Chickens in the trees...

[Jessiebean]

yesterday we rounded up our 4 hens and clipped their right wings. (Actually it was far more chaotic and energetic than that sentence makes it sound) I penned them in with their coop and at dusk I went to check on them. The buggers had scrambled up the ivy covered fence and were roosting in the plum tree which overhangs the pen fence. I fully expect them to be back at the kitchen window pecking for attention this morning. I want to stop them having the run of my backyard because I want to grow some veg and keep some soil in the garden beds. What are you best lazy quick fix ways to contain hens?

[diggernotdreamer]

you could tie weights to their feet

[Jessiebean]

That doesn't sound lazy enough. catching the blighters takes a lot of energy! I was thinking about netting the tree to stop them roosting in it?

[ina]

Chickens are forest birds - they do what comes natural to them. I would cover the beds in the garden; I do that because of the cats that try to use my garden as a huge outdoor loo! I use - variously - nets, fleece, plastic, cages, old mesh-type tree guards - that always leaves a few unused areas for birds (or cats) to scratch in and behave how they are supposed to behave.

[BaoisGlas]

We used some lightweight fruit/garden netting over the tip of their pen which stopped our girls jumping out. Just put a few nails/hooks around the edge and pulled the netting tight and hooked it on, I laced 2 bits together with garden string.

[dave45]

My first batch of chickens would eye up a jump sideways (like they do) stare you down and (with clipped wings) flap/jump from a standing start up onto a 5-foot high wall.. I had to put lots of extra fencing in to contain them, and they were always escaping and getting lost/stuck.

The current batch just can't be bothered and have never even tried. I think it takes one just one adventurous bird and the others copy her.

[Thomzo]

Lol. I think different breeds have different jumping/flying abilities. I had a white (something, can't remember) bantam that flew up on my roof the moment the run door was opened but the Pekins would have to walk around a matchstick.