Minimum Strength Chicken Coop Fencing; Thoughts/Input Request

[Fire-Chicken]

Good day everyone!

I am planning on building a chicken coop, with run, and would like to know your thoughts about the MINIMUM height size and gauge fence material I should use. Here are some of my coop/run plans, as well as location demographics and local predators.

- Location: South Florida

- 8-10 chickens

- Predators in the area: Florida black bears (seldom seen but present), brown foxes (frequently seen and great climbers), raccoons, opossums, eagles, hawks

- Coop: The coop, itself, will be completely enclosed with a door(s) for access to maintenance and egg collection. About 8’ x 8’ x 7’ high. The chickens will have a ramp to enter/exit the coop and into the run as they see fit 24/7 (no automatic door to the ramp).

- The Run: The run will be approximately 8-10’ wide and 12-15’ long. It will be completely enclosed with a fence, and attached to the coop. The run will have a solid roof to protect from the sun, weather, and flying predators.

- Security Plans: The coop and run will be fenced (hence my question) and then surrounded by 6-strands of electric fence, at 1.0 Joule @ 4,000 volts; 4 strands will be on the lower 24” and 2 strands toward the top.
There will be fence buried about 12” below the dirt line and extending outward about 24-36”.
Then there will be brick pavers around the perimeter of the coop, about 36” from the base of the run (for cleanliness, aesthetics, and as an additional layer of security for digging predators).

So I pose these questions to “all-a-youtz”...
Should I enclose the run with standard 2”x2” chain link fence, 2”x2” 16 gauge welded wire, 2”x4” 16 gauge welded wire...?
Should I add a layer of 1/2” x 1/2” x 3’ wire cloth to the bottom ( as to skirt the bottom perimeter) to prevent critters from snatching, rodents and slithering critters from entering?

Thanks to all of you, in advance, for the input. I hope this helps others as well!


Any thoughts/input/suggestions would be welcome! Cost IS a factor so please be kind on my wallet.

 

[Big Doggie]

Good day everyone!

I am planning on building a chicken coop, with run, and would like to know your thoughts about the MINIMUM height size and gauge fence material I should use. Here are some of my coop/run plans, as well as location demographics and local predators.

- Location: South Florida

- 8-10 chickens

- Predators in the area: Florida black bears (seldom seen but present), brown foxes (frequently seen and great climbers), raccoons, opossums, eagles, hawks

- Coop: The coop, itself, will be completely enclosed with a door(s) for access to maintenance and egg collection. About 8’ x 8’ x 7’ high. The chickens will have a ramp to enter/exit the coop and into the run as they see fit 24/7 (no automatic door to the ramp).

- The Run: The run will be approximately 8-10’ wide and 12-15’ long. It will be completely enclosed with a fence, and attached to the coop. The run will have a solid roof to protect from the sun, weather, and flying predators.

- Security Plans: The coop and run will be fenced (hence my question) and then surrounded by 6-strands of electric fence, at 1.0 Joule @ 4,000 volts; 4 strands will be on the lower 24” and 2 strands toward the top.
There will be fence buried about 12” below the dirt line and extending outward about 24-36”.
Then there will be brick pavers around the perimeter of the coop, about 36” from the base of the run (for cleanliness, aesthetics, and as an additional layer of security for digging predators).

So I pose these questions to “all-a-youtz”...
Should I enclose the run with standard 2”x2” chain link fence, 2”x2” 16 gauge welded wire, 2”x4” 16 gauge welded wire...?
Should I add a layer of 1/2” x 1/2” x 3’ wire cloth to the bottom ( as to skirt the bottom perimeter) to prevent critters from snatching, rodents and slithering critters from entering?

Thanks to all of you, in advance, for the input. I hope this helps others as well!


Any thoughts/input/suggestions would be welcome! Cost IS a factor so please be kind on my wallet.

Sounds like you have thought this through. I imagine you’d be pretty safe from all predators including bear with the electric fencing. I’ve no problem with 1/2” hardware cloth along the lower section as raccoons will reach in.

 

[Fire-Chicken]

Sounds like you have thought this through. I imagine you’d be pretty safe from all predators including bear with the electric fencing. I’ve no problem with 1/2” hardware cloth along the lower section as raccoons will reach in.

Thanks so much for the input and encouragement

 

[DanielE1990]

I would not use the 2"x2" chicken wire. I've had nothing but problems with that. Anything else you mentioned should be good. Also I second the 1/2x1/2 hardware cloth. In FL and several places you have to worry about poisonous snakes that could get in and kill chickens.

 

[Fire-Chicken]

I would not use the 2"x2" chicken wire. I've had nothing but problems with that. Anything else you mentioned should be good. Also I second the 1/2x1/2 hardware cloth. In FL and several places you have to worry about poisonous snakes that could get in and kill chickens.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated!
Just for clarification, I’m not going to use any chicken wire. I was considering 2”x 2” welded wire/hardware cloth, 14 gauge. Further thoughts?

 

[DanielE1990]

Thanks for the input, much appreciated!
Just for clarification, I’m not going to use any chicken wire. I was considering 2”x 2” welded wire/hardware cloth, 14 gauge. Further thoughts?

ok I miss understood. That should be ok I would think. It will not hold a bear back ofcourse but not much will lol. That is what the electric fence is for though. I doubt that with that you would have any issues with foxes, birds of prey or most common predators.
I used 1/2" hardware cloth fully on mine and it has kept out the foxes, coyotes, racoons, and possums that are the common predators around me and it's a smaller 19 gauge. I have no doubt that if a bear or determined large dog decided to break in that they could but so far it has been enough of a deterrent.

 

[Fire-Chicken]

ok I miss understood. That should be ok I would think. It will not hold a bear back ofcourse but not much will lol. That is what the electric fence is for though. I doubt that with that you would have any issues with foxes, birds of prey or most common predators.
I used 1/2" hardware cloth fully on mine and it has kept out the foxes, coyotes, racoons, and possums that are the common predators around me and it's a smaller 19 gauge. I have no doubt that if a bear or determined large dog decided to break in that they could but so far it has been enough of a deterrent.

Awesome!
Thanks again for your insight and recommendations.
I have been racking my brains about this build for Ft. Knox and now ideas are spinning incessantly. I’m driving myself nuts.

Thanks again!

 

[aart]

@cmom