How high does my fencing need to be? Help please.

[zephyr66]

I moved and had my chickens fostered. Previously I lived in the desert and had a 16' by 16' run totally covered and bomb proofed for coyotes. I now live on a large ranch with fewer predators (except for the ranch hand's queensland heelers) and i have a lot more space for my girls to run. I have about a 100' by 50' area and fenced it with stucco wire (chicken wire) and it's 3 feet high with t-posts. this evening two were already out but i think they were looking for a place to roost as it was getting dusk and they had not slept in their coop yet. i have a RIR, an Easter Egger and a Delaware. I'll be getting a few more hens and a rooster soon as well. I didn't think they would fly out since they have a large area to occupy themselves in.

My question is what can I do where I don't have to re-fence my entire area and spend a great deal of money? I have heard I can clip their wings, one in particular so they can't fly balanced but someone said that may not even work for a 3' fence. I've also heard of electric fencing, but don't know how much that is and what good would electric fencing do if they fly over it? Any suggestions? really don't want to lose my girls.

Sylvia

 

[Fierlin1182]

Most chickens can get over a 3ft high fence. You should try clipping the wings anyway, that might help. However if your chickens are in the routine of going into the coop to roost every night, they will return every day anyway, even if they have a large area to roam in. At least my chickens do!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Depends on the breeds you have and their desire. I clipped my White Leghorn rooster's wing and he still easily managed to fly up on top of the coop - it's 7' tall. He easily could fly higher then that with his wings clipped. My Lavender Orpingtons will fly up about 4' but don't like to fly much because it requires flying back down and they don't like to do that. My Ancona will fly up easily with a clipped wing - she loves sitting up high. And of course it seems the roosters prefer to fly up more then the hens. It will also depend on their age - pne of my LO flew the coop at 9weeks but now at 31 weeks they stick close to the ground.

I have a 4' garden fence surrounding their secure run and coop. I haven't had the hawk visits we used to have and I've reduced fly ups simply by putting avairy netting over the run. I could only do half of it in the time I had available as I did it quickly because we were headed out of town that weekend but you could do a better longer term job and that could keep costs down.

 

[aoxa]

It probably depends on what is on the other side of the fence, and how bad they want to be on the other side. Mine will not jump our 4' fence, but I'm sure they could. I don't fence them in much at all anyway, but if I had to, they don't jump it :/

I was told if they don't have anything to land on, they won't attempt it.

 

[zephyr66]

thanks... the reason i need to keep them in the fence is because of the dogs on the ranch... i'm not worried about them otherwise, but they won't last long with the heelers around. i keep hearing different things about clipping - some say if you clip one wing, they are unbalanced and can't get 3 feet of height - others disagree. not sure what to do. went out and clipped one wing on every bird so we'll see if that helps. i have such a large space, aviary netting seems a bit daunting. it would look like a circus tent i think! as far as what is on the other side of the fence, it's just more of the same. with dogs.

sylvia

 

[afghanwarrior]

i have a 4 foot fence on my run and the hens never jump out they dont have their wings clipped and there is no grass inside the pen so grazing is allot better out side. i would suggest adding another foot at least of wire arround your pen just screw some more wood to your posts and tie your wire to that.

 

[jp_over]

I see that this is an old thread but still good info.

I'm currently working on a movable paddock system for our Rhode Island reds and considering 4' chicken wire. We also have 4' plastic netting/fence that they generally don't try to fly over.