My alternative to electric fences

[celticgarden]

Wanted to share my temporary fencing solution. We have a small yard (0.4 acres) and can't let the hens out to free range or they end up scratching in other peoples yards. I didn't want electric fencing due to the cost and we don't have a dog problem in our area. I purchased a plastic fence 4 feet tall by 330 feet long:
http://www.amazon.com/Dog-Fence-Standard-Perimeter-4x330/dp/B003RBTZOQ

I then purchased relatively inexpensive step on plastic fence posts from Tractor supply. I ended up cutting the fence into 3 sections for flexibility. I can direct the girls where I want them. I've only had one fly over once.



Difficult to see below but the fence does run back along the pachysandra. The hens are down in the old compost pile:


I understand there is the risk of hawks or stray dogs plowing through the fence but the trees provide good cover and this is a compromise that works for me. Pretty much they only get let out on nice weekend days.

 

[AlienChick]

I did the same thing when I first bought my chickens.
I purchased 7-ft deer fencing/netting and cut it in half so I had twice as much.
I already had some t-posts and used them to attach the netting.
Worked like a charm!

 

[celticgarden]

Hi AlienChick! Love your avatar photo. What a sweet looking hen and chicks!

 

[chfite]

Excellent alternative, portable fencing.

Chris

 

[centrarchid]

I am doing same with a length of electrified poultry netting that it not electrified. Close by are perimeters that are hot so predators may see an additional risk with respect to getting to my most vulnerable birds, small juveniles. If the fence is a little floppy, critters like foxes will be slow to jump over it. Same critters is panic will be easier for dogs to catch and properly maul.

 

[celticgarden]

Do they have free access to the fenced in area all the time? Or is it occasional?

 

[centrarchid]

With my setup access is continuous. Containment is leaky with respect to birds but it provides a safe haven they can retreat to. Fencing provides a core area for juveniles that keeps a small number of adults out of and slows would be ground predators. My dogs patrol perimeter od the "poultry" netting and they can get in an out quicker than a predator that does not know its way around.

 

[SunnySkies]

I use the same deal as day pens for my "special needs" chickens, the ones I do not like to let free range. I have LGDs in training, so my predator pressure is minimal now. All birds go in the coops at night and are closed in securely, so I don't need the run to be secure. Yes, hawks can swoop in....but when that happened, I took some of the excess fencing and draped it over part of the run and the hawks stopped hanging around when meals were harder to come by.

I use T posts I drive only partway in, so I can pull them up easily (we had them, or the step in posts would have been purchased) and baling twine to tie it to the posts. The fencing came from TSC and is deer netting. I got several rolls for less than $100.