Securing chickens at night

[ChickNandfamily]

Has anyone used a hard side, travel dog kennel for keeping chickens in at night? We’ve had some losses of our flock lately to predators at night and to keep them safe we’re considering a kennel lockdown at night until I can create something more permanent. And of course, letting them out to roam in the morning.
Thank you so much for any advice or ideas?
To clarify, the kennel would be inside an enclosed run, but predators have been able to get through the chicken wire a few times

 

[Appalachickens]

Has anyone used a hard side, travel dog kennel for keeping chickens in at night? We’ve had some losses of our flock lately to predators at night and to keep them safe we’re considering a kennel lockdown at night until I can create something more permanent. And of course, letting them out to roam in the morning.
Thank you so much for any advice or ideas?
To clarify, the kennel would be inside an enclosed run, but predators have been able to get through the chicken wire a few times

Chicken wire should not be sold as chicken wire. It keeps chickens in, but virtually nothing out. Kennel lockdown isn't ideal, but I'd sure do it until I could get hardware cloth up.

 

[ChickNandfamily]

Chicken wire should not be sold as chicken wire. It keeps chickens in, but virtually nothing out. Kennel lockdown isn't ideal, but I'd sure do it until I could get hardware cloth up.

Thank you so much for the advice! Yes, we’re new to chickens and have noticed the chicken wire isn’t doing its job and have plans to put hardware cloth down to really secure it. And that makes sense, kennel lockdown would just be a temporary solution till everything‘s really secured up.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

The only problem with a kennel is that if something can reach in they will have no way to get away so if your predator is a raccoon you will likely come out to a kennel full of headless birds. What has been getting your chickens?

 

[ChickNandfamily]

The only problem with a kennel is that if something can reach in they will have no way to get away so if your predator is a raccoon you will likely come out to a kennel full of headless birds. What has been getting your chickens?

Oh wow I didn’t think of that. We think a raccoon or maybe a coyote. The predator yesterday pulled it through an opening of about 3 in it bit through the chicken wire.

 

[tlcmurphy]

A raccoon could reach through a wire dog crate, but not a hard side crate. As a temporary solution it should work until you get hardware cloth down.

 

[Appalachickens]

The only problem with a kennel is that if something can reach in they will have no way to get away so if your predator is a raccoon you will likely come out to a kennel full of headless birds. What has been getting your chickens?

Maybe something attached securely to the sides to prevent a coon from reaching though?

 

[Debbie292d]

A raccoon could reach through a wire dog crate, but not a hard side crate. As a temporary solution it should work until you get hardware cloth down.

I agree.

Maybe the door they could get their paw through, as ours is metal bars, but that's only one end and the chickens would be at the other. If yours is like ours, I'd just attach HWC over that, or if you don't have it yet, a piece of chicken wire X2 over that should do it.

 

[Anon112]

In about an hour I was able to construct a "nursery" for a hen and chicks. Make a rectangle out of boards (I did 4 feet long and 2 feet deep). Run board vertically from each corner (I did 3 feet high), then make another rectangle at the top. You now have a rectangular prism. Close in the sides with either plywood or hardware cloth. Framing out a little door is very easy to do. This thing is solid, predator proof, and even rat proof. The main con is it's a huge pain to clean, but good for a temporary solution.

Were I to build it again, I'd put one whole wall of plywood on a hinge for easy opening.

 

[ChickNandfamily]

A raccoon could reach through a wire dog crate, but not a hard side crate. As a temporary solution it should work until you get hardware cloth down.

Yes that makes sense. It’s a hard sided one with small holes on 3 sides and the door is metal with appx 1 in squares but I can cover those. For tonight she’s in the kennel in the garage as we found more gaps to cover tomorrow