Birdydeb
Songster
I am not one of those people who name every chicken (not saying there is ANYTHING wrong with that if you do) but I am one of those people that feels that this is MY flock and I have invested too much time and concern into getting them to want to risk being wiped out. I know beyond a doubt (from seeing them) that foxes roam through here ALL THE TIME. I know skunks hang out...one of my dogs got sprayed last summer. Ew! Dogs escape and roam through here at times and there is a huge tomcat that functions as a barn cat about 100 yards from where my coop is located. I have watched hawks, both Red Tail and Cooper's sit on my fence posts watching the fields. I hear coyotes on the mountain at night. I have removed snakes from my neighbor's yard, black rat snakes and one king snake. Absolutely did not kill them especially the king snake. Haven't seen the raccoons or possums but willing to bet they are here. With this line up of future predators it is hard not to feel as if I am getting ready to set out a chicken buffet. 
The coop itself does not worry me and once they are locked in it at night I feel they will be safe. We scored a used coop from a farmer that is made out of hickory or locust wood. Very hard wood and thick walls. It needs a bit of repair, windows and around the roof but is actually about 95% ready. Hubby and I have fought for three weeks on how to secure a run around it. ...since the day I brought the first days old chicks in here. We "might" finally be on the same page. I have quietly gone about buying up rolls of wire and stockpiling them in the garage.
I figured if they were there....he would use them. At this point I have 100' of 6' high welded fence wire....100' of 4' hardware cloth(which he is resistent to use) 100' of 1 in. Chicken wire and 75' of 2' high green plastic fencing. I also bought a net to put across the top of the run. My neighbor saw my stockpile of wire and asked me if I was building Fort Knox. LOL Two sides around where the coop is are already covered by (1) the back of our garage and (2) the 5' chain link fence around our yard. This leaves 2 sides to be covered and bring the chain link up to 6'. It will be around a 40' by 30' fenced in area. I will have 2 roosters and 11 hens and the coop is 6' by 12' .
Will the chicken wire be sufficient for putting an apron around all of this? I have convinced hubby to use the welded wire fencing doubled with the 4' hardware cloth...I think. He also says he will put an "apron" of wire at the top slanting out to discourage climb overs...or rig PVC pipe around the top to spin. What we didn't think about enough when we put the coop where it is, is that there is an apple tree inside the future run. We were thinking shade but now I just see it as a weak spot in our defenses and not even sure that the netting is going to solve that. Any thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated.
With my list of potential predators I have been convinced not to use the chicken wire as perimeter fencing. Oh, and I have two Great Pyrenees that will roam during the day. If it becomes necessary one of them will stay out at night. They don't now because they would bark all night but they are ontop of what happens in the yard at night because they have woken me up a few times having fits to get outside.
The coop itself does not worry me and once they are locked in it at night I feel they will be safe. We scored a used coop from a farmer that is made out of hickory or locust wood. Very hard wood and thick walls. It needs a bit of repair, windows and around the roof but is actually about 95% ready. Hubby and I have fought for three weeks on how to secure a run around it. ...since the day I brought the first days old chicks in here. We "might" finally be on the same page. I have quietly gone about buying up rolls of wire and stockpiling them in the garage.
I figured if they were there....he would use them. At this point I have 100' of 6' high welded fence wire....100' of 4' hardware cloth(which he is resistent to use) 100' of 1 in. Chicken wire and 75' of 2' high green plastic fencing. I also bought a net to put across the top of the run. My neighbor saw my stockpile of wire and asked me if I was building Fort Knox. LOL Two sides around where the coop is are already covered by (1) the back of our garage and (2) the 5' chain link fence around our yard. This leaves 2 sides to be covered and bring the chain link up to 6'. It will be around a 40' by 30' fenced in area. I will have 2 roosters and 11 hens and the coop is 6' by 12' . Will the chicken wire be sufficient for putting an apron around all of this? I have convinced hubby to use the welded wire fencing doubled with the 4' hardware cloth...I think. He also says he will put an "apron" of wire at the top slanting out to discourage climb overs...or rig PVC pipe around the top to spin. What we didn't think about enough when we put the coop where it is, is that there is an apple tree inside the future run.
We were thinking shade but now I just see it as a weak spot in our defenses and not even sure that the netting is going to solve that. Any thoughts or ideas greatly appreciated. With my list of potential predators I have been convinced not to use the chicken wire as perimeter fencing. Oh, and I have two Great Pyrenees that will roam during the day. If it becomes necessary one of them will stay out at night. They don't now because they would bark all night but they are ontop of what happens in the yard at night because they have woken me up a few times having fits to get outside.
