# Chicken Fencing



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Hey, guys! I have a question. 
(I always have so many questions.  )

Our yard is not suited to let our chickens free range. I would definitely let them, but we have no barriers to our dog's electric fence perimeter (he would..."play" with the chickens.  ), the neighbor's yard, or the main road that runs next to our house.

I came up with the idea of buying some chicken fencing for some free range time within a perimeter. The free range area is about 20 x 10 feet. The coop will be located inside the fencing, so the chickens can return to their coop and run to lay or eat/drink.

However, I am struggling to find a good chicken fence that is low cost and effective. I already looked at the amazing Omlet chicken fencing, I might add. It was a great idea until I found out that shipping would cost over $100. 
They're located in England, I'm located in the United States. 

Any suggestions for fencing that is similar to Omlet's? Theirs has a gate and it is 1 meter high. 
(https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/omlet_chicken_fencing/)

Thank you


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Wigwam, look at weld wire here in the states at a lumber yard or farm store. Make sure to either put a footing under it or extend it out 12 to 18 inches and bury it. That way predators can't get to your birds.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Do you live in Oklahoma by any chance? If you did, I have a prefab coop you can have....


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I took a look at the omlet chicken fencing and it is netting. A raccoon or dog would tear right through netting to get at your chickens. Over time, the sun and weather weakens the netting and will easily break apart.
Chicken wire all the way around and on top. Hardware cloth going all the way around the base, about 3 feet up from the bottom of the chicken wire, overlayed on the chicken wire. Field fence layed on the ground going all the way around the outside pen perimeter and tied into the chicken wire or hammered in landscaping posts with small fencing nails. 
The only thing that will be able to get your birds will be chicken snakes. Nothing can stop them.
Initial start up costs are expensive unless you can go scrapping for lumber, wire etc...
If you live close where I live, I'll give you a full roll of unused hardware cloth.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

dawg53 said:


> I took a look at the omlet chicken fencing and it is netting. A raccoon or dog would tear right through netting to get at your chickens. Over time, the sun and weather weakens the netting and will easily break apart.
> Chicken wire all the way around and on top. Hardware cloth going all the way around the base, about 3 feet up from the bottom of the chicken wire, overlayed on the chicken wire. Field fence layed on the ground going all the way around the outside pen perimeter and tied into the chicken wire or hammered in landscaping posts with small fencing nails.
> The only thing that will be able to get your birds will be chicken snakes. Nothing can stop them.
> Initial start up costs are expensive unless you can go scrapping for lumber, wire etc...


Well, our chickens will only be in this fenced in area when we are around and supervising them, and they will only be in there for a short time.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

nannypattyrn said:


> Do you live in Oklahoma by any chance? If you did, I have a prefab coop you can have....


No, sorry, I don't.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That's fine, I would just like to see someone who really needs one get it.


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

As Dawg53 said...Hardware cloth. Our coop is a fortress a very tight 10x10 tool shed. Their pen is the same. I dug a perimeter around the fencing I put up and buried hardware cloth down and out. anything that tries to dig under the fence will hit wire fencing or in some places chain link fencing, I had some scrapes to get rid of, Just mark out your area with 4 posts dig a trench and lay the wire in and up the posts. Your problem won't be what comes under or through the fence it will be what comes over at that point. Here's a photo of our coops pen, it's still under construction in this photo. It's a dog fence with a chicken wire lining on the bottom and chicken wire lined 2x4 wire fencing over the top like hawks. It probably looks like over kill but if it walks in the North Carolina woods it likes to eat chicken. I have since added a electric cattle fence around the coop. WE HAVE BEAR too! 14 thousand volts usually changes their mind about what's for dinner. GOOD LUCK building. Security is a good thing depending on where you live


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

That's a really nice set-up.I don't see any ventilation.A coop needs ventilation for fresh air exchange and to decrease moisture.I have vents at the front and back near the peak.I'd take a picture but I have tarps covering them(I know,I'm bad).I was going to open them up if moisture was an issue but it wasn't that cold this winter and the coop stayed dry.


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

There are windows on the back side and the right side door has a screen door on the inside with double locks and hardware cloth over the screening. It's opened up everyday so they have plenty of ventilation. Once they start going out in their pen the chicken door will be open and add to the air flow. I have not done it yet but I'm going to install 2 more larger windows and install a ridge vent on the roof. To keep them with a cool place on the hot days here the coop is raised 16" so they can go under it for shade.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Your chickens should be happy.You're lucky to have all those trees.I had to plant trees to shade the coop and they are taking their time growing.


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## Recoveryman (Mar 28, 2017)

Give them some fertilizer spring and mid summer with a good watering. They'll grow!! Sometimes we have too many! When we bought the house we cut down 30 trees around the house. You'd never know we cut any. We have Rose of Sharon, Holly, Black Walnut, Hemlock... they grow every where! Lots of forest here. Here's a look off our deck. We have plenty of trees. I'd send you some if I could.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

View off my deck this morning and my garden.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

That's a gorgeous view!I have trees on all 4 sides of my property(I don't have to look at the neighbors most of the year) but they forgot to leave some in the yard.We planted 50+ trees last year.I'm waiting on 4 paw-paw trees and 3 cold hardy kiwis.Most of the trees I've planted feed us or the wildlife.I may not see them mature but hopefully they will provide for the next family that lives here but I don't plan on going anywhere for a long time.I love the green and the trees.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I've heard of paw paws but I've never seen one. We put 2 peach trees out and 2 blueberry bushes out this year. We have pears, apricots, plums, pecans and pomegranates. Blackberries and sand plums grow wild and are almost a nuisance. Oh, and we have tame and wild grape vines.


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