6 Best Short Wood Posts For Low Poultry Fencing That Stop Escape Artists
Secure your flock with the right foundation. We review the 6 best short wood posts for low poultry fences designed to foil any would-be escape attempts.
Keeping chickens contained with low fencing feels like a constant battle of wits, and the fence post is where you win or lose. A determined hen can spot a sagging section of poultry netting from fifty yards away and will exploit it without hesitation. The secret isn’t a taller fence; it’s a smarter fence built on a foundation of the right short wood posts.
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Why Short Wood Posts Excel for Poultry Fencing
A 2-foot or 3-foot high fence is often all you need for most chicken breeds, especially heavier dual-purpose birds. This height is low enough for you to step over easily, which saves you from installing gates everywhere, yet it’s a sufficient visual and physical barrier for the flock. Short wood posts are the perfect backbone for this kind of system.
They blend into the landscape far better than their metal T-post counterparts, giving your chicken run a more natural, integrated look. More importantly, wood is incredibly easy to work with. You can drive staples into it with a simple hammer to attach netting, and add screw-in insulators in seconds if you decide to run a hot wire along the top or bottom. This flexibility is invaluable when you need to make quick repairs or adjustments.
YellaWood Treated Pine: The All-Around Workhorse
When you need a post that will last for years without rotting at the ground line, pressure-treated pine is the undisputed champion. Brands like YellaWood infuse the wood with preservatives that protect it from moisture, fungi, and termites. This is the set-it-and-forget-it option for a permanent poultry run.
You can find treated 2×2 or 2×3 stakes at any home improvement store, making them affordable and accessible. They have enough heft to be driven securely into the ground but are light enough to carry a bundle at a time. The wood grips staples tightly, ensuring your poultry netting stays taut and doesn’t develop those dreaded "chicken-sized" gaps at the bottom.
Red Cedar Posts: A Natural, Rot-Resistant Choice
If you’re hesitant about using chemically treated wood, especially near vegetable gardens where your flock might forage, red cedar is the premier natural alternative. Cedar contains natural oils and tannins that make it inherently resistant to decay and insects. It’s the traditional choice for a reason—it lasts.
The tradeoff is primarily cost and, to a lesser extent, softness. Cedar posts are significantly more expensive than treated pine, and the softer wood means staples can sometimes pull out more easily under high tension. However, for a beautiful, long-lasting, and chemical-free fence, especially in a highly visible area, cedar is an outstanding investment.
Gardner-Gibson Pointed Posts for Easy Driving
The biggest hassle of installing any fence is getting the posts into the ground. This is where simple, pointed wood stakes, often sold as survey or utility stakes, shine. The pencil-like point allows you to drive them into even moderately compacted soil with a small sledgehammer, often eliminating the need for a post-hole digger.
These are typically made of untreated hardwood or pine, so their lifespan is shorter than treated or cedar options. They might only last a few seasons before the base begins to rot. But for temporary fencing, rotational grazing setups, or simply getting a fence up fast, their convenience is unmatched. You sacrifice longevity for speed and ease of installation.
Vigoro Gothic Posts: Function Meets Garden Style
Sometimes a chicken fence isn’t just a utility item; it’s part of your garden’s aesthetic. Decorative wood posts, like those with a "Gothic" or "French Gothic" top, elevate the look of a simple poultry fence from a purely functional barrier to an intentional landscape feature.
These posts are usually made from cedar or treated pine, so you aren’t sacrificing durability for style. They cost more per post, but if your chicken run borders a patio, walkway, or your main garden, the visual appeal can be well worth the extra expense. It’s a simple way to make your homestead feel cohesive and thoughtfully designed.
Ever-Tuff Landscape Timbers: The Budget Option
Don’t overlook the humble landscape timber. While not sold as fence posts, the smaller 2-inch or 3-inch treated timbers can be an incredibly sturdy and cost-effective option. They are treated for ground contact and are often cheaper per foot than dedicated fence posts.
Their main drawback is their bulk. They are heavier and lack a point, so you’ll need to dig a pilot hole for each one. But what you get is a rock-solid post that is wildly over-engineered for holding lightweight poultry netting. For a permanent fence on a shoestring budget, these timbers provide unbeatable strength and longevity for the price.
4×4 Treated Pine Posts for Secure Corner Bracing
Support your bird feeder or house with this durable, treated pine mounting post. Its 95" length allows for secure in-ground installation and can also reinforce arbor legs.
No matter how light your fencing is, the corners and gate posts do all the heavy lifting. This is not the place to cut corners. Using the same lightweight stake on a corner that you use for the main line is a recipe for a sagging, dysfunctional fence within a month.
For every corner, end post, and gate post, use a standard 4×4 pressure-treated post set at least 18-24 inches into the ground. This provides the rigid anchor needed to pull the entire fence line taut. A strong frame of 4x4s is what allows the lighter, cheaper line posts to do their job effectively and keep the fence secure against persistent poultry pressure.
Proper Post Spacing to Foil Escape Artist Hens
The best posts in the world won’t stop a chicken if they’re spaced too far apart. The goal is to prevent the netting from sagging between posts, as that sag is the open door for an escapee. A hen will test the fence with her head, and if she can create a gap, her body will follow.
A good rule of thumb for standard 2-inch poultry netting is to space your posts 8 to 10 feet apart. If you have a particularly flighty breed, are using a heavier woven wire, or your ground is uneven, tighten that spacing to 6 or 7 feet. Remember to stretch the fence tight as you staple it, paying special attention to securing the bottom edge just an inch or two off the ground.
Ultimately, the right post is a balance of your budget, your soil, your aesthetic, and how permanent you intend the fence to be. By choosing the right posts for the corners and the right ones for the line, you build a system that works. A well-planned low fence isn’t just a barrier; it’s peace of mind, saving you from the daily ritual of chasing a rogue hen out of your prized tomato patch.
