Best way to line chainlink fencing to prevent predators?

[flgardengirl]

Should I line the chainlink run I have with hardware cloth on the inside or the outside? I was thinking of putting it halfway up or should I do it all the way up? I know I have to cover the top as well because we have eagles, owls, hawks, buzzards, bobcat, coyote, dogs, raccon, opossum etc.

I'm thinking of two scenarios:
One: Line the inside: but could the chooks get stuck between the hardware cloth and the chainlink somehow?
Two: Line the outside: but could the predator pull the wire away from the chainlink that way?
Or, should I put it all the way up the sides? that is a lot more expensive but i am not sure which other way would be foolproof. What do you all do? Thanks

 

[Zahboo]

I'd put it inside. That way raccoons can't pry it off. Just my opinion. unless you have roosts I think half way up would be good.

 

[teach1rusl]

Really, 24 inches should be fine for your hardware cloth. But if you have the money to spend and it makes you feel more secure, then by all means go taller with it...

 

[mdbokc]

Set an electric fence 6-8 inches away from the chain link fence.

 

[gsim]

Inside and min 24" tall. No roosts attached to fencing. Make all roosts free-standing away from fencing. Electrify it. I started at 8" and stopped at 42", having a total of 4 courses of hot wire all around. I used 2" spacers. Mine is a 5-mile Zareba pulse shocker with an intermittant pulse of 4KV. Some people start as low as 4" above ground with their first course. My pen is 6' tall welded wire with the mesh all around the inside up to 24' tall.

 

[flgardengirl]

Thanks so much. That is great advice. I will do the 24 " on the inside and attatch it very securely. Good point about the roosts. I was thinking of putting in some old logs with a few branches attached for them to roost and play on. I will keep them away from the sides though and make sure they don't go up too high either.
I have a lot of old oak trees down in the woods behind our house so hopefully the oak will be okay to use. I think there are some pine trees back there too but they have a lot of sap in them still. I am planning on electic wire around the coop/run eventually. I don't have the first clue about electric fencing so I need to research that some more. I think it would be a great deterrent against the dogs that roam around here. The run will be 16 x 24.

ETA: I am thinking of putting 18-24 inches of hardware cloth skirting around the perimeter as will and maybe bury it a little. Maybe I could make a few raised beds to plant some edible stuff for the chickens and to give them shade. I was thinking about planting bananas there but now wondering if that would just give the racoons something to climb lol. The top will have wire on it so they can't get in anyways so I might still plant the bananas anyways. Still thinking about it .....

 

[flgardengirl]

Anything else I should/shouldn't do?

 

[jeremymcnelson]

as emphasized, kindly set up one by all means. i had the same problem thrice and i never listened to anyone. confidence brought me disaster. lol.