How narrow to make my fence.

[Glenthehen]

I was wondering how narrow of a space can my chickens fit through?
I have barred rock and golden laced wyendottes.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Are you trying to let the chickens through or keep them out?

 

[NatJ]

I was wondering how narrow of a space can my chickens fit through?
I have barred rock and golden laced wyendottes.

It partly depends on what kind of setup you have.

If you are making an opening for a chicken to walk through, like a doorway, one foot wide is enough for pretty much any chicken, and some can get by with less. Since you already have some chickens, you could measure how wide they are, and make sure it is at least that wide.

But if several chickens try to go through at one time, or you are making a place for them to spend time (rather than just a doorway to walk through), you will probably want it wider than that.

If you are making a long narrow area for them to scratch and wander around, I would probably make it at least 3 feet wide, and preferably wider. You wouldn't want one chicken to be able to block everyone else just by standing there, and chickens also prefer to walk and scratch in an area that does not feel cramped.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are you trying to let the chickens through or keep them out?

x2. I've seen my heaviest hen shove her way through a 4" wide opening to get at chick food. But you wouldn't want to deliberately make a passthrough that narrow for standard size chickens.

 

[NatJ]

x2. I've seen my heaviest hen shove her way through a 4" wide opening to get at chick food. But you wouldn't want to deliberately make a passthrough that narrow for standard size chickens.

Good point. And I've seen partly-grown chicks go through 2" openings, and young bantam chicks go through 1" holes with no trouble at all.