by Rebecca Nickols
![fence035](http://www.communitychickens.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/fence035-680x1024.jpg)
Even though there are some plants that the flock are not that fond of, I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way to truly protect your garden from the chickens’ constant scratching, pecking, dust bathing, nibbling – is a fence. Either contain your flock in a run or put a fence around your garden. otherwise your garden will become their smorgasbord and they’ll pretty much take over the new seedlings and freshly tilled soil as their favorite spot.
To protect my vegetable garden I purchased decorative 4′ metal fence panels from my local hardware store. They were easy to install and have worked well for several years to keep the girls away from my harvest. The panels were $10 each – for a large garden this might be a little costly, but I like the look and the simplicity of the installation.
![fencehens](http://www.communitychickens.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/fencehens6-1024x680.jpg)
![girls258](http://www.communitychickens.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/girls258-680x1024.jpg)
This year I had a new idea – which is really an old technique used by chicken keepers for generations – a picket fence! If you have chickens, you know they are poor fliers, but they are awesome jumpers. I have a 5 foot compost bin that they love perching on. Actually – anything under 4 foot and they’ll probably find a way to jump on and over.
A picket fence, however, lacks a good perching spot and they’re leery of jumping over anything if they don’t have something to grab onto. I figured a 4 foot picket fence would be the solution to my gardening woes, but I didn’t want to invest the time or the money on installing a permanent fence around the garden. I did find bundles of cheap picket-like fencing at Lowes, but it was only 2′ high. I wasn’t convinced that this would keep the girls at bay, but it was only $25 for 15′ and I figured if it didn’t work at least I hadn’t invested a lot of money into the project. To install the fence, I pounded 2′ wooden stakes into the ground around the perimeter of the garden and then secured the fence to the stakes with screws. I ended up spending a little more than $100 to surround the garden, but that was a lot cheaper than hiring someone to install a larger fence or even doing it ourselves.
![gggg](http://www.communitychickens.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/picketbundle5.jpg)
Is a 2′ picket fence an option to enclose a chicken run? NO!
Will it protect the flock from predators? NO!
Will it work in anyone else’s garden? Who knows, but it is working in mine.
Will my hens eventually realize they can easily jump into the forbidden garden? Time will tell…
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