Author Topic: Hen proof gate? (Read 1785 times)

Yeoman · « **on:** October 19, 2018, 04:40:00 pm »

I have a challenge for you...

I need to put a gateway across my drive to stop the hens getting into the garden.

At the moment I have a very attractive piece of saggy stock fencing which works really well but looks awful.

I've tried a normal wooden 5 bar gate but the hens hop up, rest on the top then drop down. Very few choose to clear it in a oner!

This was the saggy stock fence's main selling point - it was too lightweight to support the birds weight. Hence it stopped them pausing at the top before hopping down.

I'm toying with the idea of the five bar gate with a row of those metal pidgeon deterrents along the top, but that idea hasn't got much traction from the loving mother of my inquisitive children!

So, any recommendations?...

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2018, 12:30:32 am »

a horizontal pole/tube just higher than the gate? spins when they try to balance on it?
entertainment value should be good too

Perris · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2018, 08:13:22 am »

they used something similar around the ancient Roman arena, to stop lions etc getting out, so it should work for chickens as long as their centre of gravity is behind them when they touch down. Otherwise there's a risk it would actually tip them over and out!

Rupert the bear · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2018, 08:59:58 am »

Quote from: Perris on October 20, 2018, 08:13:22 am

they used something similar around the ancient Roman arena, to stop lions etc getting out, so it should work for chickens as long as their centre of gravity is behind them when they touch down. Otherwise there's a risk it would actually tip them over and out!

leave a sacrificial christian on the lions side of the gate , that should detract them from the gate in the first place, as for the chickens we have a "gate" made from a half hurdle but with an insecure net topping that wont allow them to hop up and over , after a couple of attempts they gave up.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2018, 12:23:13 pm »

Can you clip their wings, I doubt they would be able to fly to the top of a 5 bar gate with clipped wings? I'd tack the stock fence to the gate to stop them climbing through the bars

Black Sheep · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2018, 04:46:28 pm »

Possibly just a strand of fencing wire across the top between the uprights a couple of inches above the top bar. I'd set it on the side they are on, rather than centrally. Tension it so it doesn't sag if they land on it. It will be too narrow for their feet to grip but also block them from landing on the bar. Easy to try, not hazardous to the inquisitives and also easy to remove without leaving a mess if it doesn't work :-)

If needs be you could also run a strand just below/level with the top bar, but set off the gate by maybe 4-6 inches as that will block them if they try and jump up too.