How to predator-proof a chain-link gate?

[pwhit]

[WARNING: PICTURE SHOWING BLOOD AND FEATHERS] A bobcat (we're pretty sure) killed 8 of our 12 chickens through a chain-link fence two days ago. (Never had any problems in 3 1/2 years of keeping chickens, but now we've learned the hard way why people use hardware cloth on the run.) It actually pulled our rooster out through the gate, damaging the gate in the process.

My question is how to cover the gaps between a chain-link gate and the surrounding panels. Thanks for any experience or ideas. We are very sad that we failed to sufficiently protect our sweet chickens and hope to keep it from happening again.

Here's a picture of our coop(s) and run.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I wrapped mine and cut the gate area out.

 

[Melky]

You can put 19g 1/2 inch HWC around fencing. I would also put a 2ft apron around base of coop/run the same for digging predators. Landscaping rock of large size around base after apron is extra protection.

 

[WindingRoad]

You can put 19g 1/2 inch HWC around fencing. I would also put a 2ft apron around base of coop/run the same for digging predators. Landscaping rock of large size around base after apron is extra protection.

I put the clear tarp all around mine. And then I banked it with snow about 4 feet up. Probably won't keep a bobcat out but could slow him down. I found a hole in the snow earlier this winter, only about a foot of snow and not really packed good. The hole was about 5 inches in diameter. But as far as I know nothing got in. I think it was one of those pesky squirrels. The ground around here is harder than a rock nothing can dig under. When the ground unthaws and the snow it gone I will be moving the hen house and then securing it. I will put up electric fence too. Funny my friend said and electric fence won't keep you birds in. I know that. I wanna keep the predators out. Sorry you lost your chickens I would be crying for days.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Questions:

1. does the gate open in our out?
2. if in, can you change it to swing out?

Edit to add:
If you can make it swing out add some backer boards such as shown in the post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rea-predator-proof.590043/page-3#post-7855491

or this one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ea-predator-proof.590043/page-4#post-18937661

Or a hardware cloth "lip" such as this maybe:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rea-predator-proof.590043/page-3#post-7720313

If it all gets a bit too gaudy for your taste maybe just add some garden fence like shown on my coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.74040/

 

[rosemarythyme]

This probably wouldn't stop a very large predator but here's my gate. It has 1/2" HWC attached with hog rings. All the plastic zip ties are now stainless steel. My main concern was keeping rats out and keeping coons from reaching in. The HWC overlaps a little like "hardware cloth "lip"" in the post above.

The white wire over that is just a wire closet shelf, it's more to keep chickens from spilling out when I open the door (swings inward only now) than anything else.

 

[adickenscoop]

Have you checked out this infographic? It has some good tips for predator proofing - http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-protecting-poultry-from-predators

 

[christwodog]

My chain link gate door swings out so we added 5/4 boards around the sides and top so there are no gaps when the door is closed. Also we ran 1/2" hardware cloth up about 24" all around the perimeter of the chain link enclosure. Then we ran 3 rows of electric fence wire around the whole enclosure. It was a liittle tricky getting it to work around the door, but we did it and the door is hot wired also. So far, we have not had any reach-thru's or break-in's. Sorry you lost so many, it's heartbreaking to see that.

 

[pwhit]

Oh, thank you for posting these links! This is super helpful!

Questions:

1. does the gate open in our out?
2. if in, can you change it to swing out?

Edit to add:
If you can make it swing out add some backer boards such as shown in the post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rea-predator-proof.590043/page-3#post-7855491

or this one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ea-predator-proof.590043/page-4#post-18937661

Or a hardware cloth "lip" such as this maybe:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...rea-predator-proof.590043/page-3#post-7720313

If it all gets a bit too gaudy for your taste maybe just add some garden fence like shown on my coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.74040/

 

[pwhit]

Have you checked out this infographic? It has some good tips for predator proofing - http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-protecting-poultry-from-predators

That is a FANTASTIC infographic! Thank you!