Fence height?

[choockeroo]

Apologies if this has been asked a million times before, I've had a quick look but will ask....

I have an enclosed chook pen newly built and the fence is 6 foot high on the lowest side. I'm getting my first ever chooks tomorrow and they will be about 18 weeks old. Will they be able to jump out? Do I need a roof?

I'm worried about my dog mostly - he is just a cavvy King Charles but gets very excited and may hurt or frighten the chooks if they were to get out when I'm not home! We also got bunnies recently and he goes berserk trying to get to them.

 

[mtngirl35]

Wecome to BYC! I don't know if they can get that high or not. But I would put a roof or at least wire across the top to keep predators like hawks out. Are the walls of your pen made of chicken wire? If they are you should know that chicken wire will not stop most predators. They can chew thru it in no time. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

 

[choockeroo]

Thank you, ok well yes it's just chicken wire and so I might look at getting something stronger. I have a big enclosed yard in suburban wollongong, and thought I'd like the chickens and rabbits to roam around the yard during the day when they're bigger/older. I would always lock them in their separate hutches/coup at night though. The chooks have a chicken coup inside the chicken enclosure and the rabbits have a hutch. Do I still need a roof?
Thanks again

 

[mtngirl35]

Thank you, ok well yes it's just chicken wire and so I might look at getting something stronger. I have a big enclosed yard in suburban wollongong, and thought I'd like the chickens and rabbits to roam around the yard during the day when they're bigger/older. I would always lock them in their separate hutches/coup at night though. The chooks have a chicken coup inside the chicken enclosure and the rabbits have a hutch. Do I still need a roof?
Thanks again

You might want to consider chicken wire or a roof for days you can't be home to keep an eye on them. I live out in the country on the edge of woods so predators are probably a much bigger problem here. We have coyotes, possum, racoons, hawks, and who knows what else to protect against. We usually only have to worry about hawks during the day, though, and the chickies are locked up tight at night.