? on converting a chain link dog run into my chicken run...

[longranger]

You definitely need to wire the top for raccoons and possums. IMHO chicken wire is not sufficient. You need a heavier wire.

 

[ashley12]

I don't have anything on the top of my run and haven't had any problems yet. I have two dogs outside and they keep predators away. I know hawks can still get in if they wanted to but I haven't seen a hawk near by. I'm not saying it won't or can't happen, but I'll wait till something happens before I take action. I know that sounds bad, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I also don't have any wire around the bottom of my kennel panels.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Quote:
My run is similar to yours only right now there is no coop. I do have a daytime secure pen and they free range when I am outside in the garden.

One of my concerns is the space between the door and the gate of the run. See how much space there is between the gate and the fence. If the coop is not totally closed up at night, I am sure something could squeeze through that and get to the birds.

Does anyone have any suggestions on minimizing and strengthening this gap?

 

[Imp]

Quote:
I used chainlink clamps and extra pieces of pipe or connector in the gaps. But I didn't do it for protection, but rather found the hens squeezing out through the gaps.

Imp

 

[cackler]

We used a 10x10 dog kennel and covered the top with more wire when we had some homing pigeons. The raccoons pieced all of them through the fencing. We then put tin up all around the bottom and got some more pigeons. The coons still managed to get a few and the hawks managed to get a few from above. After that, the ones that survived never returned. I think if we would have used a mesh to line the kennel all around that would've worked a lot better. It's so tough to keep the long arms of coons out. With our chickens we thought about using that kennel but just are a bit sheepish about it because of what we've been through.

 

[Calebs Acre]

We have EVERYTHING in dog kennels...geese, ducks, chickens. We are right beside a 600 acre park, so we have fox, possum, raccoon, hawks....who knows what else.

We have some of our pens with extra panels on top. Other pens are covered with welded wire fence zip tied very securely. On others, we took PVC pipe and made frames that are 4' wide and 10' long and then we have zip tied wire around them, and secured them to each other and the sides of the kennel. So far, I think that the welded wire is probably the most secure. We have to pull it VERY tightly so it doesn't sag, but even a little sag seems to be OK.

We love our kennels and we use baling twine from the hay to tie them together since we are often moving them around as we change things. I hadn't considered just making a long row like a dog kennel, but I bet that would make things more secure. However, it would mess up my method of giving them all separate running areas during the day.

We use Little Tikes houses and cedar dog houses, a couple of plastic dog houses, as shelters for the birds. During the day, we open the kennels and let the geese go out and run around all day. I haven't done it yet with the ducks or chickens because I am not sure about getting them back in at night. LOL. Guess that will be next on my To Do list.