Think a dog kennel would work?

[Appylover]

I am getting things to keep around 25- 50 meat birds alive and happy in. I have a 10x40 dog kennel set up for them when they get bigger. My main concerns are of course predaters. How could I help keep this area safe for them at night? We will be building a three sided shade and wind break for them. Could I just add a top to this? My main coop is at capacity for birds now. just realized this when I rounded them all up for bed tonight. So there is no way they could fit in there even just for the night. I also plan on running a tarp over the open area to dicourage hawks and the like during the day. I am sure we have raccoons, and know for a fact we have coyotes and stray dogs. Maybe a bobcat or two. This run also doubles as an area for my laying birds to go during the day when their normal run is flooded.

 

[loanwizard]

That would work but it will be bare ground when they are done. I highly recommend electric poultry fencing as a daytime run. I would let them coop up at night in the kennel.

 

[Habibs Hens]

i have done just that

i got a dog kennel and placed it inside the run and will allow the ducks to sleep in it as they dont need perches

 

[what did I do]

I have 50 CX in a dog kennel. Well, they were in a kennel all the time until I got back from a trip and found them in a dirty cage. 50 is a bit much unless they can free range or you have lots of bedding. I was bedding mine twice a day but having others do that isn't going to happen. My CX are in a big shed in a kennel. I close them up at night so all is well. I would worry about them if they were out in the open all the time.

CX dirty a cage very fast!

 

[wyoDreamer]

If I had your set-up, I would run electric fence around the dog kennel.
One 4" above at the ground, one about 2 feet up, and one around the top to stop the climbers that get past the bottom two.

Electric will deter alot of preditors and make a dog think twice.

Just remember to turn it off before touching it yourself.
You only do that once! ... well maybe twice, but it was a year later!