CindyinSD
All will be well, and that will be well is well.
You can either create a physical or a psychological barrier. The physical barrier is expensive and labor-intensive. The psychological barrier is much easier an pd is most likely cheaper—especially if you count the labor required and the likely need to rent a trencher.
You need to dig in a 1-2 foot deep skirt of hardware cloth (NOT chicken wire). Part of the wire will be above ground and part below ground. It should abut your run fence and be fastened to it securely. You can use zip ties. I used landscape staples threaded through both the 2x4” welded wire of the run fence and the hardware cloth. They’re just easier to use and I happened to have some. For the door of the run you can staple your hardware cloth skirt to the threshold and bury the rest of the width. (You’ll have to cut some off unless you want to bury the whole width of the hardware cloth.
For extra effectiveness, you can pour broken gravel into the trench on the outside face of your fencing before you fill the trench with dirt.
You will also want to secure your actual coop—fill all cracks, fix the door if needed, staple hardware cloth over vents and windows. You should do thief regardless of your choice of fencing.
The psychological barrier would be the electric fence, since it neither kills nor even hurts very much. I get shocked from time to time—just clumsiness. My big dog (lab-golden) got shocked once. The two other dogs learned from his experience. Modern electric fences pulse, so they neither kill nor start fires. The only exception would be if a bird got caught in particularly hot poultry netting and could not get out. We’re not talking poultry netting here, though.
I use equine rope (metal-infused) for my cattle because they can so easily see it. You buy stakes, rope (or you can use wire for a more permanent installation). I would use two strands: one 2-4” from the ground and one around 2 ft above ground. The coyote (or your dog) will sniff one wire or the other wire, shock its nose and jump back with a yelp. It will most likely never attempt to cross the wire again. Which is not to say you can safely turn it off. There’s more than one baddie lurking out there.
You will need a solar energizer (they are less potent than the plug-in ones), the fence wire of your choice (thicker carries the charge better), fence posts. I would get the square plastic ones because those give you lots of options for placing the wire. If you can’t get them in the ground, use a rubber mallet and/or shift the stake a little bit into another spot. You will need a ground rod. I use the ones shaped like a “T” because they’re easier to pull out and move, but then I move my fences frequently. If your climate is especially dry, you might have to water your ground rod now and then.
I would also pick up a couple of insulated handles so you can open the fence at the door. This works easiest if your door swings inward, but it will work either way.
I would get a mid-size/strength energizer. It’s more versatile than the tiny ones. Make sure you get solar. The electric grid-powered ones are stronger than you want.
You’ll need to keep the grass and weeds trimmed under your wires because if they touch the wires, they’ll wick some of the spark into the ground, making your e-fence ineffective.
The e-fence works well so long as you keep the grass trimmed. The wire skirt will also work very well. What you do must fit your own needs. For me, I prefer the e-fence.
You need to dig in a 1-2 foot deep skirt of hardware cloth (NOT chicken wire). Part of the wire will be above ground and part below ground. It should abut your run fence and be fastened to it securely. You can use zip ties. I used landscape staples threaded through both the 2x4” welded wire of the run fence and the hardware cloth. They’re just easier to use and I happened to have some. For the door of the run you can staple your hardware cloth skirt to the threshold and bury the rest of the width. (You’ll have to cut some off unless you want to bury the whole width of the hardware cloth.
For extra effectiveness, you can pour broken gravel into the trench on the outside face of your fencing before you fill the trench with dirt.
You will also want to secure your actual coop—fill all cracks, fix the door if needed, staple hardware cloth over vents and windows. You should do thief regardless of your choice of fencing.
The psychological barrier would be the electric fence, since it neither kills nor even hurts very much. I get shocked from time to time—just clumsiness. My big dog (lab-golden) got shocked once. The two other dogs learned from his experience. Modern electric fences pulse, so they neither kill nor start fires. The only exception would be if a bird got caught in particularly hot poultry netting and could not get out. We’re not talking poultry netting here, though.
I use equine rope (metal-infused) for my cattle because they can so easily see it. You buy stakes, rope (or you can use wire for a more permanent installation). I would use two strands: one 2-4” from the ground and one around 2 ft above ground. The coyote (or your dog) will sniff one wire or the other wire, shock its nose and jump back with a yelp. It will most likely never attempt to cross the wire again. Which is not to say you can safely turn it off. There’s more than one baddie lurking out there.
You will need a solar energizer (they are less potent than the plug-in ones), the fence wire of your choice (thicker carries the charge better), fence posts. I would get the square plastic ones because those give you lots of options for placing the wire. If you can’t get them in the ground, use a rubber mallet and/or shift the stake a little bit into another spot. You will need a ground rod. I use the ones shaped like a “T” because they’re easier to pull out and move, but then I move my fences frequently. If your climate is especially dry, you might have to water your ground rod now and then.
I would also pick up a couple of insulated handles so you can open the fence at the door. This works easiest if your door swings inward, but it will work either way.
I would get a mid-size/strength energizer. It’s more versatile than the tiny ones. Make sure you get solar. The electric grid-powered ones are stronger than you want.
You’ll need to keep the grass and weeds trimmed under your wires because if they touch the wires, they’ll wick some of the spark into the ground, making your e-fence ineffective.
The e-fence works well so long as you keep the grass trimmed. The wire skirt will also work very well. What you do must fit your own needs. For me, I prefer the e-fence.
