Newbie mistake regarding fencing, do I need a fix?

[AllCoop'dUp]

I have a combined chicken run and garden which is divided in half. I've installed 8ft woven wire deer fencing around the entire 32X72 area and cross fenced the 15X40 run along with the 8ft woven wire deer fencing and 3 ft chicken hex on the bottom. Then realized the gaps in the deer fencing, above the 3ft chicken wire were too large and so I added the 8'X 1" square black poly deer fencing in addition all the way around and on the top. Good grief...talk about an expensive design error. I hadn't envisioned 3 layers of fencing would be needed, not to mention how downright ugly the black poly deer fencing is. My goal was to keep the birds safe from any predators (including my dogs) and the chickens and deer out of my garden. Now it looks like some sort of military or US/Mexico border line just without the razor wire. (gee...I suppose I could add that to the top?) Do I wait for a predator diaster to replace it all with hardware cloth or do you think my Fort Knox will be safe?

 

[helloroe]

If you are asking then you already know the answer in your heart.

 

[crazy chook]

I would like to see some photos of your coop and run. It may be predator proof and just be ugly!

 

[Finn's Mom]

I would also like to see it. Not laughing, I am just having trouble picturing it. I just put in a 38x38 garden and chicken run combo. We can compare notes!

 

[oldchickenlady]

Instead of hardware cloth, how about 1"x2" welded wire? I use that for my run and so far have not lost a bird (coop just got built 4 days ago and isn't quite ready yet). It comes in different widths and longer lengths. They have been in this run (pvc hoop run) for about 2 months now and we live in the woods with lots of predators. I free range them during the day.

 

[NevadaRon]

What does a PVC hoop run look like? I've seen that term on here before, but I've no idea what it is

 

[elmo]

If you're relying on that fencing to keep raccoons out, it won't. I'm not even sure what you describe would keep roaming dogs out, either. Chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens in; it's very easy for predators to rip apart.

If you have a secure coop that you lock your chickens in at night, you could leave your fence arrangement as is, and you'd basically be free ranging your chickens with the risk of daytime predators such as hawks, etc., and the occational nocturnal predator like raccoons that sometimes turn up in the daytime.

 

[patandchickens]

What exactly is woven wire deer fencing, I am not familiar with that (only with plastic mesh deer fencing). If the holes are no larger than 4x4 and it is reasonable gauge (like nothing less than 16 gauge, preferably heavier) it will keep most dogs out unless they are seriously intent on entry; but if the holes are larger and/or the gauge flimsier, I would not count on it to do much vs dogs.

You can probably take the black plastic deer netting off and use it for something else, it is not serving any purpose (will not keep dogs/raccoons/etc out, and there is not going to be a problem with chickens putting their heads thru that high up)

The chickenwire on the bottom 3' is somewhat useful if your holes are no larger than 4x4 in the wire deer netting (tho 1x1 welded wire mesh or hardware cloth would be better), but probably fairly close to useless if your holes are bigger.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat