PSA: I picked a 4 foot fence over a 6 foot one for my run and it was the right call

I had to choose between putting up a 4 foot or a 6 foot welded wire fence around my new chicken run. I went with the 4 foot because it was cheaper and easier for me to see over and reach into. After a year, I haven't lost a single bird to a predator, and my heavy Buff Orpingtons don't even try to fly over it. The key was adding a 2 foot wide apron of hardware cloth on the ground around the outside to stop digging. Has anyone else found a shorter fence works fine with certain breeds?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_mason11d ago

That apron idea is smart. I used a similar trick with my compost bins. Raccoons kept trying to dig under, so I laid down a foot of chicken wire flat on the dirt before putting the bin on top. They just gave up after a few tries.

alexlewis11d ago

Yeah, I did almost the exact same thing with my barred rocks. Went with a four foot fence because I'm not that tall and wanted to be able to lean over without a ladder. The real game changer was bending the bottom foot of the fence out flat on the ground and staking it down. It acts like a built in apron and nothing has gotten past it. My birds are too lazy to even consider flying out.