Ideas for Keeping Chickens out of dog yard

[sandlot13433]

Hi Everyone,
I am new to the forum and about a year into raising my chickens. I have bantam/barnevelder chickens from an accidental breeding. I also have greyhounds. I live on about 4 acres, mostly wooded, and my chickens have been free ranging during the day and in the coop at night. My backyard is fenced in using 5 foot chain link fencing for my dogs and it covers about a 100 ft by 100 ft area. Up until yesterday the chickens had never ever even tried to go into the dog yard, as they have plenty of room to roam outside the fence, they are aware the dogs are in there (the dogs aren't in there all the time, only the couple times a day I have to let them outside), and everything they could need (food, water, shelter, etc) is outside the fencing. Anyhow, as you probably guessed, yesterday, Chicken Little, my rooster, jumped/flew into the dog fence while the dogs were out and was killed. I was so sad, but I know it wasn't my dogs fault or the chickens fault, it's just nature. I wanted to see about getting ideas of things I could put on my fence or on top of my fence to deter the chickens from landing on the fence then going into the dog yard. I was thinking something that moved or flickered like some kind of tinsel or CD's. However, as you can see, I don't have very good ideas. I was thinking of clipping the chickens wings so they can't fly into the fence, but I don't want to limit their chances of getting away from a preditor outside the fence. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Oh, and training my dogs not to bother the chickens is out because they are retired racers, it is very deeply ingrained to chase anything that is moving. Thank you so much!

 

[lleighmay]

I'm sorry about your rooster, but you're right to realize that your dogs were just doing what they were bred/trained to do. One possible solution is to take 8 ft 2x4s and stand them on the ground next to your chain link posts, then attach them to the posts using pipe clamps (available at any hardware store). This will give you 8 feet of height to work with at an inexpensive price. Next attach deer netting or bird netting to the 2x4s around the edge of the pen thereby extending your fencing to 8 feet. Most chickens will be unable to get over that height, but just in case don't attach a horizontal top bar, which gives the chickens the idea they can fly up there and perch before hopping over. Any chicken that tries to fly up should bounce off the netting back into its assigned area. You can attach shiny or dangly things to the fence if you like but in my experience chickens get used to stuff like that and don't pay any attention to it after a while.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

So sorry about your rooster. What was he thinking?

I agree that the only real solution is for you to raise the fence in an inexpensive way. Many people we know here have to do that to keep out deer. I would not want to clip their wings for the same reason you give. I'm sorry to be of little help. Just offering support!

 

[Chicky_Baby]

I just wanted add another vote for the bird netting fence extensions. They are great for confining my hens and the birds learn quickly to stay away from the area. My girls tried a time or two, became annoyed and gave up. I think they cannot see the netting and it frightens them when they suddenly hit the "force field" and bounce off of it. Meanwhile it is VERY entertaining watching them learn, lol.

 

[poodlepill]

I have lost 2 chickens in 1 year to them getting into the dogs yard, dang them chickens. My DOGS are a Standard poodle and a Smooth Coat Fox Terrier, both high prey drive breeds. First they went through the fence so I put chicken wire up, then one just slipped under the gate...UGH!! so I fixed that. Why oh why do they need to squeeze themselves under a gate but she did and it was not a good outcome for her.