Trying to make my coop safer, need advice

[Nicole914]

Hello, I am new to keeping chickens. My father in law surprised me and built a huge beautiful run for my chickens and he used chicken wire. He probably did not know as I did not know until reading up that hardware cloth is a better option. He burried the wire and covered the top as well. My question is some people have told me to just double up and add hardware cloth over the chicken wire and some people have told me to just put electric netting around the run. The house we moved into already had a chicken coop so we have that in the run. Our neighbor told us that the previous owners had free range chickens and they never lost any to predators. They were very lucky but I am not taking that chance, I have definitely seen my fair share of wildlife around here. Any advice would greatly help, I want to keep my girls safe!

 

[lalaland]

You could double up with hardware cloth. Or you could use a wire fence against the chicken wire. THe chicken wire will keep chicks from getting out, the fencing will keep predators out. Fencing might be considerably cheaper than hardware cloth.

Predators will be a bigger issue at night (except for hawks)....so if the chickens are locked up at night and released in the morning, your risk is less. That is sometimes impossible with work schedules, though.

I have wire fencing lined with chicken wire and an electric wire, and protection against digging underneath. Plus a wire fenced "roof" over part of the run - in the fall and early winter it is needed for hawks around here.

I don't always use the electric wire - depends on whether the foxes are denning in my field or not, and whether it is during the bear roaming seasons (early spring and late fall).

Good luck!