4 x 4 goat and sheep fence....do chickens fit through?

[NellaBean]

We just refenced half my property with the 4"x4" sheep/goat fencing, topped with a strand of really hot electric tape. It is meant more to keep my dogs in and other dogs out, but I was wondering whether a chicken could actually fit in and out of the holes on this fence? I'm talking a full sized chicken, not little ones. I had a smaller dog pen that was made of the no climb horse fence with 2"x4" squares and my 2-3 month old RIR could not fit out the holes.

Any ideas? It is about 1/2 acre that is fenced in....I was hoping to be able to let them out to "free range" a bit here and there, but wondered if they would just slip right through the fence? I knew I should have gotten ALL Jersey Giants! Darn it

 

[annek]

Do you have any extra of the fencing? If so build a pen with the 4x4 wire inside your current pen, put a treat in the outer pen and see if the chickens can get to the treat.

 

[citrusdreams]

My chickens can't get though goat panel. I have RIR, BO, EE, Cochins, Wellsummer, even my polish, when I had them, couldn't get through the goat panel.

 

[Teach97]

MIne would fit through...wait...I have bantams! Never mind!

 

[briznian]

My neighbor had the 4x4 fencing and his full-grown leghorns would squeeze through and get into my yard. We replaced that fence with 2x4 fencing that was 5 feet high and then the leghorns started flying over the fence instead!

 

[NellaBean]

I think the smaller ones could probably squeeze through (leghorns, buttercups, bantams) but am hoping "standard" size chickens won't. It is a half acre fenced with lots of grass and bugs, you would think they would just stay in....

 

[Zahboo]

Well, my RIR could fit their heads through chainlink, so I think if they had momentum, or were chasing them crickets, they could. I don't think they would want to on half an acre though

 

[NellaBean]

As long as they only escaped on the one side, it would not be the end of the world. Escape on the other and they will get eaten. We used 2x4' no climb horse fencing on the more dangerous side, but they could still fly over or squeeze through the 4x4 and mosey on over that way. My neighbor has his 4 LARGE dogs (that will kill anything that moves) that are behind a 6 board wood fence. Gaps between boards big enough for a dog head...definitely big enough for a chicken...plus they could walk right underneath.

I need fat lazy chickens!

 

[skeeter9]

I have 4x4 fencing in my horse pastures and my chickens can't get through it. They are all large birds (Orps, RIR, Delaware, etc.). I think if they were extremely determined (like if they were being chased by a predator) they might try and get stuck, but I don't think they could make it through even then.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I have 2 BR that fly over!