How high is high enough?

[denco5]

My 18 chickens free range on one acre, I need to keep them off of about half of that. How high of a fence do you think I would need to keep them in? They have a secure run for the nights and the times I am not at home.

Is 3' enough or maybe 4'? Will they eventually flow over it to explore?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

It really depends on your chickens breed and personalities. My run is enclosed with a 6 ft chainlink fence. My Cochins couldn't get their fat, fluffy butts over it if they tried (and they do), but my more gamey type hens fly over the fence without much effort. Good luck!

 

[mandelyn]

Depends on the birds. A lightly built hen will sail over a 4ft fence with 10 ft to spare. Bantam or game types especially. A laying hen of good size will clear 4 ft, but struggle for 6 ft. Cochins, can't get far but they try. 3 ft, everything but a silkie/frizzle/sizzle will laugh their way over it.

 

[DanEP]

My Barred Rocks and slw's will fly up and sit on my 4' gate to see what I'm doing all the time, the Bo can't get up there so It depends on what breeds you have.

 

[Tenmore]

My aracanna went over a 6 foot fence to get back in the run when I left her out cause she wouldnt come out from under trailer...

 

[dawg53]

My Hamburgs were up on the roof of the house! Scissors took care of that lol.

 

[triplepurpose]

I have all different heavy breeds and a 3 1/2 to 4 foot fence works for me. If I see a chicken trying to get over (and usually it is only one or two), I clip their wings to be safe. Occasionally I have had birds get over the fence, young ones especially, clipped wings and all. They did this by jumping, flapping and clawing their way over, not by "flying" per se, but they got over nonetheless. Normally, they do this in one spot only, often at a certain time of day, making a routine of it. Once it was just one hen that did it. Conveniently, I culled her and that did the trick. Another time, several figured out this "squawk-flap-and-scramble" technique. I spent a few minutes attaching some chicken wire to the top, along the section of fence they were jumping over, in such a way that the netting was bent or flopped over ninety degrees or more towards the inside of the pasture. They weren't able to climb over it, so that fixed the problem. Since then, I haven't had one get out yet. Typically, they don't fly much, and are only interested in what's on the ground, and the only time they fly with any enthusiasm is to roost at night.

So the upshot is that a fence that size is certainly manageable for heavy breeds, but isn't a perfect guarantee. But it works fine for me, which is good, because at least here, chicken wire only comes in four-foot-wide rolls...

Good luck!

 

[cmom]

My fences are 5' high chicken wire. I had some 6' chicken wire but the wire was rusting out so I recently replaced all of my wire with the 5'. My birds would go over the 4' wire but not the 5' or 6'. My local feed store will order the rolls of wire for me.

 

[bustermommy]

My chickens will go up 5 feet. Six feet stops them.