Rabbits are common garden and yard inhabitants that often cause considerable damage to vegetation, from tender seedlings to mature plants. Chicken wire, recognized for its low cost and wide availability, is a frequent first choice for creating a protective barrier against these persistent herbivores. However, the effectiveness of this material against a determined rabbit population requires a closer examination of its physical limitations.
How Effective is Chicken Wire Against Rabbits?
Standard chicken wire, or poultry netting, is typically woven with a thin wire and features a hexagonal mesh pattern. This traditional material is generally insufficient for long-term, reliable rabbit exclusion due to two primary structural weaknesses.
Standard chicken wire mesh often ranges from one inch to two inches, which is too large for effective rabbit control. Juvenile rabbits can compress their bodies and slip through openings as small as one inch. Adult rabbits can also push through larger mesh sizes if the wire is not held taut.
Furthermore, the gauge, or thickness, of the wire used in chicken wire is relatively high (thin), making the material flimsy and easy to manipulate. Persistent rabbits can bend, push, or even chew through this thin wire, compromising the fence’s integrity over time. The woven nature of the mesh also means that if a single wire breaks, the mesh is prone to unraveling, creating a larger, easily exploitable gap.
The material’s lack of rigidity and large openings mean it is often better suited for containing chickens than for excluding determined, wild rabbits. Relying solely on standard chicken wire can lead to recurring breaches and plant damage.
Essential Installation Requirements for Rabbit Fencing
To be effective, any wire mesh fence must address the two primary methods of entry: digging and jumping. The fence should stand at least two feet above the ground to deter cottontail rabbits, the most common garden pests. Larger jackrabbits may require a fence height closer to three feet.
Rabbits are natural burrowers, so the wire must also extend below the soil surface to prevent digging under the fence line. A depth of six to ten inches is needed to create an adequate subterranean barrier.
The most effective method for preventing tunneling is the use of an “L-foot” footer. This technique involves bending the bottom six to twelve inches of the fence material outward at a 90-degree angle before burying it shallowly or laying it on the ground surface. When a rabbit attempts to dig down at the fence line, its progress is immediately blocked by the horizontal section of wire mesh extending away from the enclosure. This outward-facing skirt directs the rabbit’s digging efforts away from the main vertical barrier.
Recommended Alternatives for Exclusion
Since standard chicken wire is structurally inadequate for reliable rabbit exclusion, superior materials exist that offer greater security and longevity. The best material for creating a rabbit-proof barrier is hardware cloth. Hardware cloth is a heavier gauge wire that is either woven or welded into a tight, square mesh pattern, offering much greater rigidity than chicken wire.
The mesh openings in hardware cloth are typically a quarter-inch or a half-inch square, making it impossible for even the smallest juvenile rabbits to squeeze through. The thick wire gauge also prevents chewing and bending, ensuring a durable barrier. Although hardware cloth is a more significant initial investment, its superior strength makes it the choice for permanent exclusion.
Welded wire fencing is another robust alternative, often available in larger rolls than hardware cloth. Unlike chicken wire, the wires in welded mesh are securely fused at each intersection, preventing unraveling if a wire is cut. When selecting welded wire mesh, choose an opening size of one inch or less to exclude young rabbits.