164 YARDS AND YARDING 
The poultry fence should be high enough to discourage birds 
from attempting to fly over, for with the habit once acquired 
they know no bounds. Under most conditions, even with the 
active breeds an eight-foot fence is the limit to which it is profitable 
to go, for a bird that will fly over an eight-foot fence will just as 
easily fly over a twelve-foot one. When it is desired to enclose a 
large field, a five-foot fence is usually high enough. When building 
poultry fences that are six feet or more in height, it is a good 
practice to stretch two lengths of poultry netting, one above the 
other, using three-foot or four-foot widths, according to the height 
desired. The middle selvage edges should be twisted together, 
after the lower one is firmly stretched and secured in place. Such 
a fence, when complete, looks neater, can be stretched better, 
and is more efficient than if made of one strand of six-foot wire. 
Where small chicks are to be confined, or on ranges for growing 
stock, it may be desirable to use one width of small-mesh wire at 
the bottom. This will have a tendency to keep out rats, skunks, 
and weasels, as well as confine the chicks when put on range at 
an early age. In small yards in front of long houses where small 
flocks are kept, each with different males, it is well to use small- 
mesh wire to the height at least of two feet above the ground. This 
prevents the male birds from injury in fighting. 
There are two methods of fastening the poultry fence to the 
ground: (1) Stapling it to a base board; (2) burying the edge in 
the ground. Stretch the wire with one edge level with the ground; 
then nail a base board to the posts, setting it slightly in the ground. 
The wire and board are lapped a little and the selvage edge of the 
poultry netting is stapled to the board. It is good practice, where 
many males are kept in adjacent pens, to use base boards to a 
height of thirty inches, placing them half an inch apart, with 
poultry netting above them. This prevents the male birds from 
injuring themselves or each other, which is important if they are 
highly prized birds or to be used for show purposes. 
Another plan is to place the lower edge of the wire three or 
four inches in the ground (Fig. 110). This is done by plowing a 
shallow furrow along the line before the wire is stretched in place. 
Nail the bottom selvage to the posts about four inches below the 
ground line. Before filling the trench it is desirable to drive a 
forked stake in the ground about midway between the posts, hold- 
ing the wire in place. When the trench is filled, this gives the fence 
a neat and attractive appearance and does not allow enemies to 
