How high does a bunny fence need to be?

Rabbits are a common garden nuisance, and in some locations they can do enough damage to be considered a serious pest. During the growing season, rabbits will gladly feast on a wide variety of vegetables and flowers, and in colder weather they damage shrubs and bushes by gnawing on twigs and buds. Fortunately, an effective rabbit fence is inexpensive and easy to construct.

Fence Height Requirements

You do not need a high fence to keep most rabbits out, and a shorter fence -- especially if it is short enough to step over -- will make it much easier for you to access your garden. A 2-foot-high fence is adequate for ordinary cottontail rabbits, but in the western United States you might need 3 feet of height to keep out jackrabbits. The best material for the rabbit fence is metal because it does not decay and because rabbits cannot chew through it.

Wire Mesh Construction

The most inexpensive option for a rabbit fence is a product known as chicken wire or poultry netting. This is made of thin galvanized wires that are woven together to form 1-inch hexagonal openings. Poultry netting is notoriously flimsy, though, and a determined rabbit could eventually chew through the thin metal wires. A far more reliable product is half-inch hardware cloth, which has thicker galvanized wires that are welded into a mesh of half-inch by half-inch squares. Perhaps the best option, if you can find it, is rabbit fencing, which is specifically designed to keep rabbits out of gardens. Rabbit fencing uses sturdy 16-gauge wire, and the openings are small at the bottom and gradually increase in size toward the top.

Posts for the Rabbit Fence

You need to attach your fencing material to posts that are anchored in the ground. You want to avoid digging post holes because this is the most laborious part of any fencing job. Sturdy metal posts allow you to drive them into the ground without any digging. Metal posts with a cross-section shaped like the letter T, known as T-posts, are strong, widely available and reasonably priced. You can easily and safely pound them directly into the ground with a standard pounding tool that fits over the top of the post. Sink the posts deep enough so that the flat anchor plate is fully buried in the soil, and space them about eight feet apart.

Attaching the Fencing

T-posts usually come with a generous supply of metal clips that you use to attach the fencing to the posts. After the posts are in the ground, hold the fencing up to the posts and securely fasten it by wrapping the clips around the wires and bending the ends of the clips to keep them in place. Two clips is sufficient for a 2- or 3-foot fence. If persistent rabbits attempt to burrow under the wire, you might need to bury the bottom of the fence or place your posts closer together to the keep the bottom of the fence more taut.

Bending the bottom of the fencing out at an angle and burying it so the angled part is below ground level may discourage rabbits from digging their way into the garden. Ideally, the buried portion should be 3 to 6 inches below ground level for maximum effectiveness. Although this requires more digging on your part, the end result will be more effective than a fence that ends at ground level.

Rabbits may look cute at petting zoos or on TV, but once a rabbit is in your yard and eating your plants, the little bunnies no longer appear as adorable as they once did. Even if your yard is surrounded by a chain link fence, pesky rabbits can still get inside the fenced area. Once you understand how rabbits can get through, you can take measures to correct the problem and rabbit-proof your yard.

Mesh Size

1. The mesh size on chain link fences is larger than 1 inch square, which is the maximum opening size needed by a young rabbit to fit through. Hardware cloth or chicken wire has a fine enough mesh to prevent even juvenile rabbits from passing through it. You can attach it to the bottom portion of the chain link fence to provide protection against both old and young rabbits.

Going Under

1. Rabbits dig to create their burrows and nests, and they can dig under a chain link fence surrounding your yard. Some chain link fences leave a small gap at the bottom that the rabbit can squeeze under without burrowing. To prevent rabbits from getting to your garden under the fence, either install a fence that extends 6 to 10 inches underground or stake down the bottom of the fence to the ground. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, an anchored chain link fence will prevent adult rabbits from crossing into your yard. Make sure you fold the bottom portion that is anchored toward the outside of the fence. The sharp tips of the ends of the chain link will discourage rabbits from trying to crawl or dig under the fence.

Jumping Over

1. Fences lower than 2 feet are short enough for most rabbits to jump over. If a jackrabbit strays into your neighborhood and gets chased by a dog, it may leap over a 24-inch-high fence to escape, but under most circumstances, a 2-foot-high fence is enough to keep the average brush rabbit or cottontail out of your yard. To prevent frightened rabbits from making it over low fences, install a fence that measures at least 3 feet high.

Tips for Keeping Out Rabbits

1. Rabbits will try to pass under, over or through a chain link fence if they find your yard appealing. Wildlife biologist David Coates outlines to the University of Illinois Extension several changes you can make to keep rabbits out. Keep grass cut short and remove anything where rabbits may hide. Remove groups of rocks, overgrown weeds or wood piles. Protect your vegetable and flower beds with a covering of 1/4-inch hardware cloth. Rabbit repellent products from garden centers may also work if you reapply them after rains. Surround young tree and shrub trunks with chicken wire or plastic drain tile that covers the bottom 20 inches of the trunk to prevent rabbits from gnawing on the wood.

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