Building a run - advice on security, hardware cloth needed

[Folly's place]

My run has chicken wire on top for the hawks, and the birds are locked in their secure coop at night. I plan to upgrade to a solid roof, etc, but it hasn't happened yet. If there were cougars here I'd use electric for sure. Mary

 

[IndyBackYarder]

They broke through the wire? How?!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They broke through the wire? How?!,

Is this in reference to the mention of predators going through poultry netting/chicken wire? If so, the answer is ridiculously easily, that's how. Poultry netting is quite effective at keeping birds in, but will do nothing to keep even the most minor predator out. It can be easily stretched or broken to allow predators to pass through at will.

 

[ChandraM]

Semi-final pictures. We ended up with:
24" apron (hardware cloth) buried about 3" deep so the dogs won't accidentally cut their paws from the outside.
2"x4" welded wire for the top 6'
1/2" 19 gauge hardware cloth for the bottom 4' (about a 2' overlap of hwc/ww)
Welded wire is currently draped & stapled on the roof, but will be replaced with solid roof of some sort over the next month or so (pics show some sagging, but it is secure)
The door is quite secure, turn bolt lock on bottom with gate latch midway up, really heavy paver stones lining the inside of the door (although I can't pull the bottom out at all).
Built a platform outside of the pullet shut auto door, mostly for the Polish girls who haven't decided if they like to be outside yet or not.









Still need to do:
sew together hardware cloth, apron, and welded wire with 19 gauge galvanized bailing wire
install skirt boards since the apron doesn't seem quite secure enough (pics show boards stacked to keep a little more secure for the next week or so while I sew everything together).
Paint the rest of the "Chicken Shack" (my husband's name, and since he does most of the heavy lifting for my project aka best birthday present ever, he can call it whatever he wants).

Followed by gratuitous pictures of the girls on their roost bar (except the silkie Celeste that was scalped a month ago, she is still in sequester until I find another bantam or 2 to integrate with her).
Celeste (Silkie ~ 2 months)



From left to right:
Buffy (Buff Orp) 3 months
Bossy Peep (Buff Orp) 3 months
Delilah (Delaware) 3 months
Autumn (Lavender Partridge EE) 3 months
Pearl (EE) 3 months
Sylvie (Silver Laced Wyandotte) 2 months
Astor (Black Astralorp) 2 months
Dharma (light brahmas) 2 months
Sonny (buff laced polish) 2 months
Cher (gold laced polish) 2 months

 

[Folly's place]

Nice coop! I would add more security from digging predators though. Mary

 

[MrsBrooke]

I would lay some hardware cloth underneath the paving stones to complete the apron. A hungry fox or raccoon could dig under that in a heartbeat, and you might end up with a lot of headless chickens.

The only other thing is snakes. Most people us 1/2" hardware cloth because a snake that fits through 1/2" cloth can easily be gobbled up by chickens. A 1" diameter snake make pose more of an issue, especially if they like eggs.

I'm happy you decided to put hardware cloth all around and above, instead of chicken wire. Hawks and raccoons can go through that like paper. Remember to screw/washer your cloth to the roof... Staples can be yanked out by determined raccoons.

Looks good! Can't wait to hear how the ladies are doing in their new run!

- MrsB

 

[ChandraM]

We did put hardware cloth under the stones, and out about 2 feet. The apron hardware cloth is secured to the 1/2" hardware cloth that is on the bottom 4' of the run. The welded wire starts 2' up with a 2' overlap. So from the ground you have:
Apron HW cloth overlapped with wall HW cloth for about 4-6 inches depending on the spot due to unlevel ground.
Then a 2x4 with the HW cloth screwed with 1" fender washers every 8-10"
Then about 2 feet of hardware cloth only
Then about 2 feet of HW cloth and 2x4" welded wire because it only came in 6' tall and the coop is 8'
then 4' of 2x4 welded wire up to the top. The HW cloth and WW are sewed together with galvanized 18ga wire

I want to do some more around the bottom eventually. Maybe add some landscaping rocks and the like, but we are redoing that part of the yard next spring and it is pretty secure now, so I think I'll just add the kickplate boards for now. I check twice daily to see if the dirt is disturbed at all around the coop/run and it isn't. I've been checking since the temp run went up in mid-June, and so far no evidence of tampering at all. Not that that is a guarantee, but it really does seem very secure.

I forgot to mention in the original post that I have 2 dogs (both over 50lbs) that have free reign over the fenced in back yard and we just did a LOT of brush clearing, so not many places for the bigger critters to hide. The last time we saw the bobcat was almost 2 years ago, and the last 'evidence' the mountain lion left for us was about a year ago before we got the male dog (who is now 10 months and almost 70lbs).

I'll try to get some better pictures put up soon.

Thanks again everyone for your feedback!

 

[pv74]

I made mine out of old chain link dog run fencing panels.
I strung old chain link and horse fencing on top. Dug hardware cloth 1' into the ground...surrounds the entire run for the first 2-3' in height.

 

[patsy334]

I used this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/27-in-x-8-ft-Steel-Lath-2-5-METAL-LATH/202093395

Metal lath for stucco walls. It comes in sheets and I put it underneath the run with most of it on the outside like a skirt. There is only about 6-8" on the inside and I plan to bury that more.
I was trying to find a decent alternative to hardware cloth that my one cat couldn't attack through. (devious one, I tell you) Works like a charm. I also used it as my bottom row of fencing instead of HC. Just ziptied it on and presto! instant predator protection. Dog won't even touch it now. It has a rough feel, can scratch their paws and your hands but didn't gouge me like hardware cloth.

Only real downside is you can't see through it, which may or may not be a bad thing.

I love this idea. So much easier than working with small wire. Since it is outside, will it rust? Does it need protection? I like the cost, also!