I didn't use hardware cloth.

[Ursuline Chick]

He's right. The smell of human urine can be detected a long way. I too believe that's why the coyotes don't come up. Coons and possums are a different story, and if man pee would make hawks stay away, I'd make the hubs climb up and pee on the netting lol.

Reminds me of post-Katrina days, neighborhood was real quiet, as no one could live in their homes. while doing repair work DH and DS would pee from the top of the second story roof. As people started coming in to do repairs, I told them they had to stop. Of course they didn't. Once my neighbor came over and I looked up to see DS peeing off the roof, thank God she was faced in the other direction and didn't see what was going on!

 

[llombardo]

The door to our run doesn’t need to fit a tractor so it smaller. But the wood gate I built to my garden is probably about 48 inches wide. All I did was use two by sixes vertically and two 2 x 4‘s screwed in the bottom then one in the middle and one at the top. I added a brace diagonally from top to bottom since it’s tall and then put hardware cloth. It’s strong enough to keep out for determined goats from a pact garden so I would think it would also work for a chicken run. I ended up attaching it to 4 x 4 posts. The gate doesn’t look like it’s out of Better Homes & Gardens but not too bad For just using extra wood we have around

In my head I'm thinking the whole chicken coop is going to be one big ball of wire and not a pretty site when I'm done. I'm pretty sure my son and sister who will be helping me are going to think I've lost my mind

 

[PirateGirl]

I like where this thread has gone and is still going, people sharing their creative fencing ideas!

I know I'm using 1/4 inch hardware cloth along the bottom 3 ft. I might even do so on both sides. I'm considering rolling the excess out do if climbing they will hit it half way up. A friend of mine also made a prototype coyote roller which I'm thinking about putting a couple inches out from the top all the way around do if they grab it(which they would have too) it would roll and they would fall backwards.

Just a couple ideas I'm tossing around here. I have t found a solid material to use around the bottom as of yet, so they can't reach in period.

I am very interested in coyote rollers. I have seen them hop 4ft fencing with ease. There is not much talk of them on this site and it seems more practical for a large fenced area than roofing the whole thing.

I went solid Fort Knox after suffering several bear breaches ) no, not britches!!). Lost almost my entire flock the second time and decided that building the Fort was the only way to maintain my flock. My 'growing on' brooder has hardwire cloth to keep the blasted weasel out.

I suspect bears can get in just about anything they want. Heck, they can break into cars! What did you add specifically for bears? We definitely have them around, as well as bobcats and lions. I figure those animals can tear into the wooden coop if they really really wanted to.

In my head I'm thinking the whole chicken coop is going to be one big ball of wire and not a pretty site when I'm done. I'm pretty sure my son and sister who will be helping me are going to think I've lost my mind

My runs have sharp wire everywhere! There are no neat edges or corners, everything gets folded back on itself, I figure it adds reinforcement and may be more of a deterrent if something tried to get in and ends up bleeding.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Same here, my somewhat lazy/sloppy work has teeth all over. Somethings going to be stuck in that one morning I bet.

 

[Kasilofchrisn]

I agree with the idea of building it for what predators you have.
Here in Alaska I don't have Raccoons, possums, skunks,snakes....
But I do have Eagles every day, Hawks, stray dogs and cats(very rarely).
Possible Coyotes and wolves though I haven't seen any or any sign in my area and bears both Black and Brown up to 10'+ brown bears are possible.
My run is made from 4x4's with 2x4's on the bottom and curved pipe(scraps from coiled tubing oil wells) over the top. This is covered in extremely heavy duty nylon commercial salmon seine netting.
I've had no predator issues yet.
The hawks and eagles stare but can't get in.
If the Brown bears decide they want in Fort Knox is not good enough.
One side also has five strands of electrified ribbonwire up to 8' tall as my garden is there and I have to keep the Moose out as they love my cabbages and other veggies.
I don't fault those who don't use hardware cloth if they are not in a high predator area.
But if you lose birds and don't fix the deficiences before replacing the birds that I take issue with.

 

[PirateGirl]

@Kasilofchrisn good point of fixing your coop. I think we all need to be open to the idea of coop modifications. My newer run is good enough for now, but I'm always brainstorming ways to make it better and often toy with modifications. I want to change a door latch for one, and add a skirt to the duck run.

 

[The Moonshiner]

DH swears it's because he pees in the backyard from time to time.

I have found that peeing will work as a coyote deterent but getting close enough to pee on them is difficult.
You also have to consider the chance that they may attack. Not only are your vulnerable parts exposed, but it can be hard to run with your pants around your ankles.
I find it much easier to just pee on my chickens to keep them safe.

 

[PirateGirl]

I have found that peeing will work as a coyote deterent but getting close enough to pee on them is difficult.
You also have to consider the chance that they may attack. Not only are your vulnerable parts exposed, but it can be hard to run with your pants around your ankles.
I find it much easier to just pee on my chickens to keep them safe.

This is the best thing I have heard in awhile!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I have found that peeing will work as a coyote deterent but getting close enough to pee on them is difficult.
You also have to consider the chance that they may attack. Not only are your vulnerable parts exposed, but it can be hard to run with your pants around your ankles.
I find it much easier to just pee on my chickens to keep them safe.

 

[blayt90]

I have found that peeing will work as a coyote deterent but getting close enough to pee on them is difficult.
You also have to consider the chance that they may attack. Not only are your vulnerable parts exposed, but it can be hard to run with your pants around your ankles.
I find it much easier to just pee on my chickens to keep them safe.