New to the chicken world....

[katherine712]

I just got my first flock about a month ago and I have already lost one to a wandering black lab. I build a pen out of chicken wire and attached it to my coop but unfortunately, I didn't add netting to the top. I assume the dog spooked my 6 week old chick and she jumped out and over the wire because none of the pen was destroyed. I decided to put a bird netting over the top to keep this from happening again. I leave them out all day while I'm at work and I need a very secure pen so that I don't worry all day. I would appreciate any advice on keeping my outdoor pen predator proof...I love these little guys and I don't want to lose another. Thanks!!!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

HARDWARE CLOTH On the bottom that aprons out to prevent diggers. If your pen is shorter than 4 ft, then you need to use something stronger than netting.

Chicken wire will keep the chicks in but won't keep anything out.

The lab will be back and will most likely get through your chicken wire to get to the rest of your chicks.

Do your best to protect the ones you have left.

WELCOME to BYC's. It's a great place to learn lots about raising and caring for chickens.

 

[daisy44]

sorry for your loss. I built my chichen coop in a large dog run, that i got from my near by home inprovement store.. It has a door for me to go in and out, that locks.. This is my first time raising chickens. They are pets...I have 1 Buff Orpington - 1 Road Island Red - 1 Barred Rock - 1 Americana.. they are all 22 weeks old... NO EGGS YET!!!!

It is great to find someone who is also new at this...Good luck..

 

[katherine712]

Thanks for the suggestions. What kind of wire would be strong enough to keep the predators out during the day? They are only seven weeks old and I don't want anything with holes big enough that they can stick their heads through. Will those green posts be strong enough....UGH! I'm so confused and worried to death!!

 

[katherine712]

Oh, and welcome daisy44!!! Good luck to you too!!!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

The only way I would use the T-posts with fencing attached would be to also use electric fencing, as I don't think the posts and fencing would be sturdy enough to stand up to a lab or other dog wanting to get to your chicks.

For my big girls, I'm using my dogs unused dog kennel with hardware cloth around the bottom that aprons out to prevent diggers. No coons or possum spotted yet, but I do have coyote that visit my pasture. So far they only look at the chickens in the run while my Missy, 3 yr old aussie barks up a storm from the dogs fenced area.

For my three banties that are in the front yard, I used hardware cloth all around that aprons out.

I always lock everyone up at night.

Prior to hardware cloth install

 

[Rooster#3]

sweet cheeks do you move your coop

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I do move the banty coop every morning 8' - the length of the run. The coop and run are separate. The little banties (2 silkies - 1 cochin) don't eat the grass down but sure do POO a lot.

I need to figure out how to make moving that dog house turned banty coop easier though. The sucker weighs about 150+ lbs.

The heavy-duty pallet bottom rungs (3) were angled on both sides to make skids so it would move easier, but with the rain and greener grass, it's hard for this young-at-heart 50 yr old girl.

 

[katherine712]

Sweet cheeks.... did you cover the dog run with the hardware clothe and attach it to your coop?

 

[Camelot Farms]

We covered our dog run with Hardware cloth also and then aproned it out and covered with mulch. Ours isnt portable.

Then across the top, we ran hardware cloth and secured it with zip ties. We think its critter proof. But, until the weather cools down and natural prey becomes harder to find, we wont know. But we sure are praying!