of my wing clipped ladies still managed to jump her 5 foot fence!!! 5 1/2 foot has stumped her though!!

[matthew2riches]

They're like po-go sticks. Clipping a wing will stop them flying but it won't stop them jumping and bouncing!!!

It's worth a go but I've always kept mine with wings incase the worst happens - FOXES!

[HayleyB]

Sounds like you are gonna have to get her thinking more of her belly and less of escaping, toys and food that hangs keeps them busy

[Hilary B]

Can you put an angled top to the fence, like you see around military establishments, but leaning IN? It may help......

[pickledtink]

Sounds like you are gonna have to get her thinking more of her belly and less of escaping, toys and food that hangs keeps them busy

That sounds good . Could you give me some ideas? Toys for example? I can certainly rig up some hanging food treats but I'm not sure what else?

[MaureenHall]

old cd's Logs to climb on and perch on. My youngsters (3 month old Welsummers) have got a couple of ball-pit balls in their run that they attack every so often too

[Suechooks]

. My youngsters (3 month old Welsummers) have got a couple of ball-pit balls in their run that they attack every so often too

I put those balls in the water bucket in winter to stop it freezing and gives amusement in summer too! Must try them in the run.
Mine perch on an old football punctured by the dog!

[Flummery]

Mine like a huge plastic planting tub filled with soil. They dig in it, sleep in it and every now and then I put a few meal worms in for them to 'find'.

[pickledtink]

I am now absolutely exhausted.
Got friend round to help while I clipped all their wings on one side ( possibly didn't take off enough but bit nervous).
Seemed to work She tried to fly a few times and it was a bit wonky and she was somewhat puzzled. Settled down to cleaning out their coop etc and suddenly realised she'd managed to get up to the new roughly rigged up extra bit of fencing from yesterday, nose ( or beak) through and vanished into next doors!. Sheer luck neighbour was in and I hurtled round there to grab her, She is now back in the covered enclosure thoroughly grumpy and her 'friend' Google is also clearly dismayed at the imprisonment of her bathing companion.. The other 3 behave themselves and seem contented although Google was tending to follow her example.
I had raided the veg garden and hung lots of greens on bits of string all over the place. put some more goodies in a little pot that hangs on the wire all to no avail.
The covered enclosure is about 2 1/2 metres square and high enough for me to stand in and has logs and plenty of scratching and room for dust baths but I really want them to have the use of the much bigger outside space which also has lots of logs and nooks and crannies.Back to the wallet for more fencing or maybe I just didn't clip enough off........

[HayleyB]

There are dog balls you can fill with treats that keep dogs amused for hours, I'm sure that'll drive a hen nuts given time. I have a Hen gym see here
Grow Your Own - Growing, How To Grow Tomatoes Growing Fruit & Veg - Recipe Advice, Organic food Gardening, Chickens, Seeds for Sale
Also area's they can scratch about dust bathe in things to go under, in, through, out, and of course the best hen toy imagineable..................

A Mirror...................

[Hilary B]

I have a feeling this one isn't going to be interested in distractions. She just believes that 'the grass is greener on the other side of the fence'.
You could try attaching a hen-sized 'ball and chain' to keep her within bounds? (no, not really, but I bet you've thought about how handy it would be).