Chipmunks are small, striped rodents known for their rapid movements and burrowing habits, which can damage landscaping and foundations. Chicken wire is a common fencing material often used to protect gardens and poultry from larger animals. This article investigates whether standard chicken wire provides an effective barrier against chipmunks.
Chipmunk Size Versus Chicken Wire Mesh
The effectiveness of any physical barrier depends on the animal’s minimum required opening size. An adult chipmunk measures between five and six inches in body length, but its ability to squeeze through small gaps is determined by the size of its rigid skull. Chipmunks can collapse their bodies significantly to fit through any opening that accommodates their head.
The minimum opening required for a chipmunk to pass through is generally slightly larger than one inch in diameter. This allows the animal to push its skull through the gap, and the rest of its compressible body follows easily.
Standard chicken wire is available in two common mesh sizes: a larger two-inch and a smaller one-inch hexagonal opening. The two-inch mesh poses no challenge to a chipmunk and is completely ineffective for exclusion purposes.
The one-inch hexagonal mesh is often inadequate for reliable exclusion. While this size is near the minimum required opening, the flexible and non-uniform nature of the hexagonal weave means that slight stretching or manipulation can create a sufficient gap. Relying on standard one-inch chicken wire alone to physically block a chipmunk is highly unreliable.
Bypassing the Barrier: Digging and Climbing
Even when the mesh opening is too small, the animal’s behavior allows it to easily circumvent the barrier. Chipmunks are accomplished burrowers and will simply tunnel beneath a fence that is not properly secured below the surface.
To prevent tunneling, an exclusion barrier must be buried at least six to twelve inches below ground level. Furthermore, the material should be bent outward in an L-shape footer, extending at least six inches horizontally, to deter digging directly adjacent to the fence line. A barrier that only rests on the soil surface is a temporary obstacle that the chipmunk will quickly bypass.
The physical structure of chicken wire also contributes to its failure as an exclusion device. Its light gauge and flexible construction make it easy for chipmunks to climb over without difficulty. The poor rigidity means the wire is prone to gaps where it meets the ground or a stationary structure, providing small openings that the chipmunk can exploit.
Chipmunks can push through loose connections or areas where the wire is not tightly fastened. They will repeatedly test the perimeter until a weak point is found, which is almost always a poorly secured section at the bottom or corner of the installation.
Recommended Materials for Effective Exclusion
Because chicken wire is frequently ineffective, homeowners seeking reliable exclusion should opt for a superior material known as hardware cloth. Unlike the flexible, woven nature of chicken wire, hardware cloth features a rigid, welded mesh, typically with square openings. This construction prevents the material from easily deforming or stretching, maintaining its specified opening size.
For dependable chipmunk exclusion, the recommended mesh size for hardware cloth is either one-half inch or one-quarter inch. The one-quarter inch mesh provides the highest level of security, ensuring that no chipmunk skull can pass through the barrier. While one-half inch mesh is often sufficient, the smaller size offers better long-term security.
The gauge, or thickness, of the wire determines the barrier’s durability and strength. A sixteen- or nineteen-gauge hardware cloth is recommended for permanent installations, offering adequate resistance to wear and tear. This rigid material must still be buried below ground using the L-footer technique to counter the animal’s persistent burrowing behavior.
In addition to hardware cloth, specialized applications may benefit from using solid materials like sheet metal or thick, rigid plastic panels. These are useful for protecting small, localized areas or sealing openings directly into a structure. The key to success is pairing the correct, small-aperture material with a proper subsurface installation that addresses the chipmunk’s ability to dig.