making a hole in chain link

[mcostas]

I got a 10x10 kennel run today at lowes to make a new more secure run for my girls. I am going to put hardware cloth around the bottom and make a apron, and cover it with wire as well. My first intentions was to put the coop on the chicken tractor inside the run. Now I would like to put it on the outside to give more room for roosts, piles of leaves, and other chicken toys.

It was an inexpensive run, a frame with a roll of wire to attach. I havn't attached the wire yet, but I am wondering how to go about cutting a hole in the fence for the coop entrance without the wire unraveling. I was thinking of securing the chain link area I want to cut with wire, then make a wooden frame around it, then cut the opening once it's stabilized. Another idea is to secure the part around which I am going to cut with that super sticky strong metal tape. I could samwich the wire between two layers of the tape and cut it. Then make a wooden frame around it so the chickens won't get stuck on sharp wire ends.

I guess if my kennel run were made of linked panels I could have just done one of them in hardware cloth but they are not, it's one long roll of chain link. I think I need to stabilze around the area I cut so it just doesn't fall to pieces. I know someone on this forum will have allready done that and can save me some trouble.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'd make a double frame out of 1 X 4's and clamp the wire between the boards.

 

[our 5 chickie babies]

Hello!
If this is a chain link fence it is really easy to take apart.Take notice at the top and bottom and you will see how it has loops at the top and bottom.If you will take a pair of pliers or wire cutters and straighten out the loop at the top and then follow that down to the bottom and do the same thing.You can then just simply unweave that one wire just keep twisting like you are unscrewing it.This will seperate the two pieces without any unraviling.You can also put two sections together using the same method.If you have any further questions please feel free to PM me and I will help if I can.
JIM

 

[bantyshanty]

mcostas, I am now cutting this hole in my chain link as well, and I wonder how you have done with your project? If you had success, could you please share what you did?

Thank you.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If you need to cut a actually hole you can ether tack welled it around where ya want to cut or cut slow an fold the wire around its self as you cut.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I usually create a frames for the inside of the coop and the inside of the run. They are connected to each other with long screws pinching the wire in between them. Once it's framed, then I cut the wire.

 

[mcostas]

IT was actually pretty easy. I cut the wire in such a way that I twisted the ends and there were no sharp edges. You can kind of see in this photo.

That coop is temporary, when I make my new one I'll make it nicer. I just pushed the old coop up and opened the doors. It fit snug and flush. If my new coop needs a smaller opening I can reduce it with hardware cloth easily.

I used a lot of cable ties in my run modification. The top wire, the hardware cloth apron, the tarps, even the chain link itself, is cable tied. I used a lot of them, it doesn't even rattle.

 

[lilchick]

For temp. pens using the dog kennel panels I have set coop outside of pen. I used the edges of 2 panels and placed them against the coop on ea. side. If coop is shorter than panels just run some hardware cloth over the top to connect the panels.. This way when you take pen down you have not damaged the panels... works for me!

 

[bantyshanty]

Thanks for all the advice. We did the double-frame method with long 4" bolts running between the two frames, then tightened with lock washers & wing nuts.
We also folded out some of the wire and so could do minimum cutting. The hole is 11 1/2 " x 16". Now to build the tunnel, with roof, ramp, and side-hatch to open to clean the rmp.

Perfect!

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

Quote:
H