fence suggestions...

[Willowru]

I need some suggestions on how to keep my chickens contained. What has worked and not worked for you? I'm in North Central Ohio. Down to 4 chickens -started last March with six. My beloved Plymouth Rock rooster was hit on the road and killed in Dec. then 6 weeks later my favorite RIR hen; Freckles, met the same fate. I'm devastated and decided to fence them in. However, given that the ground is frozen, there will be a temporary smaller enclosure until I can permanently fence in almost the entire acre. My property is one acre, rectangular in shape. The house and garage are on the South end and the rest is a bit of yard and 2/3 of the entire acre is pasture for the horse and donkey. Temp. enclosure for chickens will be pretty much the yard then in summer I will fence in from the edge of house and all of the pasture. I know, that's a lot of fence! I feel strongly about letting the girls have access to all those juicy bugs that are attracted to the horse and donkey! Ok, here's where I need advice... what "kind" of fencing does everyone recommend and how do you secure it? Wire? what gauge, hole size, height...etc... T-posts or wooden stakes? how far apart? what to use to secure fence to post? I want to draw from your experience and advice to do safe and effective fencing once. Thanks, I appreciate your wisdom. Dawn

 

[bruceha2000]

If you are also concerned about keeping predators out I'd go with 2x4 knotted wire. As I sadly found out a fox can get through a 6" field fence and drag a full grown chicken back out of it. I think you'd be safe with 4" sheep and goat but a coon can go through that easily.

It can be hard to keep chickens in. I have 1 acre fenced with 4' wire fence topped with a hotwire at just over 4' and a ground wire running above that. I've not had any chickens go over that but they could if they wanted. I had to have a talk with one of my EE pullets about staying on the chicken side of the 5' tall gates. She flew right up to the top then hopped over a couple of times.

 

[CindyinSD]

I use 2x4” 6’ tall welded wire fencing on my runs (woven wire is stronger) Turkeys will jump up and roost on it, but only where it’s tarped (makes it look solid). My chickens do not, but they’re all fairly large breeds. Smaller birds might jump out. I skirt the base with 1/2” hardwire cloth to keep chicks in and predators out, but that wouldn’t be reasonable to do in a perimeter fence. If I were to perimeter fence my property for poultry (it’s barbed wire now) I would use 2x4” 4’ tall welded and, if necessary I would add a floppy length of chicken wire around the top. They won’t try to perch on that and are unlikely to even attempt going over. This is not for predators—only to keep chickens in. For predators there would be electricity involved and that’s a different discussion. (BTW, only electrify fence intended for that purpose!)

Keep in mind that if your ground is uneven or sloped, that‘s going to add extra complexity. With a fence of this size you’ll need some wooden posts (about every 10 t-posts or more as needed, plus corners and corner reinforcement —very important— and gates of course.) You can rent a gasoline 2-man auger (or buy one). I wouldn’t dig all those holes by hand given any alternative at all, but we have rocky soil. Look at other people’s fences and notice how they do corners and gates. Take pictures. Buy a book. Watch YouTube videos. There’s a lot of good info out there.

 

[perkolator]

My property is just over an acre, we have deer that will eat everything on my property, so that's a major factor in our fence choice. Luckily the previous owners put up an 8ft deer fence constructed with that black plastic mesh fencing stuff, with T-posts. Unfortunately this material SUCKS if you ever weed eat nearby (equipment cuts holes easily) so I've gone and added some welded wire "rabbit" fencing to the bottom and buried it - that addition has cut down on our predators that can't climb/fly over the fence and I haven't seen any trails of feathers leading toward the perimeter anymore - just hawks mainly. I've seen dogs jump a 4ft fence, a chicken can for sure clear that and get out. Also seen chickens pass right through 4" hole welded wire fencing like it wasn't there.

 

[perkolator]

If you've personally seen a chicken go through the metal fencing with 4 inch square holes, then that's off the table! Thanks! Keep the suggestions coming!!

Yep went right through it. When we moved in the POs had a run extension on the old coop. I kept finding chickens outside of this perimeter and couldn't figure out how the heck they were escaping aside from flying over. One day I was watching them while doing yard work and saw two hens simply squeeze right through a hole that was hidden in the grass - welded wire 2x4 holes, but down at the bottom someone must have hit the fence with something that broke free one of the vertical wires, leaving a 4" wide hole they could fit through.

 

[Folly's place]

There's a very good book, soft cover, on fencing for livestock. It's available online, and it's our best reference. Whenever we 'cheated' on the instructions given, it didn't go well.
Woven wire fencing, 2x4" openings, 4' tall, with electric tape on top, and set close to the ground. Wood post assemblies at corners, and every 200' of run, and steel posts in between. It isn't foolproof, because many chickens can go over it, but if life is good on the right side, it's good most of the time. We have horses and cattle, and installed about a mile of it here long ago. (NEVER AGAIN!) will we do that much, can't!
Most of my birds don't go through the section of 4x4" 'goat fencing' we have in one area, where there are no horses, but of course bantams and smaller chickens can. It's much less expensive, but for the best results, use the 2x4" horse fencing.
Mary

 

[mowin]

Post's choice would depend on how nice you want it to look, and budget.

Wood 4x4 posts would look better than T post in my opinion. Maybe use T posts where they are not as easy seen from the road, and 4x4 along the road.

 

[bruceha2000]

I agree that a knotted wire fence on T posts can be less "obvious" than one on wood posts, especially from a distance. T posts are also a LOT easier to put in (get a post pounder, well worth the $35). They also cost about a third of what a 6" wood post runs though you will need wood posts and H or floating braces for the corners and anywhere you put a gate. And you want to pull the knotted fence TIGHT. I use 2 come-alongs and a "fence stretcher" I made from two 4' 2x4s.

 

[Folly's place]

You can get taller fencing, and the higher the better!
Mary

 

[21hens-incharge]

.....wondering quietly if a hoop tractor would be practical and provide better protection.....