Outdoor chicken Fencing height!

[jesslynnduran]

How high should outdoor fencing be for my RIR's? I am not planning on clipping their wings if I don't have too?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

5' should be enough unless they know something tasty is on the other side.

 

[bernaboo111]

I put some chicken wire on to of the run so that the fox couldn't get in even if he tried. To be safe put some on top too.

 

[chfite]

My run has 6 feet tall fencing for my New Hampshire Reds. They forage all day in a yard of 3/4 acres with 4 foot fencing and have not gotten out. Nevertheless, my Barred Rock Rooster has gotten out of the run on occasion. Even then, he is in the fenced yard; and doesn't stray far from run. I think he realizes that his girls are in there and he won't stray away.

Chris

 

[jesslynnduran]

Thank you

 

[coloradoalice]

We have 4'-5' fence along most of our property and although we've had the occasional chicken over the other side they generally stay put.

 

[4 the Birds]

The run area should be enclosed and predator proof. The free range area should be fenced to designate a boundary. It is best that it is strong enough to last and so things can't go through. Obviously higher is better but predators can climb or fly into areas with high fencing. I personally would just go with a standard 4' high fence that is well built. Very high fencing does not improve your property value and it will not be as easy to maintain as standard fencing. Our farm uses 4 ft high no climb fence with a strand of barb wire up another 4 inches. We don't clip wings and the birds stay in their free range area.

 

[luvmychixandducks]

I got a six foot tall dog pen to use as a chicken pen and the first day the chickens were let out of their coop they all went over the top just to invetigate their surroundings.
I opened the coop and they all returned to roost when it got dark.
Once everybody got back inside I shut the coop door and covered the top of the run with the small mesh cloth used to protect berry bushes from birds.
This keeps the chickens in.
Not predator proof, but a layer of hardware cloth over the berry net will do the trick.

 

[MuckyPuppy]

Like Luvmychixandducks, I've had/have chickens that could/can clear a 6 foot fence. I had to collect a one off the roof of a neighbor's sunroom. Mostly the high flyers were the lighter and/or smaller breeds; Polands, d'Anvers and Sablepoots (live in UK) and when young/ish my bantam Orps would have been able to clear anything at least shoulder high as they use to land on mine and I'm 5' 5".

 

[jesslynnduran]

Thank you all. It was very helpful.