I need temporary/maybe not temporary fencing ideas to hide my chickens

[hayley3]

Maybe some kind of plants?
In the summer, you might be able to grow vines (peas, beans, cucumbers, squash, etc.)

Given the time of year, maybe some imitation vines? Holly would look nice and Christmas-y.

Cornstalks or stacks of hay bales for Thanksgiving?

A row of Christmas trees? (Artificial or real, depending on what's available and how long you need it to last.)

Big inflatable holiday decorations? Sheets of white fluffy fabric to be fake "snow"?

One of those lit-up nets that people put over bushes? That might not be opaque enough, but lit-up things sometimes play funny tricks on the eyes, so it might have a chance of working.

A big flag? Or several flags?

Obviously, I'm thinking of things that could pretend to be there for another purpose: gardening, landscaping, decoration, etc. Maybe look around the area at what other people have, and consider if any of them would work for you.

Great ideas! There is a HUGE burning bush in a neighbor's yard so plants are a great idea, I just wish I had that huge burning bush. The burning bush is probably 20 feet wide and 15 feet tall...also the hay bales..I could try to get straw bales...I am also now considering privacy fence screens.

 

[paintedChix]

I recently watched a you tube video about using roof flashing. But he had an established 2x4" wire fence between him & his neighbor. Also, flashing is shiney silver, so...?

What about lattice? Blooie, in WY uses it to change look of run that partially shows from road.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

Other than that, no real ideas or help.

I know about the "no fence in front yard". A lot of communities here in NC, even w/o HOAs, do not allow fencing from middle of either end of house to road (front yard). You'd be surprised how many rural communities yhis affects! tractors might work in front yard for some. Others, too noticeable...

 

[hayley3]

I recently watched a you tube video about using roof flashing. But he had an established 2x4" wire fence between him & his neighbor. Also, flashing is shiney silver, so...?

What about lattice? Blooie, in WY uses it to change look of run that partially shows from road.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/motel-chix.67240/

Other than that, no real ideas or help.

I know about the "no fence in front yard". A lot of communities here in NC, even w/o HOAs, do not allow fencing from middle of either end of house to road (front yard). You'd be surprised how many rural communities yhis affects! tractors might work in front yard for some. Others, too noticeable...

Oh lattice! That would work if I put it on the fencing structure that is there. I might have to try that if they don't allow me a solid fence. I found out they do allow a fence but mainly they want it to be painted white and see thru and very short so nothing that would contain an animal, dog for instance. Slats have to be 4 inches apart or a horizontal horse fence. They allow chickens but they have too many rules to have those chickens so really it's a way to discourage people from having them at all! And I know the neighbors do NOT want to see buckets and hoses, etc. I made my chickens a covered feeder, for instance and it's a bit rustic..as it's not perfect and really I need to make them a new one, but that's what they'd be seeing. So the fence would've hidden all that. I lived in rural communities, so I am shocked other rural communities have restrictions.

And thank you for the link, I checked it out...that lattice could also work for temporary fencing!

 

[cundare]

We have a lot of that bamboo fencing on our yard, both for privacy and to keep the chickens in. It's terrific for the former, although we attached some black tarp to the inside so people couldn't peek between the stalks. But it's only 5 or 6 feet high so although it takes some effort, the birds can jump over if they really want to.

These come in $100 rolls (6 feet long, I think) and you have to put some kind of stakes in the ground to tie them to. But overall, it's not a big job. I'd suggest carbonizing them or spraying them with outdoor poly (maybe even var) to extend their life.

We got ours at Home Depot. They've had tons of it on the floor for a few years now.

 

[hayley3]

We have a lot of that bamboo fencing on our yard, both for privacy and to keep the chickens in. It's terrific for the former, although we attached some black tarp to the inside so people couldn't peek between the stalks. But it's only 5 or 6 feet high so although it takes some effort, the birds can jump over if they really want to.

These come in $100 rolls (6 feet long, I think) and you have to put some kind of stakes in the ground to tie them to. But overall, it's not a big job. I'd suggest carbonizing them or spraying them with outdoor poly (maybe even var) to extend their life.

We got ours at Home Depot. They've had tons of it on the floor for a few years now.

Thanks..what kind of stakes did you use and do you not have trouble with them staying upright during windy days?

 

[cundare]

Thanks..what kind of stakes did you use and do you not have trouble with them staying upright during windy days?

Well, I can't answer that directly. It's gonna depend on the specific details of your situation. We secured the bamboo panels to an existing picket fence in one case, and to heavy dute metal stakes in another. We have very hard, clay-like soil and the panels were in a low-wind area. So you'll have to play it by ear.

My point was that these panels are very strong & provide good privacy (with an opaque lining if you expect people to get up close & try to peer through the tiny spaces between poles).

Still, if you've got roosters crowing, it'll be hard to conceal the fact that you've got birds. And hens can be almost as loud as roosters. Maybe the most important thing is to maintain a good relationship with the new neighbors, maybe offer them eggs, I dunno, because if nobody reports a chicken nuisance, you may be good long-term.

Hope some of this helps. We too are thinking about moving to a community that doesn't allow free-range chickens and have no idea what would happen to our 20 birds if we do.

 

[cundare]

Thanks..what kind of stakes did you use and do you not have trouble with them staying upright during windy days?

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-Garden-Center-Garden-Fencing/Bamboo/N-5yc1vZbx6jZ1z0u6r0

Here are some options.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Can you put anything inside the fencing to work as cover as a sort? Like the kind of stuff you’d use to break line of sight between the birds so they aren’t visible to each other? It wouldn’t completely hide your birds, but might make it harder to count them if you combine it with other methods, and would provide cover/enrichment for the birds too.

 

[cundare]

Check out the link. It's easy to attach whatever you want to either side of the fencing. We just stapled black weatherized cloth to ours. It's not just chicken barrier for us, it's also a pretty good privacy fence for the entire yard. You can make it as strong as you like by choosing different type of posts to attach it to.

 

[Love Donkeys]

Maybe you could beg the zoning or planning people for a variance that would allow you the keep your older poultry until they die. You could provide them with photos of the poultry and their possible life expectancy. If you explain you have had them since they were chicks and it would be very difficult for you to choose which ones would live. I would get rid of the rooster, all he'll do is cause problems when you beg for the lives of the other poultry...

When you are in front of the board don't be to ashamed to cry. Who knows it might help.