fencing question...i need advice

[new&learning]

my DH and I are about to put up a fence/run for my 6 chickens (3 EE's and a trio of SF). We have in our thoughts of putting a pair of small breed goats in there with them some time in the future...Our debate is either to make it 4 or 8 foot tall...with steel post, locus post, or landscaping timbers. It will be about 40ft by 80ft. I am worried about them just flying up on top and jumping down on the other side if we make it 4 foot high. I would love to hear any advice...thanks in advance...cathy

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

4 foot high fence won't keep in my chickens. You could clip wings if you are determined...I don't know how high they can fly with a clipped wing though.

 

[turtlebird]

SF...SF....SF...what's a SF again?
Anyway, my year old heavy breeds rarely fly over the 48" electrified poultry netting. If you have the lighter breeds, I would either clip the feathers on one side or a taller fence.
Salmon Favorelle? sp?

 

[woodmort]

I'll give you a compromise. I have a 6-foot high fence and keep heavy birds--EE's and RIR-types--and they've never flown over it. 4 feet might be a bit low if they really want to get out or something frightens them.

 

[BC Gal]

We had a 6 foot fence - one of my EEs flew over and did not survive to talk about it

The run and coop are now covered. I suggest the 8 foot and a wing clipping just to be safe

 

[CoyoteMagic]

My RIR hen, Houdini, could get about of any pen you put her into that didn't have a roof. To make it even worse...........................she would gloat about it at the top of her lungs!!

I was able to keep everyone else in the run buy attaching chicken wire to the top of the 6ft fence that leaned in about about 30* They would jump up and hit the wire above them and fall back to the ground unharmed. Houdini, however, waited for the morning glories to grow up and over the fence they used the vines to haul herself over the top.

Chickens will stand next to the fence and try to jump up and over. They can't, or at least I've never owned any that can jump from 4ft away from the base of the fence up 8ft and over. Think of how they put the fence on prison yards so they can't climb over, they fall off before they can. I'm sure goats would be the same way. I don't know of any critter other than monkeys and rats that can climb upside down

 

[darjohn]

I know we are talking chickens, but I have seen smaller breed goats jump 4' fences!

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I'd be interest in where your EE's are bantams or big birds. I have yet to have any of my EE's fly over my 6-foot fence and it is even on a hill where, if they wanted, they could get a head start.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Quote:
I have friends with little goats and they jump like grasshoppers! I was thinking they should research goat fencing, too. Goats can definitely be escape artists!

With chickens, it makes a difference how motivated they are. If they have more space and good forage, they're less inclined to make the effort to go over a fence. Plus, I've had flocks where only one particular chicken was driven to go over a fence and the others could have cared less.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I've had some Barred Rcoks that wouldn't stay inside a 6 ft fence.

Putting goats in with the chickens is going to complicate things.
You'll need strong "field fencing" to keep the goats in, but chickens and predators can go through that.