Chicken Fencing Ideas and Types : To Keep Predators Out

Do you want a few amazing chicken fencing ideas for backyard coop, run, and barn? If yes, this guide will help you a lot.

The main reason people rear chickens are to get eggs and meat, but there are many other products we can derive from chickens like fertilizer, electricity, biogas etc. 

But to get these benefits, you need to keep them safe from various things like heat, cold, and predators.

It’s important to put a fence around a chicken coop because poultry birds are always in danger from predator attacks. Predators like dogs, foxes, raccoons, and possums usually attack chickens.

As a chicken farmer, you must ensure your chickens are safe, and fencing is the best way to do this. Fencing restricts chickens’ movement, which means they won’t go to places you don’t want them to go. 

There are very many types of fencing you can use, and in this article, you will learn more about them.

Chicken Fencing Types

Chicken fencing protects the chicken from predators, allows the chicken to eat within a restricted area, and helps maintain a clean environment, and so on. 

There are many types of chicken fences you can apply. However, you can’t use all of them, so you must go through a selection process. 

Consider these factors when choosing the right type of fencing for your chickens. The cost of fencing, the level of protection for your chicken, the farm’s size, and the fence’s durability.

There are mainly two types of chicken fencing available in the market:

1. Standard Chicken Fencing Wire and Hardware Cloth

The majority of chicken raisers use a standard type of chicken wire fencing. In this, the hardware cloth has different sizes of meat to keep the chickens in a particular area.

They are easy to install using iron nails and hard wires. So, any poultry raiser can use it around a small to a big chicken coop and run.

The standard chicken fencing wire and hardware cloth are very low cost and readily available in all hardware cloth.

Read more: List of best chicken wire and hardware cloth

2. Electric Chicken Fencing

Electric chicken fencing is an advanced type of netting, mostly used for high predator attack areas. You need a little technical information before installing electric fencing around a coop and barn.

In this type of fencing, the net is connected to an energizer which runs electricity throughout the fence. When a predator tries to get inside, the fencing gets an electric shock.

This type of chicken fencing comes with a battery and is solar-powered. So, it works efficiently during power failure and no power areas. 

Electric chicken fencing is more expensive than regular chicken fencing, but they are worth it because they work better. 

Read more: List of best chicken electric chicken fence

Chicken Fencing Ideas For Better Flock Protection

There are 11 chicken fencing ideas that you can build around your chicken coop. Also, we have added the advantages and disadvantages of these 11 fencing designs for your barn area.

1. Chicken Wire Fencing Around the Coop

Chicken wire fencing encompasses the use of wires to install a fence. There are different types of wire used for chicken fencing, and when one is choosing the chicken wire fencing must find out the best chicken wire to use.

Advantages of chicken wire fencing for coop and run

This chicken fencing idea gives your flock safety from predators. Chickens are prone to predators like snakes, dogs, foxes, hawks, raccoons, owls, and many more. Wire fencing will ensure your flock is safe.

Chickens are given to foraging within a given area. Wire fencing will keep the chickens in a certain area, so they can eat without wasting food for the whole flock.

It helps to keep your garden safe. Chickens are very destructive. They will destroy everything green in your garden and cover it with poops. The best way to stop them from doing this is to fence them in.

It’s a good way to keep your chicken out of the neighborhood. Have you heard people being taken to court because their chickens invaded a neighbor’s garden or home? This happens if one hasn’t fenced their chicken.

It helps chickens to feed without stress. You are going to give your chickens feed where they are. You can also decide to fence the chicken in a bushy area where they will be foraging. This ensures there is no stress in feeding your chickens.

It’s easy to get chicken wire. You can get chicken wire in almost all hardware shops around you and online.

Disadvantages of chicken wire fencing

It is not so reliable. Even though chicken wire is used for chicken fencing, it is not 100% reliable since predators can still get their way in through the wire holes. 

Another disadvantage is that chicks can get trapped; hence not very good for chicks as well. But still, it works if you have a few flocks and if you’re living in a low-predator attack area.

2. Standard Fencing Around the Run

This is another common chicken fence used by many chicken farmers. When you walk around your area, you are going to find one. This type of chicken fencing has its advantages and disadvantages as well.

Advantages of standard around the run

Chickens are kept safe from being preyed on. It’s a cheaper method of chicken fencing. This type of standard fencing is easy and fast to install.

Disadvantages of standard around the run

It doesn’t offer a complete solution to the problem of predators. Some 

3. Height or Tall Fencing Ideas

This is one of the best chicken fencing ideas for poultry safety. If you got a breed of chickens that fly high, you will definitely have to invest in this kind of chicken fencing. 

Since this fence will be tall, you should expect it to cost you a lot of money since the materials will be more.

Advantages of height or tall fencing

One of the most important things to know is that this chicken fencing idea will ensure that your flocks are safe in the coop, so long as you have put the right height.

Another advantage of this chicken fence is that it’s cost-effective. Even though it will be costly, it will be much cheaper than most other chicken fences.

Drawbacks of the height or tall fencing

It doesn’t keep all the predators away, so your chickens are not 100% safe. Such predators are like snakes. 

4. Branches Chicken Fence

This is one of the best low-cost natural chicken fencing ideas. If you have many trees with extra branches in your backyard, you can cut those branches and use them to make a fence for the chicken coop. They are best to build and save you lots of money.

Advantages of branches chicken fence

Branches chicken fences are made from natural branches from trees hence, they are cheap.

Building a chicken fence using branches is also environmentally clean since you are using natural materials that will be easy to decompose.

It doesn’t require any professionalism to install this fence.

Disadvantages of branches for chicken fencing

Tree branches don’t offer a reliable solution concerning the safety of the chickens. Sometime, chickens jump and fly over this type of fence.

5. Chicken Wire With Wood Fencing Ideas

This is where you combine wire and wood. The wire is not strong enough to stand by itself; if you don’t include wood, it will sag. Combining these two ensure better performance.

Pros of wire and wood fencing

Easy to make. You don’t need plenty of tools to fix this, all you need is nails and a hammer, and within a short period, you will be done.

They are locally available. Wood can be found everywhere. It stops the wire from sagging. 

The wire is very weak and can’t stand straight on its own. Supporting it with wood improves its performance.

Cons of wood and fencing

It adds more cost. With this fence, you will need to buy nails and spend more on labor.

It takes more time to install the fence. The time you will use while doing wire fencing will not be the same as the time you will use when you use wire and wood.

6. Easy-to-Move Fencing

This kind of chicken fencing idea is also known as portable fencing. As the name suggests, you can move this fence from one place to another. 

If you often move and want to rear chickens, this is the best method.

Merits of easy-to-move chicken fence

Easy-to-move fence allows you to move with your fence whenever you go. This is convenient since you won’t have to make another coop for your chicken when you relocate to a new place.

Disadvantages of the portable fence.

When you want to take this fence apart, it will be more complicated than when installing it.

7. Fishnet Fencing Around the Coop

The fishing net here does an impressive job when it comes to installing a fence. It is a very good material for covering a particular area.

Pros of fishnet fencing

It is one of the easiest chicken fencing ideas. This is not one of the fences that will give you a headache to install.

Removing this fishnet fence is very simple. If you want to relocate or remove the fencing from its original place for whatever reason, you can do it comfortably.

Cons of fishnet fencing

Some predators can get their way to the chicken coop. It’s not strong enough, which makes it sag.

8. Wood Fencing With Chicken Wire

Here, both wood and wire are used. However, wood is installed first, followed by a fence, or the fence comes on top of the wood.

Merits of wood fencing with wire.

It is the best way to ensure predators won’t get access to your flock

Installing wood fencing with wire is simple, and you don’t need special tools to do this job. The method is cheap compared to several fencing options.

Demerits of wood fencing with wire.

Wood can be destroyed by rodents and other small animals. Chicken wire can cause accidents if not trimmed well.

9. Electric Chicken Fencing

The electric chicken fence is a netting that is electrified. The net is connected to an energizer which was connected to either current or to a solar panel.

The electric chicken fencing idea is one of the safest ways to keep small to medium pets safe.

Merits of an electric chicken fence

The electrical fence is installed around a chicken coop to discourage big predators from going near the coop.

No predator can go close to an electric fence. Your chickens are protected from large predators. It also discourages theft.

Disadvantages of electric chicken fence

It’s expensive to install an electric chicken fence. It can be dangerous since it’s electrical.

10. Portable Solar Chicken Fencing

Solar chicken fencing is a type of electric poultry fence. They are solar powered and help during power failures and no electricity areas.

Advantages of portable solar chicken fencing.

Provides better security from predators. Can be moved from one place to another. It will keep the battery of the electric fence charged.

Drawbacks of the portable solar chicken fencing

In case of a power outage due to bad weather, your chickens are left in danger since they will be exposed to predators.

It’s costly to manage. Installing this fence and managing it is expensive.

11. Rope Netting Around the Coop and Run

Rope netting is another one of the cheapest and efficient chicken fencing ideas. This is best for low predator attack areas.

Benefits of rope netting chicken fence

You can get them from an array of colors. You can monitor your chicken’s health through rope netting around the chicken coop. It provides protection to your chickens from predators.

Disadvantages of using rope netting for fencing

The method doesn’t protect chickens fully. Ropes aren’t strong enough to stop animals like foxes, wolves, and big rats with sharp teeth.

FAQ on Chicken Fencing

Where to get chicken wire?

You can get chicken wire from different manufacturers locally or shop online stores. You must know the measurements of the chicken wire you want to buy.

How much does chicken wire fencing cost?

Chicken wire for fencing cost ranges from $20-$300. You can hence budget according to your financial masculinity when buying chicken wire.

How much chicken wire do I need?

The chicken coop size will determine the size of the chicken wire you will build. You should take the appropriate measurements and do your calculations according to your coop, run, and barn.

Do my chickens need a fence?

Of course, you should if you want your chicken to be protected, and you want to forage your chicken within a certain location.

What type of chicken wire should I use? 

First, you should consider all the merits and demerits of different kinds of chicken wire and choose the best.

How high chicken fence should I keep?

When installing chicken wire, consider the breed of chicken you have. Some chickens can fly so high, so if you are rearing this type, make the fence as high as possible.

The average height of chicken fence should be 6 feet. But if you have few flying chicken breeds, you can add 2-4 feet height more.

Summary

The above chicken fencing ideas are from various online resources. You can follow them if you want to add a chicken fence around your chicken coop and run.

But if you don’t like the above ones, you can do your experiment. The protection of your chicken will be determined by the quality of life your chicken has.

It is crucial, therefore, to install a chicken fence that is good and that will give your chicken the freedom they need. 

Always have the right budget when considering installing a chicken fence. You should install the good of fence that is not only safe for your chicken, but also safe for you.

I hope you liked these top 11 chicken fencing ideas for your backyard poultry coop and run.