Reinforcing chicken run

[dianefbarfield]

Saturday we had our entire flock killed by a daytime predator, probably a dog. One chicken survived. Today we reinforced the run with hardware cloth above the 4 foot fence. We are getting two chickens to help our remaining hen adjust. She is terrified to be outside after the trauma, calls for her friends, hides in the coop. We are electrifying the run with wire around it as well. Any more suggestions?

 

[perkolator]

Sorry to hear that, similar has happened to me. Without seeing a pic of what you're dealing with it's hard to say, but in general hardware cloth is usually a good idea - skirt around the bottom perimeter to prevent digging under the fence line, up about knee-height on the walls to prevent predators from reaching through fencing, and overhead to prevent aerial predators or anything that can get over the top.

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry to hear about that, what was your run made of before?

 

[3KillerBs]

Hardware cloth and electric wires make a strong deterrent.

Don't forget an anti-dig apron.

 

[aart]

Without seeing a pic of what you're dealing with it's hard to say,

Ditto Dat!

 

[dianefbarfield]

Sorry to hear about that, what was your run made of before?

The run is a former dog run, 35 by 15 feet. Four foot chain link wrapped securely in hardware cloth. The center has a framework with tarp for protection from sun and rain. The coop is under it. The whole thing is covered in bird netting. The dog climbed the fence, tore through the netting, killed all but one chicken and left them. Yesterday we covered most of top with hardware cloth too, attaching it to the existing fence. Adding an electric wire too.

 

[3KillerBs]

The dog climbed the fence, tore through the netting, killed all but one chicken and left them.

Oh my!

Good STRONG electric!