I didn't use hardware cloth.

[AmberKnits]

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.

 

[4 ever Orpington]

My other option which is plan B

View attachment 1327740

Beautiful pups

 

[Ruralhideaway]

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.

I've heard that this technique can alter egg flavor?

 

[Kasilofchrisn]

 

[blackdog043]

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

I used industrial wire rack shelving on the bottom 4 ft, it was cheaper than 2 x 4 welded wire. I got the wire racks from a Habitat Restore. Then I used 1/2" HWC over top and up to the roof. The roof is Tuftex Poly Carb panels. My run is open 24/7. Also I have a 24" apron around the hole coop and run. I didn't do it this way because I'm paranoid, I wanted to be able to leave the pop door open 24/7.

 

[venymae]

I used hardware cloth on the coop, for lock up at night, but for the run I just used 5' welded wire fencing. As far as daytime predators in my small town go, it was mostly cats (my hens could care less about those!) and an occasional dog that got loose. The only thing I ever lost were some chicks my broody hatched. And that was because a cat scaled the fence and walked into the coop through the chicken door. Murdered them right in the nest box. Hardware cloth wouldn't have saved them. I don't blame you for not using it. I'm not convinced it's necessary on a run unless you don't lock the coop at night.

 

[Silverskye76]

Interesting and funny posts. I really enjoyed reading them.

Yeah.. I think ill try something like Blackdog043's run when I get to building my run for my coop..

We kinda had a run of bad luck or something with a bright side to it happen recently. We are in the process of building a bigger coop that has separated areas in it. Easier to manage integrationg, breeding/brood areas, roosts/nest boxes, overflow, excess rooster area, to make feeding and watering easier, and that can be added onto later when or if we decide to get other types of poultry or animals or whatever. The norm..

The adults were free ranging during the day, getting locked up at night in a safe house.. Usually no biggie.. Well, long story short, we had a family emergency pop up, we had to take off .. No biggie.. They had been left alone free ranging a few times, with no losses, they would go in by themselves and we just close and lock them in for the night. Well, I wasn't able to make it back home to lock it up. My bad. Got home the next afternoon to feathers all over the yard.. I got lucky in light of finding that.
I ended up with 5 hens left out of that batch and my 7 juveniles that are about 4 months old now. I lost about 15 chickens overnight.. Come to find out what you don't know can hurt you.. I kinda expected to come home to a few missing not 15 of them. I was upset. Now their all on lockdown until their bigger coop and run is finished.

I put the 7 juviniles (Ameraucana/ee..) In with the 5 hens I had left, and they are all doing good, a good thing..

The bright side is.. that... the same day I came home to find id lost 15 adult chickens.. One of their baby's pipped its shell in the incubator.. The next day..

I had one baby chick hatch and 5 kittens born.. A couple days later.. I ended up with a total of 17 chicks and 5 kittens.. So theirs a bright side to bad things happening.. Now I just gotta finish thier bigger coop and run.

Thanks for all the good ideas btw.. I think I'm going to incorporate some of them for added security reasons.

Take care and safe journeys.

 

[BYCforlife]

I think chicken wire is easily good enough. I always buy 1" hole chicken wire, no skunks, raccoons or dogs can get in. I once tried tearing apart the chicken wire, it just stretched a lot, but did not break or come apart. Maybe Canada produces better chicken wire and worse hardware mesh?

 

[2 many chickens]

Hardware cloth FTW.
Why?
Because I have raccoons and foxes galore in this town.

 

[PirateGirl]

I used industrial wire rack shelving on the bottom 4 ft, it was cheaper than 2 x 4 welded wire. I got the wire racks from a Habitat Restore. Then I used 1/2" HWC over top and up to the roof. The roof is Tuftex Poly Carb panels. My run is open 24/7. Also I have a 24" apron around the hole coop and run. I didn't do it this way because I'm paranoid, I wanted to be able to leave the pop door open 24/7.

View attachment 1328015

This is great. I see people salvage wood all the time or repurpose a shed or play house, but this is the first I have seen someone use wire shelving! Good work. Now I have one more thing to keep my eyes peeled for on CL.

I think chicken wire is easily good enough. I always buy 1" hole chicken wire, no skunks, raccoons or dogs can get in. I once tried tearing apart the chicken wire, it just stretched a lot, but did not break or come apart. Maybe Canada produces better chicken wire and worse hardware mesh?

I do often wonder about the availability of different materials in different regions. If you only ready BYC you'd think the only place to get anything is Tractor Supply, which I'd never seen or heard of prior to joining this site! I work with a woman who lived in 2 different countries prior to living here and we learn things daily in terms of vocabulary. We often have two different words for the same thing! I wouldn't be surprised if "chicken wire" and "hardware cloth" don't translate correctly from one country to another.