Fencing Around the Coop

[ctchickmom]

I am debating about how to construct our run. From your experience, is it better to buy chainlink fence, a dog kennel, or what? Any ideas/suggestions about how you've done your run would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ChickBond 007]

We're using 7 ft 2" wire with 12" of it buried into the ground. It really depends on predators in your area.

 

[Scoop]

Yes, definetly consider predators. I've gotten away with the poultry fencing so far.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

We're using poultry wire that's buried about 12 inches curved outward and topped by railroad ties. We've had coons in the past get in but we're extra vigilant and shore it up every couple of months. And we've made a lot of coons go away....

 

[patandchickens]

There are pros and cons to anything. It depends first on your run size -- if you want to use chainlink (and both the things you mention *are* chainlink, of course), you can use kennel panels for small runs but if you're thinking in terms of a large area it pretty much has to be properly-installed chainlink fencing.

Personally, I like either well-installed chainlink (either fencing or panels) or heavy-gauge welded wire 1x1". Heavy gauge 2x4" welded wire's a pretty good option to consider too. On any of the above, you'd want 1/2" hardware cloth or 1/2" chickenwire (NOT the common 1" chickenwire) run along the inside from the ground up to 2-3' or so, to prevent reach-through; and either some of the fence buried 18"+ into the ground, or (my preference) a 2-4' apron of same lying on or just under the ground outside the base of the fence.

None of this will keep climbing predators or hawks out, of course. For that you would need an appropriate top to the run.

There are lots of ways to do it, though, and choice depends on personal risk-tolerance philosophy and what materials are handy.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[scbatz33]

We've used a mixture of fencing - chain link panels, kennels, chicken wire, etc. Really it's more about the predators and your utilization needs. Remember the fencing only keeps chickens in! The more determined you predators, the heavier you need to fence.

 

[Snakeoil]

All my birds are locked up at night so daytime predators are not a problem..

 

[scbatz33]

Oh very nice! Those are lucky birds!!

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

We just finished our run - limited by Homeowners Assn CC&R's to using cyclone fencing. Dug a 12" trench and affixed hardward cloth from the bottom of the trench to 3' above ground. Someone told us that raccoons ripped their hardware cloth away and grabbed the chickens so we secured the hardware cloth. Not pretty, but hopefully safe for the chickens when they get here...

 

[gckiddhouse]

Our run looks like BawkBawkBawk's. Our little hen house is inside it. It has a chain link top, too. And in addition to that, a wood roof. It is set down in the ground about 3 inches. Wish we had gone deeper as coyotes around here will dig right under.
The only problem with the chain link is that the holes in it are so big. We are considering wrapping the entire thing with either the 1/2" mesh that we have on the bottom or putting shade screen on the whole thing. We have just flocks and flocks of tweety birds that can come right through that chain link and they eat a lot of our chicken feed. We think they are costing us a lot of money (expensive, organic feed), not to mention that they are leaving more of a mess than the chickens are. There is bird poop all over the chain link as well as the nearby bushes. It is really gross.

What you use depends on where you are and what your predators will be. You might want to share what state you are in so those that live in your area can advise you on what predators to protect your flock from.