New Member, old timer raising chickens for fun in the suburbs

[Rocketman_JSC]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC! We're glad we're here.

Definitely, 1/2" hardware cloth will keep most everything out. Be sure that's secured in place with washers. We bent ours out about 18" on the bottom, then covered it with rocks. @DobieLover will be along and can show how she didn't cover hers. We border a forest so have to keep everything secure at night for sure!

Thank you for the info. , I am planning on putting a double row of electric fence line about 6 inches above the ground and 4 inches apart that is on insulators sticking about 5 inches out from the chicken run which is a completely covered in chicken wire and is 19.8 ft. L x 9.8 ft W x 6.4 ft. H and has a walk in door. I plan on putting my coop inside this run which is made out of fully enclosed Formex and I might consider putting a solar auto timed door on the chickens entrance of the coop just as an added pre-caution. One thing I found out the hard way when I discovered a Racoon with a duckling in its mouth they can find the smallest openings in a barn to exploit to get to your chickens and water fowl . However I also discovered later that predators, if done properly, don't like electric fences too much .

 

[Rocketman_JSC]

I have lots.
This shows the attachment to the 4x4 posts and the lumber running close to the ground in the run along with the predator apron continuing out along the ground.
View attachment 4072188

A better shot of the predator apron that goes around the entire setup.
View attachment 4072190

With everything sitting inside a 1/3 acre pen surrounded by electrified poultry netting powered with a 10,000volt/1.3 Joule charger.
You can also see the solid roof on the run and the huge shrub at the end of the run that offer aerial predator protection along with other large perennial grasses and shrubs planted in the pen.
View attachment 4072189

Very nice . looks very secure and a nice environment for your chickens.

 

[Tookie]

Hello, and welcome to BYC! Nice to meet you. Good luck with your plans!

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Hope you enjoy your time here!