![]() If you have lighter breeds they are likely to find no difficulty in going over the top. If you have a four-foot fence between you and the neighbor, it should hold in your heavier birds such as Australorps and Barred Rocks. It takes a very short time for a couple of out-of-control hens to wreck a flower bed, pluck the flowers, scratch up the mulch, peck at the tomatoes, and have a fabulous dust bath! If you have neighbors that like to keep a well-manicured lawn, lots of beautiful flower beds, planters and perhaps a veggie garden, I can guarantee your chickens will be curious enough to try and visit that yard!Īfter all, who can resist all that lovely food to taste and mulch to bathe in? Hens are intensely curious creatures and love to investigate new things, especially if it might be food or pleasure related. The grass is always greener – almost always in the neighbors’ garden! These two things are the ‘why’ of chicken flight that is not initiated by predator. This prevents them from trapping air under their wings and taking flight. In fact, their feathers do not stick together like standard-feathered chickens. You see, a Silkies feathers are similar to the down of a baby chick. ![]() Silkies do not fly because their feathers simply do not allow them to do so. Neither breed is known for flying – it’s almost as if it’s beneath them to flap the wings and become airborne. The beauty of bantams is that if you want to keep them confined, a highly enclosed run with plenty of perches and boxes will keep them very happy and safe.īreeds that never seem to entertain the idea of flying are Silkies and Polish. In fact, some bantam breeds can do an almost vertical takeoff! If you have bantam hens, you will know they can fly very well, achieving a considerable height! If they are startled by a predator they can fly up into a tree and roost there as long as is needed. Spitzhaubens are originally from Switzerland and also love to fly. I’m told that Red Rangers are determined escape artists by several folks who have them in their flocks. It’s the ‘Mediterranean’ breeds (Ancona, Leghorns etc) that are known as flighty birds.Īraucanas also enjoy the challenge of flight and sometimes roost up in the trees at night. If you have ever stood a distance from your birds and offered treats, you will have seen the heavier breeds covering the ground much like a hovercraft in their hurry to see what you have for them! They sort of wobble from side to side, wings flapping madly in a rush to see what interesting tidbits you have! Their wings cannot give them the lifting power needed for the size of the hens’ bodies. Heavy breeds such as Orpingtons and Wyandottes hens may ‘fly’ about a foot off the ground for a very short distance. The ability of a chicken to fly is usually determined by their breed type. Let’s start by looking at the most common chicken breeds and seeing which of them can fly… They ‘go to ground’ to scratch, forage and lay eggs but will quickly take to the air if alarmed. They are very adept at flying to escape predators. In the wild, jungle fowl not only perch in trees but also roost in trees. These birds are still found in the wild in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos in the Far East. Our backyard hens are the noble descendants of the red or grey Jungle Fowl (and dinosaurs!). So today we are going to answer this very question for you.Īs always though, there is more to the answer so read on my friends. From time to time, we get questions about the hens’ ability to fly.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |