run suggestions

[LaynaDon95]

Well, the time has come. We have always let our chickens free range with very little problem. I didn't worry about building a run and figured we always could if we ever needed to. We now need to. Ever since a small pack of neighbor dogs came in August and killed most of my flock we have had dogs prowling around the property. In the last few weeks it has gotten BAD. Like, packs of 8 or 10 dogs at a time. They killed a neighbor's alpaca and lots of neighborhood poultry, They have not gotten any more of mine, but it's only a matter of time with the way things are going. So, I have to build a run for days when I'm not going to be home. I'm looking for suggestions on how to make it dog proof. Like really really dog proof. They have been known to dig under tractors and rip through the chicken wire, so I'm gonna use hardware cloth on the bottom few feet, and also put apron fencing around it. What other suggestions do you have?

 

[c2chicks]

Electric wire will do the trick! Once they've had a couple bites of electric, they'll roam somewhere else

 

[Ullie]

yup, the electric will definitely give them a good sting.

 

[logan1237]

The electric will defiantly help I'd use chain link fence as well it would keep everything out

 

[debid]

We have neighborhood nuisance dogs as well. My run is a chain link dog kennel with an apron and a top. It's very effective against the larger predators (although no challenge at all for snakes and rodents...)

 

[hotrodflash]

My run is 2 x 4 inch welded wire, T post at the corners and in the middle of the length of the run with chicken wire wired to the bottomed of the run with a 6 inch apron on the ground and the chicken wire stretched over the top, overlapped and wired together to prevent air attacks. The welded wire in one piece pulled around the posts with a gate that is predator proofed with the wire as well. So far I have had no incursions by predators but I have a great guard dog as well.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Hot wire is your best friend when it comes to keeping stuff out. I built my run with the specific purpose of mainly keeping out roaming dogs. We used chain link dog run panels and ran hot wire around the outside. The first thing a dog does when it approaches the run is reach out and sniff the first barrier it comes to, happens to be the hot wire! I have witnessed several dogs put their nose on that hot wire... they make an unearthly sound and leave at a high rate of speed. I have not seen a previously shocked dog make a second attempt. It has been very, very effective for me.

In the meantime, or for as long as it takes, we'd be ready to shoot those dogs on sight. Is anyone attempting to do anything about them? Very dangerous when they pack up like that and start killing.

 

[maryhysong]

HARDWARE CLOTH IS NOT DOG PROOF! I had a pack of dogs get in and literally BITE THROUGH the hardware cloth to kill my rabbits. It only takes them a few seconds longer than chickenwire. And no, they didn't just rip it loose from the staples, they actually bit through the stuff, making big holes in it. I think the only thing that would be totally dogproof would be chainlink top, sides and bottom with electric to top it off.

I also keep a loaded .22 rifle behind the door. No dog leaves alive.

 

[LaynaDon95]

HARDWARE CLOTH IS NOT DOG PROOF! I had a pack of dogs get in and literally BITE THROUGH the hardware cloth to kill my rabbits. It only takes them a few seconds longer than chickenwire. And no, they didn't just rip it loose from the staples, they actually bit through the stuff, making big holes in it. I think the only thing that would be totally dogproof would be chainlink top, sides and bottom with electric to top it off.

I also keep a loaded .22 rifle behind the door. No dog leaves alive.

That's what they did to the chicken wire on my tractors. On one they made a hole big enough I could almost crawl through it. Thank you for your suggestions. We also keep a loaded .22 next to the back door and have since the attack in August. The only thing is I'm not a very good shot, so I'd be terrified of hurting the poor creature and not actually killing it. Not saying that I wouldn't shoot it anyway, but I would feel horrible if I injured it instead of killing it. Something we tried to explain to one of the neighbors who's dog was involved was that the dog was just doing what uncontrolled dogs do. It wasn't the dog's fault it was on our property, killing our chickens. That was the owner's fault. Dogs will behave as dogs will behave, if allowed to do so. I have no doubt that if I let Maggie and Toby roam the nieghborhood they would tear something up. They are reasonably well behaved dogs, but I'm not blind to the fact that they are dogs and will behave as such. Anyways, I'm ranting.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I appreciate them. I really want to keep my flock safe.

 

[CoopDeViIIe]

I recommend a nice Henry Rifle.