Fencing for animal enclosures should be one of the first considerations as you consider your small homestead.
It wasn’t for me. And, oh, the lessons I have learned.
Fences. You need them. They provide safety and organization.
When I first started this adventure, my plan was free range. And some places work great for that. Just not here.
My visions of having a happy flock of pecking bugs out in the field stopped when I saw turkeys roasting on my front porch.
They decided that the porch was more comfortable than the coop.
I’m a fairly easygoing person. But opening the front door and meeting three turkeys every morning was more than I could handle.
And the mess that came with it caused a smoldering resentment. I did not have ordinary, happy birds. They were intrusive, arrogant birds!
They also liked to go for walks. Down the dirt road. Which left the neighbors slightly disgruntled.
They hopped fences and visited the shop across the street, much to the workers’ dismay.
They loitered, were intrusive, made messes, and became a nuisance.
And just a little bit of an embarrassment.
My chickens were prettier. But came with their own set of problems.
Free-range chickens with attitudes.
They destroyed gardens and went for long romantic strolls down the road.
There wasn’t an egg to be found.
And then there was the unfortunate decision to buy a straight run with three small Bantumn roosters with bad attitudes, who chased small girls all over the land.
How can something so small be so brave? And so arrogant?
The gardens were bug-free and vegetable-free. Nothing was sacred.
Roaming dogs, skunks, and raccoons also became a problem. We were the closest thing to a McDonalds in the area.
Things had to change.
And then there’s the dog, Houdini.
He can escape any area. I’m not exaggerating. My nice six-foot-tall dog enclosure. The backyard fence. And his collar, which he then chews up.
He’s a special case. I’ve never met his equal.
He can climb, dig, and jump so high that it’s remarkable. And unsafe. And infuriating.
These situations take away your peace of mind and endanger the animals.
And do not promote positive relations with your neighbors.
Life is more manageable when you have fencing for animal enclosures.
I’m not against free-ranging. But a sizeable fenced-in animal enclosure is your best bet in the Mountain West.
Predators, wandering animals, and maintaining a cleaner area were the deciding factors for my chicken and turkey run.
And an escape-proof dog area has been a necessity. No one wants to worry about their precious pet getting hurt or lost.
Consider first what kind of shelter you will need for the animal.
The shelter you provide will protect your animals from weather elements and predators and provide a resting spot for them.
The shelter size will depend on the number of animals or birds.
Here are some guidelines from McMurray Hatchery.
How Much Space Do My Chickens Need? – Murray McMurray Hatchery Blog
It’s okay to think outside the box here.
We winterized a sizeable old shed, putting in nest boxes and roosting perches.
You can use various items if the animal is protected from predators and weather elements.
My brother has utilized a large concrete culvert that he had lying around. He placed it halfway into the side of a hill and out of the wind to allow the pig to escape the elements.
Dogs that are left outside for long periods will also need protection.
Ensure the animals are protected from the wind, cold, and the sun.
These things need to be considered when you make your fenced enclosure. For two reasons: it will impact the size of your area, and depending on the situation, you may want to build or have it in place before you put up the fence.
Start with sturdy fencing, posts, and gates.
You may think you can go cheaper here, but resist that temptation.
In the long run, tall enough, well-built, sturdy fences will save you so much aggravation and money.
This requires sturdy posts and the proper fence material for the animal.
Experienced farmers and ranchers are skilled at this. And we need to become proficient at this as well.
A chainlink dog run may come with prebuilt packages, but the rest of the animals require specific fencing and must be built by hand.
Just A Few Acres Farm has produced an excellent YouTube video on building a woven wire fence.
Here is an excellent video from the Red Tool House Homestead about a chicken fence.
As you start planning your fencing needs, remember the amount of room the animal or flock needs and the time they will spend in that area.
Chickens tend to stop flying over fences as they age as long as they are pretty high to begin with.
Consider what type of predators are in your area.
My dad taught me years ago to place a buried woven wire laying flat 24 inches on the outside of your chicken run so predators such as coyotes cannot dig under the fence.
This is called a predator apron. There are additional YouTube videos on that as well.
Some animals are determined to get out.
If having proper housing and fencing has not kept your free spirit animal in, there are additional options.
- Place their housing in the middle of the yard so they cannot use it to jump or fly out.
- Clip chicken wings so they cannot fly out. It doesn’t hurt them if done correctly and is very effective.
- Bury wire around the bottom of the fence using garden stakes.
- Place heavy gravel or rocks around the bottom of the fence.
- Give the animals or birds entertaining options available in their pen.
- Electric fencing.
Electric fencing is also available. And in certain situations, it may be your best option. It gives the animal a small shock, and most animals learn quickly not to go near the fence.
There are some animals and some types of animals that seem more prone to wander and that are harder to contain.
But using some of these techniques, you can create a fencing strategy to help you manage their escaping and wandering.
