Finalizing of coop questions

[momofthehouse]

Can I see some images of your runs or a link where most of the images are? I have a variety of fencing that I would like to use before I have to buy anything but not sure if it would keep racoons and coyotes out? The coop closer by my house has 2x2" fencing which that is cattle fencing to me (We used it for our pigs) I have about 70 ft of that plus a variety of the normal poultry fencing. Would the "cattle" fencing work? The birds will free range so it is mostly whether racoons and coyotes have been known to get through that? I know hardcloth fencing is good but it doesn't come very tall just 4ft max and my run is walking height.

Also if I were to keep my birds in what is the total amount of sq ft per bird for a run? The coop is 10x10

I have about 60 chicks...alot of breeds and will decide as they get bigger who I want to butcher and who I want to breed and keep. I live on 5 acres and use to birds free ranging as I have an older flock now doing that. Haven't ever seen any racoons or coyotes but the birds will be a little farther from my house.

Also would about 20 nest boxes be good? (I know they play favorites and fight over boxes sometimes)

And how many roosts? They will be made from 2x4's (heard adding softer sand paper on them helps keep nails filed?) 10ft across. I was thinking about 10 then some in the run.

Thanks for your input! I have three kiddos so sometimes just typing out all my questions is alot easier then searching all over...dont get much reading time!

 

[AlienChick]

Raccoons can definitely get thru the cattle fencing. Coyotes will just dig under.
Poultry fencing is useless except for keeping poultry out.
If your chickens can free range, then your run doesn't have to be large.
My run is very small since my birds free range all day.
This run was originally attached to another coop and when we moved, we disassembled it and attached it to our new coop.

 

[momofthehouse]

I am going to have a bigger run in case we go out of town or need to be gone for a longer extended period and I need to just leave them locked up for the day.

What fencing is that? On my old coop they used 2x2 cattle type of fencing and there hasn't been any issues however that coop is closer to the house with lights etc. If coyotes can just dig under then what do you do to keep that from happening?

 

[AlienChick]

On my run I used the hardwire cloth; I think it's 1/4 inch.
To prevent animals from digging under, you can run about a 2-foot wide wire around the perimeter and cover it with dirt/grass.
Or you can use gravel like I did; we just happened to have a pile of gravel not being used.
You will notice if animals have been trying to dig under cuz you'll see the holes that they've started during the night.
Bottom line, you just don't want to make it EASY for them to get in.
If it's too difficult, they'll just grab a meal some place else.

 

[momofthehouse]

So I want the run to be tall enough to walk around in but the hardware cloth that I have found only comes 4ft high? Can you overlap it a little and the coons still can't get in where it overlaps?

Also on the top for the roof of the run has anyone ever used this for part of the run to shade it? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Coolaroo..._-SearchPLPHorizontal1-1-_-NA-_-100656893-_-N

 

[Blooie]

We used cattle panels attached to metal fence posts pounded into the ground, covered with chicken wire against overhead predators, and hardware cloth about 2 feet up and extending a little over a foot out as an apron. I like it because I can walk in it without bending over, the cattle panels are strong support for the chicken wire and hardware cloth, and if we ever want to make our run a little bigger just taking off the welded wire fencing we used on the end and adding another panel takes care of that. We used landscape fabric to shade it......it's cheap, easy to work with, and because it's porous it doesn't fight the wind like a tarp would. If it rips, it's no big deal because it's so easy to replace. Unexpected bonus - it sheds rain.








We added the lattice because our set up is visible from the street and we live in town. But the cattle panel run has been perfect.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

We used cattle panels attached to metal fence posts pounded into the ground, covered with chicken wire against overhead predators, and hardware cloth about 2 feet up and extending a little over a foot out as an apron. I like it because I can walk in it without bending over, the cattle panels are strong support for the chicken wire and hardware cloth, and if we ever want to make our run a little bigger just taking off the welded wire fencing we used on the end and adding another panel takes care of that. We used landscape fabric to shade it......it's cheap, easy to work with, and because it's porous it doesn't fight the wind like a tarp would. If it rips, it's no big deal because it's so easy to replace. Unexpected bonus - it sheds rain.








We added the lattice because our set up is visible from the street and we live in town. But the cattle panel run has been perfect.

I like the idea of the shading with the landscaping cloth. Nice run.

 

[CarolynF]

There's a couple of things people have found effective in our area, an electric fence is probably the most effective for protecting your flock, especially bear, coyotes, and dogs. Without that, you need half-inch hardware cloth on the bottom 3 feet of the enclosure to keep raccoons from reaching in and ripping off the bird's head or leg. You can overlap it with the heavy, welded 2" x 4" wire (or 2"x2" if it's not poultry wire) being sure to connect them securely with good wire or cage clips. Some people use zip ties but UV degrades them and will become too weak to be secure (unless you get the more expensive ones). To keep out the digging animals like coyotes and dogs, put an 18"-24" apron of welded wire around the full perimeter, being sure to attach it to the bottom of the wire "walls". You can cover it with dirt or whatever just so you don't trip over it. On top you'll want something to keep the racoons and opossums out, so either a solid roof like translucent pvc or more of the 2"x4" welded wire. If you want the ground to stay dry the solid material is good. When you anchor the wire to wood posts, use screws with washers rather than staples. If an animal pulls at the wire staples will pop out. Hope this helps.

 

[momofthehouse]

If they free range during the day will they hurt themselves on the electric fence?

I'll need to look up that fencing to see what those all are. Currently I have that hexagon poultry netting, hardware cloth and cattle fencing which is the 2x4 squares.

The run is large so doing a solid roof isn't an option. I'll post pics once we get the 4x4s in. I was thinking hardware cloth for bottom three feet roughly and then we have a lot of tree logs from logging three acres... Could I use those on the inside to hold down fencing and kind of secure the perimeter or should I do 2x4s? I have tons of 2x4s.

 

[JackE]

I would recommend electrified poultry netting for a run. You can surround a much bigger area for less$$, than a wood framed hardware clothe run. I have all kinds of ground preds here, except for bear, and this fence has protected my birds, going on 4yrs. I started with 300' of it, and have since bought 350' more, to expand the range a bit. You can power it with 110V house current, or go with solar. As far as the birds hurting themselves, with the fence. I found they quickly learn the fence bites, and they don't get into it.