- Aug 3, 2012
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When I first decided I wanted to raise chickens I read as much as I could about predator proofing my coop and run and it appears it was worth the effort and investment. My husband was not happy with the expense and extra work of enclosing the entire run with hardware cloth and felt chicken wire or field fence would work just fine. After tirelessly explaining the need for hardware cloth (he called it nagging) he finally gave in and used hardware cloth. He thought putting it on the floor of the run was over kill and he thought putting double latches on all the doors was ridiculous, but I explained some more and he did it. After the chickens were safely ensconced in their little fortress, I asked for a game camera for Christmas and happily I received it and sat it up right away.
When I came home the day after Christmas I found the tarps I had put up to block the cold wind on two sides of the run torn off and all the collard and cabbages I had planted along the perimeter dug up and trampled. The covered fenced area (the none hardware cloth) where I let the girls forage when I am outside was mangled in several places and pulled away from the posts. The girls were all in the coop and would not come out and the 12 week olds were in their box in their grow out pen huddled in a corner acting hysterical.
I took the card out of the game camera and viewed the events that had occurred. It appears two dogs, lab size, but I don't know the breed for sure had visited the chickens from 12:59 until 3:07 trying to get to the girls. Fortunately they were unsuccessful but I have 70 some pictures showing them digging, jumping on and chewing on the fencing and generally terrorizing the chickens.
I am so glad I read the information on this site before building the coop and run. Thanks everyone. .
When I came home the day after Christmas I found the tarps I had put up to block the cold wind on two sides of the run torn off and all the collard and cabbages I had planted along the perimeter dug up and trampled. The covered fenced area (the none hardware cloth) where I let the girls forage when I am outside was mangled in several places and pulled away from the posts. The girls were all in the coop and would not come out and the 12 week olds were in their box in their grow out pen huddled in a corner acting hysterical.
I took the card out of the game camera and viewed the events that had occurred. It appears two dogs, lab size, but I don't know the breed for sure had visited the chickens from 12:59 until 3:07 trying to get to the girls. Fortunately they were unsuccessful but I have 70 some pictures showing them digging, jumping on and chewing on the fencing and generally terrorizing the chickens.
I am so glad I read the information on this site before building the coop and run. Thanks everyone. .
