How common is it for chickens to fly over fences?

[Carlyb22]

We have 4 polish hens right now and 4 two week old chicks in the brooder.

The older hens have always free ranged in our backyard. It’s a decently large yard but nothing crazy. It has a 6ft privacy fence and then a little 3/4ft fence blocking the deck. The chickens we currently have NEVER fly over it or even try. I know they can because I came home late one night and their coop door got closed from the wind and one was roosting on the fence and another was on the roof to the house. Are they just super content in their yard and have no reason to try to leave?

I’m a little nervous the new 4 and going to ruin everything and try to escape I’d prefer not to clip any wings just in case of predators even though we don’t really have any that I’ve seen in the two years of having chickens.

Pics of my chickens since they’re cute!

 

[Evadig]

Depends on the hen...Three of mine fly over my four foot chain link fence every day
The other six stay in the back yard.
My rooster happily flies up onto six foot structures.

Your chicks are so cute! What kind are they?

 

[WaterfowlsPoultry]

Chickens will only leave their private area when they are uncomfortable with it, my chickens used to fly over because the yard had no garden or grass or greens in it, It was spacious yes, It had a huge little tray with water for them but they left, but afterward some grass started growing in it and they would not leave it, Mostly because now they felt comfortable my rooster still climbs on the fence to crow and he climbs up the stairs to as well, But he always go back down once he's done.

 

[LRH97]

Depends on the hen...Three of mine fly over my four foot chain link fence every day
The other six stay in the back yard.
My rooster happily flies up onto six foot structures.

Your chicks are so cute! What kind are they?

x2 on this! I have one out of seven that will hop the 4’ fence. Everyone else is content in their yard. Everyone does respect the 6’ fence that makes up one of the sides of their open yard. I used to keep some lighter breeds that would readily clear that too though.

Grass is always greener on the other side. Problem with poultry is they can usually figure out how to get to that other side. Getting back over to the right side always seems to be the struggle.

 

[RoyalChick]

Chickens are much better at flying up onto something than they are at flying over things.
I have a 40” electric net fence. Mostly they stay inside. But they routinely fly up onto roosts and branches that are higher than that.
A flimsy top is off putting to them.

 

[killmak]

Out of my 11 chickens one flies over all fences because she is independent and does what she wants. Plus she prefers nesting away from us because she gets mad when we take her eggs. All the others don't fly over the 4ft fence even though they could.

 

[Carlyb22]

Thanks guys!! They have everything they need so I guess they have no reason to leave. We have a huge garden with ground cover plants they live digging in and dust bathing in, lots of places to get in the shade/hide, and lots of grass and weeds and bugs, plus their coop/pen. They always have water and pellets available so I guess they are just content! Hopefully the new chicks will feel the same way!

I do always have to search the yard for eggs because they love using anything other than their nest boxes

 

[Carlyb22]

Depends on the hen...Three of mine fly over my four foot chain link fence every day
The other six stay in the back yard.
My rooster happily flies up onto six foot structures.

Your chicks are so cute! What kind are they?

The lighter two are Rhode Island reds and the darker two are olive eggers!! Hoping for pullets

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

We have 4 polish hens right now and 4 two week old chicks in the brooder.

The older hens have always free ranged in our backyard. It’s a decently large yard but nothing crazy. It has a 6ft privacy fence and then a little 3/4ft fence blocking the deck. The chickens we currently have NEVER fly over it or even try. I know they can because I came home late one night and their coop door got closed from the wind and one was roosting on the fence and another was on the roof to the house. Are they just super content in their yard and have no reason to try to leave?

I’m a little nervous the new 4 and going to ruin everything and try to escape I’d prefer not to clip any wings just in case of predators even though we don’t really have any that I’ve seen in the two years of having chickens.

Pics of my chickens since they’re cute!

ha! my chickens aren't fenced in once they reach the right size/ feathering, but they love to sleep in the trees. you go out back, and there's three sleeping on the porch rail, and four more roosting 10 feet up in a tree!

 

[Evadig]

Chickens will only leave their private area when they are uncomfortable with it,

I’ve 1.5 acre in the back, half grass and half woods. My hens are plenty comfortable, they just think there’s something better “over there”.