Don't sit on the fence!

When keeping chickens in a garden, it’s important to choose fencing that’s not only fit for purpose, but also pleasing on the eye. Andy Cawthray recommends thinking through all the options before making this big investment

- Andy Cawthray

The coronavirus pandemic seems to have reinvigorated the grow-your-own movement, not that it needed much boosting. Evermore people are looking to their immediate environment and how to make the most of it, not only in terms of enjoyment of their outdoor spaces, but also improving the productivity of it. This has resulted in another rise in poultry-keeping — that accessible form of livestock which delivers fresh eggs to the kitchen and, when free ranging in your garden, adds movement, beauty and even entertainment.

Free ranging in the garden has risks as well as benefits, and certain breeds are better suited to different garden scenarios. However, another area that needs careful consideration when free ranging is the fencing you use. Depending on circumstances, fencing may be needed around the perimeter of the garden to keep the chickens in and everything else out. On the other hand, it may be required to surround the area of the garden you want the chickens to avoid. In my case, I use it to fence off my vegetable plot as I prefer to protect my plants as opposed to my chickens.

When considering the fencing options, it’s important to understand its purpose fully before embarking on any groundworks or purchases. It needs to be functional and practical, but also sympathetic to the other landscaping within the garden, as well as complementing planting style. For example, if you have a more formal, orderly design to your beds then running a mass of stock fencing across it isn’t going to look the part. The other element to consider is whether the fencing will be a permanent feature, semi-permanent, or temporary as this will also influence the materials you use.

Brick or stone walls, if built high enough, work well as a permanent boundary option. With the variety of construction materials available, it is possible to erect something that looks in keeping.