MPC's apron fencing/chain link as apron fence?

[Penske]

We were lucky enough to get FREE 10' tall chain link fencing from a person who removed a tennis court!

We are wondering if it will work as an apron fence, bending it outward at the bottom. Has anyone done this? How did you secure the bottom? We will also run smaller wire around the bottom as well, as the chicks will be able to poke through.

ALSO, has anyone used MPC's apron fencing? Does it keep dogs out? Does it need additional wire at the bottom to keep chicks in??

We do not have dogs, but some occasionally run through our property.

Thanks!

Lisa

 

[Penske]

Has anyone tried either of these ideas?

BTW, I love all the chick pics posted!! We are getting so excited!!

Lisa

 

[tiffanyh]

Just out of curiousity, what would be the added benefit of pushing it out at the bottom?? Rather than just putting it up as regular fencing....

 

[Katy]

So critters can't dig under it.

 

[Penske]

Dogs and other digging critters will dig under fences at the base of the fence. If you bend the fence, laying 20" or so on the ground (and allow vegetation to grow up through it), when the dog, etc tries to dig, they come upon fencing and will give up.

My question was how do you secure the bottom?
Chain link seems hard to bend.

Lisa

 

[tiffanyh]

oh, oh, oh---now I know what you mean----sorry. I was picturing something totally different when you said aproning. Chain link might be tough to do that with? I cant imagine bending it properly...hmmm.....maybe someone else will hav ean idea.

 

[Penske]

tiffanyh,

That's what I am thinking...that it will be tough.Just trying to see if anyone has done it successfully...

Thanks for your reply!

Lisa

 

[TheMartianChick]

It might be easier to just install the fencing as-is. Then buy some chicken wire and lay it on the ground around the outside of the chain link.

Just thinking... 10 feet tall would make a pretty good aviary for some game birds, rather than using it for chickens!

 

[tpantali]

Quote:
The height of the fence is an interesting topic to me. I see pictures of people's runs here with fences that are not very high and I wonder about that but just have never asked. Our fence is 8' tall and a couple of our birds sit on the posts. The first time it happened I was astonished, I did not expect them to be up that high. I have never actually seen them get up or down so have no clear concept of their skills. I think this next coop and run we are building will have a covered run but I just have not yet figured out how tall to make it.

As far as the fence, we also must have some pretty clever diggers around here. We dug our fence down 18" because the animals dig right around it when aproned. So, far no one has dug 18" deep and we are very grateful for that. For the record, when we aproned we also tried putting rocks around the areas. So, the carpenter's cloth was aproned, we covered it will rock and then grass, weeds etc. filled in.

 

[Chirpy]

I have a Belgian mare that can bend any fence (chainlink included) into any design you want!

I have bent chain link but it's hard to do it in a straight line. If you really want to try I would use a board (like a 2x4) and put it against the spot you want bent and then use your foot to push down on the board, bending the wire at the bottom while pulling up on the top of the fence. Move the board along the fence as you go.

My suggestion would be to dig a trench about 18" to 2 ft. deep and literally bury the 10 ft. fence down into the trench. That would leave you about 8 ft. above ground.

I would also suggest putting either hardware cloth or 1" chicken wire along the bottom two feet so that predators can't reach through the wire to grab a chicken and small chickens can't get out.