A fenced in yard...

[jrhy]

We have 6 new chicks and are preparing our backyard for them. We live in the suburbs but have only a small yard. We are getting a 5X7 coop with attached roofed run. We are fencing our yard in and plan on letting our girls have free run of the yard, until night of course. My question to you all is how high do we need the fence to be? I thought we just needed to keep them contained, I know they can't really fly but do flutter up. So how high do chickens usually flutter and do they ever try to fly over a fence?? I wouldn't want them flying over into a neighbors yard, getting out into the street or having a predator get a hold of them. I originally was thinking 3 ft fence but I think we are going with 4ft. Will that be high enough to keep them contained?? Thank you Jrhy

 

[Nocila]

Chickens can usually fly about 5 feet high, though some breeds fly better than others, so I'd probably go with 5 or 6 feet high (6 if you want to be able to walk in the run), and have a net over the top to keep predators out.

 

[jrhy]

The run that is attached to the henhouse/coop is 6ft high. But the fence I am talking about is what we are now putting around our back yard so that our yard will keep the chickens contained while they roam freely in our yard. So will they purposely try to fly over our 4ft fence. I don't think a fence any higher is allowed in our neighborhood, which is something I will look into. But I was wondering if chickens can fly higher than a 4ft fence, will they purposely? or are they happy and content just pecking around their own back yard?

 

[Nocila]

Ah, got it. That will really depend on the breeds. If you have a flighty bantam, then yeah, they might, but a silkie probably wouldn't be able to... What kinds of chicks so you have?

 

[4 the Birds]

The run that is attached to the henhouse/coop is 6ft high. But the fence I am talking about is what we are now putting around our back yard so that our yard will keep the chickens contained while they roam freely in our yard. So will they purposely try to fly over our 4ft fence. I don't think a fence any higher is allowed in our neighborhood, which is something I will look into. But I was wondering if chickens can fly higher than a 4ft fence, will they purposely? or are they happy and content just pecking around their own back yard?

Make your yard fence standard height. Four feet high would be good. Even heavy breed chickens can fly up VERY high so give them plenty of reasons to stay in your yard. Young chickens are prone to explore but after they get older then tend to stay within a territory. Our heavy breed chickens can fly straight up onto a 7 ft. high hay shed as well as the coop in their free range area; Yet, stay within 4 ft. high perimeter fencing. Clipping one of their wings can help unbalance their flight but many can still fly up high and feathers grow back quick.

 

[TomGallopavo]

You can also clip their wings if they fly out. I hope you are not big into gardening or landscaping because your chickens will destroy all but the big woody bushes.

 

[jrhy]

Thank you all for your input. I have a Brown leghorn, 2 Partridge rocks, a Speckled Sussex, a Black sex links, and a Jersey Giant. Didn't get any bantams thank goodness. They will have free range of the yard though it's only a quarter acre. I am hoping they'll just be content pecking around freely in their own back yard. Don't have any gardens for them to trample only a tabletop kitchen garden. The fence we are installing will be 4ft I don't believe we are allowed any taller in our neighborhood. Just hoping I won't have to retrieve any of them from my neighbors yards, but I will be offering my neighbors free fresh eggs, so hopefully if any do decide to explore the outer bounds it won't be too much of a problem! Thank you all!!

 

[DBerryhill]

Leghorns are good flyers and can be really skittish. That will be one to keep an eye on. Great layers though! I really enjoy the two I have. Have you talked to your neighbors? Are they going to be upset if your birds visit? It may not be a frequent thing, but I would be surprised if it didn't happen eventually! Perhaps you can offer eggs? it's better to build good relations now than deal with grumpy neighbors!

 

[jrhy]

DBerryhill, My neighbors won't have a problem with my hens but I don't want to have to continuously retrieve a hen or two from other back yards in the neighborhood. I did plan to give my neighbors eggs too. We are very friendly with each other in our area. My husband has always mowed lawns and trimmed hedges to be neighborly. Thank you

 

[DBerryhill]

DBerryhill, My neighbors won't have a problem with my hens but I don't want to have to continuously retrieve a hen or two from other back yards in the neighborhood. I did plan to give my neighbors eggs too. We are very friendly with each other in our area. My husband has always mowed lawns and trimmed hedges to be neighborly. Thank you

Jrhy I'm glad to hear you have good neighbors. I hope you do not think I was implying you didn't. It will make things easier for you and your hens. You should not have to continuously chase down a hen win a standard sized fence, but it may happen occasionally. Good luck with your fence and chickens!