Fencing

[Laci7210]

I need fencing ideas! What will keep 2 month old chicks in? I'm going to have 25 and I have DOGS. If fencing for young chicks is going to be hard to make, I might be able to build something for my older hens and put the chicks in my chicken tractor which I know is predator-proof. I have a roll of woven wire that is probably 4 feet tall and the holes probably 3-4 inches. Will that hold anybody in? Thanks!

 

[Primo]

Not really sure what you are looking for. If you have fencing that has 3--4 inch holes, I think it is pretty obvious a dog can stick his snout through for a quick chicken mcnugget. Are you wanting to build a pen? A run? You will need something with smaller diameter holes than even chain link fence if you don't want dogs to get a hold of them.

 

[Laci7210]

Ok, thanks for helping! I will try to find something different then. Can they live in my hen house with my older hens? Or would they attack them? They wouldn't go there until they are out of the brooder, but would they still be too young to fend for themselves? And there is a silkie rooster in the hen house but he isn't very big. There is also 14 hens in the hen house.

 

[cafarmgirl]

The chicks need to be about the same size as the older birds before you attempt to integrate. Otherwise yes, the older birds will attack them, sometimes to the point of killing them. Chickens do NOT like newcomers and a long, slow integration is best for all.

The best solution would be to make a grow out pen for your new chicks so they have somewhere safe to go when they out grow their brooder, where they will be safe from the older birds as well as the dogs. I keep mine in a grow out pen from the age of 5 weeks up until about 10 weeks old. Then they start integrating with the older birds. Pecking order scuffles are very minimal by that time. The run fence on my grow out pen is made of chain link dog run panels. I lined the inside with small hole chicken wire about a foot high just to prevent the chicks sticking their heads through however.

 

[Laci7210]

The chicks need to be about the same size as the older birds before you attempt to integrate. Otherwise yes, the older birds will attack them, sometimes to the point of killing them. Chickens do NOT like newcomers and a long, slow integration is best for all.

The best solution would be to make a grow out pen for your new chicks so they have somewhere safe to go when they out grow their brooder, where they will be safe from the older birds as well as the dogs. I keep mine in a grow out pen from the age of 5 weeks up until about 10 weeks old. Then they start integrating with the older birds. Pecking order scuffles are very minimal by that time. The run fence on my grow out pen is made of chain link dog run panels. I lined the inside with small hole chicken wire about a foot high just to prevent the chicks sticking their heads through however.

Ok, I have a 12 by 7 dog kennel that is 6 Ft tall. My dogs can get out of it, so I am worried that my dogs can also get IN. I have tried to fix all of the holes where the dogs get out, so maybe I will be able to use that. But I ordered 25 chicks, will they fit? Until they can move into the hen house?

 

[cafarmgirl]

If the dogs can get out then they are capable of getting in as well. It might be a good idea to set it up in an area the dogs do not have access to if you think they are going to be a problem. I have had excellent success running a hot wire around the base of my coops to deter dogs.

The 12x7 kennel should be big enough for them until they move into the coop. How big is your existing coop? I read your post on another thread that you already have 15 birds in there? You are going to need a very large coop for 25 more to fit.

 

[Georgia Nana]

We use silt fencing on the outside of the wire fencing

 

[Laci7210]

My hen house run is about 32 by 16ft and the house is at least 10 by 10ft. There are 3-10 foot long roosting poles and right now, the 15 all sleep on the top one together. I might take a few of the older hens out and just let them live out their retirement as free range. In the spring and summer I let my hens out sometimes and watch them, but I wouldn't trust my dogs to leave them alone when I leave. Although they haven't killed my 2 ducks that get out every day, they have a history of killing my girls. So I like to be on the safe side.

 

[Laci7210]

My hen house run is about 32 by 16ft and the house is at least 10 by 10ft. There are 3-10 foot long roosting poles and right now, the 15 all sleep on the top one together. I might take a few of the older hens out and just let them live out their retirement as free range. In the spring and summer I let my hens out sometimes and watch them, but I wouldn't trust my dogs to leave them alone when I leave. Although they haven't killed my 2 ducks that get out every day, they have a history of killing my girls. So I like to be on the safe side.

Ok I measured the hen house and run today. House is 78 square feet (a little smaller than I thought). And run is 416 square feet. How many chickens can this hold?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

30 to 35 chickens I'd house in a coop that large if they used the run everyday even in winter.