Fence suggestion

[Ilene]

Thanks Blooie,

Are the landscape fabric staples that you mentioned the same as the u shaped pins or clips that UKRKOZ mentioned? If not, then I don't think I've ever seen them.

Also the foot of wire I mentioned that we attached to the bottom of the fence sounds the same as the apron you mentioned.My dog is actually not a digger, but will try to get in if it looks easy. So in addition to the 'apron', she is no longer going out unattended. We are also keeping our chickens in the pen, rather than free ranging in their fenced in yard area if we leave the house. Hopefully, with 3 levels of protection, if somehow 1 is forgotten, there are still 2 other plans in place to keep them safe.

 

[PapaChaz]

Thank you for kind words. Necessity is mother of invention.
What I am trying to say is this. For a motivated critter, whatever it is, anything that is ON the ground can be overtaken THROUGH the ground, or under the fence, if so desired. Some dogs are diggers. Some are not.
The only way to really prevent them from getting is is to dig in a solid something about 2 ft deep. Same chain link fence, eg. Around here, it's a machinery breaking task it's so rocky. I say zapping collar is a best bet for a dog. Or, a smelly stuff they don't like, like pepper or similar.

a dog, fox, coyote, etc etc...... can't and won't dig through hardware cloth (or just about any kind of welded wire fence works just as well) laid out flat as an apron. There is absolutely no need to dig a 2' deep trench and put an underground wall. Actually, I think an apron would come closer to keeping them out, because they'll hit the wire and stop digging. Or they'll move over, but animals don't have logic, and won't realize they can back up 2 feet to dig, they want to dig right at the base of the obstacle, as Blooie mentioned. I would think even extending the "wall" straight down 2 feet would only make them dig deeper.

so attach it solidly to the base of the fence, stretch it out tightly 2 feet or so, stake it down and walk away. A digger won't get in. There are literally thousands of coop/run combo's on this site that prove that

 

[Blooie]

Thanks Blooie,

Are the landscape fabric staples that you mentioned the same as the u shaped pins or clips that UKRKOZ mentioned? If not, then I don't think I've ever seen them.

Also the foot of wire I mentioned that we attached to the bottom of the fence sounds the same as the apron you mentioned.My dog is actually not a digger, but will try to get in if it looks easy. So in addition to the 'apron', she is no longer going out unattended. We are also keeping our chickens in the pen, rather than free ranging in their fenced in yard area if we leave the house. Hopefully, with 3 levels of protection, if somehow 1 is forgotten, there are still 2 other plans in place to keep them safe.

I think they are probably one and the same, Ilene. We went through several packages of them, anchoring the hardware cloth at the outer edges about every foot or so, then putting more any place that the hardware cloth kinda stuck up at the edges and where seams met.

 

[lynnehd]

Like this, and you can get them at most garden or feed stores, (the longer the better in this case)-

 

[Blooie]

Yeah, what he or she showed, and that's right - the longer the better. (sorry for the gender indecision - I've been caught too many times going by the screen name and making a boo-boo!)

 

[lynnehd]

Haha, kind of hard to tell from my picture! I have now edited my information to include gender.

 

[Ilene]

Thank you all.
Hopefully this will keep my chickens safe from my chicken killing dog.

 

[ChickMagnet64]

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[ChickMagnet64]

Hi guys,
I've been enjoying the back & forth regarding the fencing.
I have the chicken wire as well but recently developed a problem of my dog getting underneath.
How do you secure the bottom so nothing can crawl under it & into the chicken area?
Just lost 3 beloved hens due to this new problem. Thanks fo any help.

I drove 2' long pieces of rebar every 6" around the run. I used to have issues with fox digging under but it's been over a year and so far so good. I could see evidence at first that they were still trying but after a few weeks they gave up. I drove them down two feet at a slight angle away from the fence so if something wants to dig under they will have their work cut out for them.

 

[aart]

.... (sorry for the gender indecision - I've been caught too many times going by the screen name and making a boo-boo!)

Just say 'they'.... if you're not sure.