Chain link dog kennel for chicken run enclosure ?

[zekii]

Anyone here using a chain link fence dog kennel for their chicken run enclosure.
We have a 15 x 10 foot dog kennel that we plan to attach to the chicken coop for our enclosed chicken run...just trying to get some ideas on how others are
using similar ? Fastening to the coop, reinforcing with chicken wire...etc ?

 

[Harris5]

We use all six foot tall chain link dog kennel type pens for our chickens. I would highly suggest the heavy duty type chain link. We do have covers on the top of them to keep critters out and the chickens in. We also run three foot tall chicken wire around the inside of the kennel, attached with zip ties to keep unwanted paws out and chicks in.

 

[mcostas]

Mine is a cheap 10 x 10 kennel I got from lowes. I live in town and it works great for me. I have wire over the top and hardware cloth bottom.

The bottom does not sit on the ground, it's clamped to 2x4's. I used a lot of cable ties, plus wire. It's so much better than hauling a chicken tractor around the yard. My yard is fenced in so I don't have to worry too much about dogs digging in, mostly coons and possums.

 

[fireguy56]

Hi, Here is my variation on the chain link run. Construction site fencing I bought off craigs list for $10.00 per 6' x 10' section.
Erik

 

[drinkoj]

I used 1x2 wire fencing (you should probably use 1/2" hardware cloth, I didn't have any at the time I made mine) over the gaps of the door entrance and bent the wiring to cuff around the right side and top pole. Then the bottom cut it to match almost scrape the ground while giving enough space for the hardware cloth apron at the entrance.

 

[georgiagail]

How we did our first one....36" hardware cloth around the three side of the run. Roof of PVC pipe and hardware cloth:

 

[pawsplus]

Check out my Coop and Mud Eradication Pages (below in sig) for pix of my first dog kennel run. I need to add the new run to the page but haven't yet--here's the addition (new pen in forground, old pen, with pophole to coop, behind it):

 

[rosemarythyme]

How do you close the gap around the door?

This is how I did mine. It's a little hard to see, but I overextended hardware cloth past the gap between door and frame, so when door shuts, the hardware cloth sandwiches together. Note that this will restrict your door to swinging one way only, so plan ahead which way you want it to swing.

 

[celticravenz]

We use a Dog run for both our Chickens and as shelter for our Goat.

This was how it looked before we got our chickens.

 

[patandchickens]

Chainlink works great IF IT IS GOOD QUALITY. Unfortunately quite a lot of kennel chainlink being sold these days is garbage -- a determined dog can pull the strands right apart to make a hole to get out, or in the case of chicken-keeping, get IN.

Supposing that you have good quality stuff, though, I really like it for a run. The majority of my runs are chainlink (I would not *buy* it just for chickens, prolly, but I had various things around and repurposed them and am very happy with the results). You just have to add something smaller mesh to the bottom 2-3' (or to the whole thing, if you are super paranoid, but IMO that is not worthwhile as long as you close the popdoor securely by the time it gets dark) and block any gaps that may exist at panel corners or around gateways.

It does not work so great for my sheep, btw. Even if you lash 2x6's onto the inside of the chainlink at headbutt height, they still bash into it enough to stretch/bag it out in places, and you MUST have the screw-on attachments not just the 'clips' (to attach the stretchers to the end posts) because enough headbutting will pop the clips off, ask me how I know

Pat