• Fencing should contain your chickens and protect them from outside threats.Chicken image by Jouke from Fotolia.com
  
  

Fencing Height Depends Upon the Breed of Chicken

• Many chicken breeds are capable of flying short distances.chicken on a fence image by Ruth Ann Angus from Fotolia.com
  
  Chickens vary in their flight abilities, so you should choose a height that will effectively contain the particular breed you intend to keep. Chicken-Yard.net recommends 6-foot fencing for lightweight breeds, 4.5-foot fencing for medium-weight breeds and 3-foot fencing for heavyweight breeds.
  
  

Fencing Height Depends Upon Location

• Predators such as foxes can easily surmount short fences.Fuchs image by Petra Kohlst?¡èdt from Fotolia.com
  
  Fencing must not only keep your chickens in, but keep dangerous predators out. Coyotes and foxes can jump fences of up to 4 feet high, while raccoons, opossums and skunks can climb fences even taller. If you live in a rural area where such predators are common, you may want to add extra height to your fencing.
  
  

Bottom Line

• Fencing is important to your chickens' safety.chicken image by Sergey Goruppa from Fotolia.com
  
  When deciding how high your chicken fencing should be, consider both what breeds you will be keeping and what predators are common in your area. If you live in a suburban or urban area, base your fencing height on the flight abilities of your chickens. If you live in a more rural area, add extra height to deter predators.