I have read different opinions for keeping chickens safe from preditors. What method is best for a chainlink dog kennel? I was told that the traditional chicken wire preditors such as weasels can get through. I live in VA and have weasels, raccoons, oppossums, groundhogs etc. My plan was chicken wire on top, covered with a tarp or wood and inside wood for protection from the elements. Plus I can hang their nesting areas.
My Coop is a salvaged 4x8 metal shed here are a few tips and a quick look at my set up. My floor are planks with a layer of tin for rodent proofing. On top of the tin I have a piece of vinyl flooring cut one foot longer than the length and width of my coop (roughly). Six inches squares are cut out of the 4 corners of the vinyl flooring. This allows the friction fitted flooring to travel up the walls six inches around the perimeter of my coop. Shovel out the heavy stuff into a wheel barrow. Pop out the vinyl flooring hose it off pop it back in. An old deep freeze, dryer or stove makes a good source of tin . , Easy Peasy!
Chicken wire is meant only to keep chickens in and not predators out. I would use something stronger like welded wire or hardware cloth. Good luck.
If I understand, you are using a chain link kennel? I would still use about 2 feet of hardware cloth on the inside of the chain link - raccoons in particular are notorious for reaching right through chain link and grabbing a hen for snacking purposes. If you are not planning to lock them inside the coop at night, then I would use hardware cloth on the top of the run also. I have pix from my game camera of possums and raccoons crawling on the top of my run (my chickens have access to the run at night) trying to find a way in. The only chicken wire I use is for some portable chicken runs I use in the daytime occasionally - but I would never leave a chicken in one at night. The chicken wire is enough to stop a hawk though, and the cats. If my dogs didn't control the fox population, I would not be able to use the chicken wire at all.
thank you. didn't think of them reaching through the links. Smart little buggers. Also, the chicken wire on top would not be strong enough for the predators. I am rethinking using ply wood all the way across.
