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.

 

[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.

 

[Willowru]

Even with an acre, they still wanted to be and go where they shouldn't!? Predators aren't as much of a concern as the road. The donkey does a good job at keeping predators away. I suppose it doesn't hurt either that the coop is between the house and run-in. I understand your fence is four feet tall... Does it have the 4 inch openings? I'll likely go with t-posts because they are less obvious than a 4x4 if appearance and cost are the main issues 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.

 

[Willowru]

The deer won't come into my acre because of the donkey. I found fencing that states specifically for chickens, ducks, etc... that looks like snow fence but with much smaller holes. It's unattractive, but that's secondary to keeping my girls in. Any thoughts on that kind of fencing? 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!!

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Willowru]

Ok, so...t-posts it is! Already have a post pounder. Since I'm new to this (first time I got chickens was only last March. I did lots of research and reading and asking questions. The plan at the time was free-range. The length of the property runs along the road. Sadly I was naive and ignorant. I learned from tragedy and thus enter the fence.) I don't know what you mean by "knotted wire fence". When I go to look at it, what do I look for? Given that they will have almost an acre, what height would you suggest?

 

[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