Chain Link Dog Run - Pros and Cons

[Imp]

Zipties will get brittle after a few years. Mine started breaking after about 5 years. I replaced all of them this spring. That's why there are bags of bark on top of ny run. The plastic panels started blowing off in a December storm. I don't think you need to worry about large birds getting through chainlink. Other animals could squeeze through gaps, or rip it apart. I don't reinforce the chainlink cause my hens free range all day, and don't use the run, and I have very few problems with predators. It's good that you are thinking about it before there is a problem.

Imp

 

[2txmedics]

We also used an old Dog Kennel we had around here we covered the top with chicken wire, and then put chicken wire 1/2 way down to the ground also...I hung a tarp on one side where the sun comes in at certain times of the day to just cover some of there run area.

This has worked for us real good...when it rains they go under the coop

with tarp, loose so air can pass

front view

you can see we used an old fence door and kept it wide so we could get in if we had too, and also the large dog kennel fits in there. We use this for our new bantams we've had 3wks. that they dont like until we make them a new coop. We put them in at night to roost in the hen house with the kennel.

 

[LizzyJo]

As far as birds coming thru the top after the chickens, I read on some thread on here about criss-crossing the top with twine. It won't cut out the light, but will interfer with a flying predator. If I needed it, I was going to use that plastic twine that comes wrapped around bales of hay, but so far no problem. Of couse not everyone may like my wild gypsy color schemes.

 

[RIVERA69R]

I use a dog run attached to my coop and it works great I also bought the sunscreen for the topper at the bottom three feet of it i put chicken fence around it so nothing could reach in it heres a pic

 

[TeaLady]

We've had our chickens in a chainlink run 24/7 for several months. We erected a Costco tent (10' x 20' with 8' walls and a peaked roof) over the run, and ran hardware cloth along the bottom few feet and into or over the ground outside for a foot or two. In cold weather we lowered the sides of the tent. Inside we used deep litter method over the bare ground. It works well. But I'm eager to get the coop up and running so they have someplace super dry & sheltered to be.

 

[key west chick]

I have several I use for my chickens. The only problem I have ever had was around the top of the door. The door frame is square but the door edges are rounded. I had 2 coons get in and kill chickens until we shot them. I just keep my fingers crossed we dont have more coons find us.

 

[ducks4you]

Dog runs are the best!! ...if you have one, OR, if you can afford them. They are woven to be strong, the framing is sturdy, you usually get a gate on one side--they can safe you LOTS of time in construction. Mine is 10 x 10. For a roof to repel hawks and owls, I took a 50ft long, 2 1/2ft high roll of chicken wire, cut 4 even pieces, wove them together with light fencing wire, and wired the whole thing to the tops of the walls. This roof WILL NOT keep out raccoons, and, if you have a tree that allows coons access, they will rip right through this roof. (mine DOESN'T)
Dog runs also last for YEARS.

 

[Sissy]

RiverA 69R did i see flat stones around ur coop
base / will this stop diggers. I like this idea if it does the job. instead of digging wire under ground.