Cattle Panel Fence for Sussex Chickens

[DaisyFaye7]

I'd worry about your goats, used to reaching through those cattle panels, getting caught in crossed wires. It won't do much for the chickens either.
Many people think that color matters to predators. In my experience, it doesn't. Young birds and bantams are more vulnerable to the hawks who hunt here, not the adult standard sized birds, and color has been irrelevant.
Add your approximate location to your profile, it helps.
And, pictures and/ or plans of your coop and run, for friendly critiques (we're all friendly here!).
Don't use any chicken wire, for starters.
In bear country, electric fencing is necessary. If you don't have it already, maybe you aren't in bear country?!
Mary

That’s a really good point about the goats, too. I do a lot of knitting, etc, and my brain went into “how can I fix this with yarn (wire) mode, haha.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've used nests with opening 6" x 8" for my full-sized fowl hens. Some were Speckled Sussex. Those sized openings swill not slow them down if they want to go through.

I've read those stories about how camouflage colors and patterns are supposed to help. "Help" does not mean absolute protection, just makes them a bit safer. In my opinion that amount of additional safety would be tiny. Many raptors have such great sight that they can see a tiny brown mouse on the brown ground, maybe even in dead brown grass, from a mile away. What they are mostly seeing is movement. I like the colors and patterns of the Speckled Sussex but don't really think it makes that much difference with hawks. It might with other predators.

I don't know how big that pasture is. I doubt the donkey will bond to the chickens to the point of protecting them. If the donkey is around and four-legged predators like coyotes, dogs, or a fox come around it might chase them off, not to protect the chickens but maybe to protect the goats or just because it doesn't like them. But I've seen a dog walk right by a donkey in a pasture with no concerns. I've seen coyotes in a pasture with the donkey at the far end. A donkey might give your chickens a little protection and every little bit helps, but I would not expect a lot.

The cattle panels I'm familiar with are 52" high. That's not going to stop many predators. Many can climb or jump that. Or go through the openings. Some may even be able to crawl under if your soil is uneven. It may influence your chickens to stay in so you may get some benefit from that but I'm not sure they are that much safer inside than outside. I appreciate your goats keeping the fence line clear, that can be a pain in the rear.

There are tradeoffs with most of the things we do. I don't know what decision I'd make in your situation. Good luck!

 

[DaisyFaye7]

I've used nests with opening 6" x 8" for my full-sized fowl hens. Some were Speckled Sussex. Those sized openings swill not slow them down if they want to go through.

I've read those stories about how camouflage colors and patterns are supposed to help. "Help" does not mean absolute protection, just makes them a bit safer. In my opinion that amount of additional safety would be tiny. Many raptors have such great sight that they can see a tiny brown mouse on the brown ground, maybe even in dead brown grass, from a mile away. What they are mostly seeing is movement. I like the colors and patterns of the Speckled Sussex but don't really think it makes that much difference with hawks. It might with other predators.

I don't know how big that pasture is. I doubt the donkey will bond to the chickens to the point of protecting them. If the donkey is around and four-legged predators like coyotes, dogs, or a fox come around it might chase them off, not to protect the chickens but maybe to protect the goats or just because it doesn't like them. But I've seen a dog walk right by a donkey in a pasture with no concerns. I've seen coyotes in a pasture with the donkey at the far end. A donkey might give your chickens a little protection and every little bit helps, but I would not expect a lot.

The cattle panels I'm familiar with are 52" high. That's not going to stop many predators. Many can climb or jump that. Or go through the openings. Some may even be able to crawl under if your soil is uneven. It may influence your chickens to stay in so you may get some benefit from that but I'm not sure they are that much safer inside than outside. I appreciate your goats keeping the fence line clear, that can be a pain in the rear.

There are tradeoffs with most of the things we do. I don't know what decision I'd make in your situation. Good luck!

I guess what I’m wondering is how much/how often they will want to go through the fence. But, if it’s not really even a squeeze for them, they’ll probably go through anytime something catches their attention on the other side. I grew up with chickens, but they were in a large coop & run. Often, we would let them out a couple hours before their bedtime, and they would roam a little and then head back in to the roost. I’m not home all day now, and I want to give the hens I get a little more freedom, but having not raised them in a pasture setting before, I’m trying to work out logistics. They’ll have a good secure coop and run for nighttime, so it’s daytime predators I worry most about.
My donkey takes her job really seriously. She’s done a super job of protecting our goats for years; she even makes them run drills! She loves showing them off when we have company. She goes to pieces if she sees a dog, even across the road, and also when the coyotes get started howling in the evening (oh yeah, we have those). I think our biggest threat to chickens will probably be foxes, as we have a healthy population of them in our woods, and since they are canine, I don’t think she’ll let them in.
Plus our fence is very strong, just unfortunately not quite tight enough for chickens! (I just couldn’t spring for the goat panels, would have been great, but pricey!)
I will also say, I chose to live out here in the country. I love living alongside all the wild critters, and part of that is accepting that they will probably take a chicken once in a while. That being said, I want to strike a balance of giving my hens some freedom while also protecting them as much as I’m able to. I really appreciate everyone’s feedback and input as I put my plan together!!

 

[paintedChix]

Soooo.... what about a paddock that can be moved - poultry netting from Premier 1. If you create a 2nd or even 3rd/4th gate/pop door on your run, you can move the paddock around the run but still keep them enclosed and safer than with the cattle panel. Understand, it's not an end all be all for protection. I've had some bad luck w/ ours!! Starving domestic hunting dogs jump right over it...

Yep, chickens go right thru CP - even huge BrahmaX roosters! Even thru the bottom of the closer "combo panels"...








Cupid was so sad watching them go right thru several fence lines, LOL!!



What about just using something to deter them, not the wireX idea but mesh wire up to 12" high? High enough to deter the chickens from leaving (determined ones will still go thru above that wire OR jump/fly over) and low enough to still allow the goats to reach thru to weed for you (I think, I don't have goats yet...).

 

[SueT]

They will go through cattle panels easily, but they aren't going to roam very far, you don't have to worry they would run off into the distance. You do have to worry about predators, especially if they wander out of the donkey pasture. Whether the donkey will protect them either purposely or inadvertently, I don't know, but if so, it is probably limited to ground predators, maybe just to dogs and coyotes, but not hawks or owls.
I had a donkey years ago that bonded with my guineas, so there is hope that there would be a relationship that could benefit the chickens. If they eat bugs off the donkey, then the donkey will enjoy their company.

I think the color pattern of the speckled Sussex or any chicken is of less importance than its temperament in regard to vulnerability to predators. Some of the more naturally flighty breeds are more savvy about evading capture than heavier friendlier breeds like the Sussex. That said, my Speckled Sussex going on 5 mostly free range years, is the only one of my older hens left. Was it luck, camouflage, savvy, or a combination that protected her?

I'd say go ahead and try out your plan with the fencing as is, and see what happens. Plan on raising replacements each year for any lost to predators. Have a secure run ready if the losses are too high in your area.
I will be interested in hearing how it works out---good luck!

 

[BlueBaby]

I built my secured run out of horse panel's, and just shared some pictures over here with another member that asked me to see how they were put together so he can have idea's.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-is-your-flock-today.1434064/page-6#post-23744116

 

[DaisyFaye7]

I built my secured run out of horse panel's, and just shared some pictures over here with another member that asked me to see how they were put together so he can have idea's.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-is-your-flock-today.1434064/page-6#post-23744116

Thanks!!

 

[DaisyFaye7]

Soooo.... what about a paddock that can be moved - poultry netting from Premier 1. If you create a 2nd or even 3rd/4th gate/pop door on your run, you can move the paddock around the run but still keep them enclosed and safer than with the cattle panel. Understand, it's not an end all be all for protection. I've had some bad luck w/ ours!! Starving domestic hunting dogs jump right over it...

Yep, chickens go right thru CP - even huge BrahmaX roosters! Even thru the bottom of the closer "combo panels"...


View attachment 2462096

View attachment 2462097 View attachment 2462098

View attachment 2462099

Cupid was so sad watching them go right thru several fence lines, LOL!!

View attachment 2462117

What about just using something to deter them, not the wireX idea but mesh wire up to 12" high? High enough to deter the chickens from leaving (determined ones will still go thru above that wire OR jump/fly over) and low enough to still allow the goats to reach thru to weed for you (I think, I don't have goats yet...).

Thanks for the ideas, and I love the pictures!! That’s a good thought about going up a foot or so with mesh wire. I’ve been thinking that I may just need to cover the existing fence with something tighter, and deal with the consequences of having to trim around it. It’s really not such a big deal, it’s just great having the goats do it for me!

 

[DaisyFaye7]

They will go through cattle panels easily, but they aren't going to roam very far, you don't have to worry they would run off into the distance. You do have to worry about predators, especially if they wander out of the donkey pasture. Whether the donkey will protect them either purposely or inadvertently, I don't know, but if so, it is probably limited to ground predators, maybe just to dogs and coyotes, but not hawks or owls.
I had a donkey years ago that bonded with my guineas, so there is hope that there would be a relationship that could benefit the chickens. If they eat bugs off the donkey, then the donkey will enjoy their company.
View attachment 2462214
I think the color pattern of the speckled Sussex or any chicken is of less importance than its temperament in regard to vulnerability to predators. Some of the more naturally flighty breeds are more savvy about evading capture than heavier friendlier breeds like the Sussex. That said, my Speckled Sussex going on 5 mostly free range years, is the only one of my older hens left. Was it luck, camouflage, savvy, or a combination that protected her?
View attachment 2462215
I'd say go ahead and try out your plan with the fencing as is, and see what happens. Plan on raising replacements each year for any lost to predators. Have a secure run ready if the losses are too high in your area.
I will be interested in hearing how it works out---good luck!

Good thoughts, thank you! This is a really helpful response. I love your photos, especially the guineas and donkey. ❤ I’m thinking that what I will probably do, at this point, is build my coop and run, inside my existing pasture, and see how things go, like you said. If things go badly, I’ll close them into the run until I get tighter mesh onto the existing fence. Hawks are probably going to be my biggest problem; I’m glad to hear that your speckled Sussex has made it so long free ranging!!

 

[NatJ]

That’s a good thought about going up a foot or so with mesh wire. I’ve been thinking that I may just need to cover the existing fence with something tighter, and deal with the consequences of having to trim around it. It’s really not such a big deal, it’s just great having the goats do it for me!

If all you want is to stop chickens walking through, you could use chicken wire or bird netting to cover that bottom foot or so. Either one is cheaper than sturdy wire mesh, but could be enough to test the idea and see if it works. The chickens might just go over anyway, and you won't know until you try it.

If you only cover the bottom foot or so, the goats may even be able to reach through the higher holes and keep the weeds eaten down anyway. (Maybe.)

Chicken wire or bird netting will not stop predators, so we usually do not recommend it for chicken pens. But for this particular pasture fence it doesn't matter, because you are just trying to contain the chickens, not have the fence protect them.