Fence question

[BasicLiving]

My husband and I would like to fence in about 2 acres - as inexpensively as possible - with something that would easily contain dogs and chickens, and keep out deer and other large critters (understanding they could jump the fence, but not just walk right through it). He's leaning towards hog wire fencing - I'd like to throw this out there and see if anyone else has fenced in a large area and what the cost/experience has been.

Thanks.
Penny

[mrglock27]

woven field fencing 48" high 330 ft long is about $167 a roll. Or game fencing is 8 ft tall and 330 feet long $229 a roll plus you'd have to get taller t posts which would cost a little bit more. I used barb wire because it was alot cheaper but I'm not trying to keep a dog in.

[hoofinitnorth]

check out the livestock forums. Seems the equine section is always talking fences! Lots of great ideas there.

[homebirtha]

Electric is cheapest and easiest, but it won't keep the chickens in. I think your best bet is field fencing. I'm not sure what you mean by hog wire. You don't mean hog panels, do you? That would be very pricey.

[JHinCA]

When I was growing up, hog wire meant what people call field fence now.

[Bearfootfarm]

"hog wire" usually means field fencing with 4 inch squares.

[bill not in oh]

5-6 strand high tensile electric will be the least expensive way for you to fence 2 acres. It won't hold chickens, though. You'll have to use 6' 2X4 welded wire (very pricey) to assure that the chickens won't fly over unless you clip wings. (and depending on the breed and individual chicken... 6' may not contain all of them.) I'd go with the electric - the chickens won't stray too far from their housing, usually. Mine stay within a couple hundred feet.

OR... you could fence the perimeter with the H.T. electric and within that area fence the chickens into their own area. 1/4 acre per 50 chickens is plenty so long as there is good grass (I'm assuming a laying flock). You really have two separate problems that you are addressing that require different solutions.

[homebirtha]

4' holds our chickens in almost all the time. I think we've had one get out once or twice in the last two years.

Originally Posted by bill in oh

You'll have to use 6' 2X4 welded wire (very pricey) to assure that the chickens won't fly over unless you clip wings.

[bill not in oh]

Originally Posted by homebirtha

4' holds our chickens in almost all the time. I think we've had one get out once or twice in the last two years.

I use 4' 2X4 welded wire for my birds and several fly over often - It just doesn't really bother me. I simply toss 'em back in or just open the gate when it's feeding time and they scoot back in. Different breeds have more or less propensity (and ability) for flight. My neighbor added 2' to his 4' fence to keep his Leghorns in. My Comets are pretty light and can clear the 4' with ease. Their yard is pretty big, so most of them just stay in. Heavier breeds seem to have less motivation to try to fly out of a fenced area.

[fantasymaker]

Its almost impossable to hold dogs in and dogs out!You needat least hog wire AND electric but concrete would work too.......

[vallyfarm]

I've raised cows, sheep, goats, horses, ducks, chickens, rabbits, and some more I've probably forgotten about...The cheapest fence is to put up 4' high goat fence! Put a line of barbed wire on top and below and it will contain 99% of anything you will ever have. Do it right the first time and you won't have to fuss with it for the next 20 yrs. Money in your pocket every morning you wake up and have all your critters on your side, and everything else on the other. As for chickens, clip ONE wing back and they can only fly into a downward spiral. Just hang some cheap chicken wire on the goat fence for the bird area, and the chicks stay in, but can't push out and slip under the wire like they always do with just chicken wire. Good luck,Mike