Which option would you choose?

[Beaker99]

Had a dog kill one of our girls today, so I'm looking for opinions on two options to fortify our setup.
We are in town. I rent so I can't build anything too permanent or with a foundation. I'm pretty broke at the moment so cost is an issue. We don't have a run. We use poultry netting that may or may not have been working during attack. What would you do?


1) improve and/or increase electric fence charge on our poultry netting.

2) build a hoop coop run and attach to current coop.

 

[Backyardhomestead921]

I think do 1 , and then I’d that doesn’t work so option 2 .

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Had a dog kill one of our girls today, so I'm looking for opinions on two options to fortify our setup.
We are in town. I rent so I can't build anything too permanent or with a foundation. I'm pretty broke at the moment so cost is an issue. We don't have a run. We use poultry netting that may or may not have been working during attack. What would you do?


1) improve and/or increase electric fence charge on our poultry netting.

2) build a hoop coop run and attach to current coop.

I would start by putting chicken wire on the outside and inside of the coop on all open sides. And if it is eletric netting try increasing the charge a little maybe that will work. And if you know whose dog it is you can turn it in.

Edit otherwise do option 2

 

[Cryss]

I’m a big Believer in having an enclosed run even if you free range. You never know when it will become necessary to lock your birds up for their safety. I vote #2. Then surround the whole coop and run with the poultry netting. Double safety. You could let them out of the run when you are hanging out with them.

 

[Brooks_]

"I" would do the hoop run.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I’m a big Believer in having an enclosed run even if you free range. You never know when it will become necessary to lock your birds up for their safety. I vote #2. Then surround the whole coop and run with the poultry netting. Double safety. You could let them out of the run when you are hanging out with them.

x2. safest option given your limitations.

 

[mowin]

You already own the electric netting. Make the hoop run and use the netting around that.

 

[3KillerBs]

I would first address any issues in re: the use of your electric netting because one of the things it's best at is deterring dogs.

 

[Vadard]

#2 and then fiddle with the netting once the birds are secure.

I'd recommend a hoop run with livestock panels bent into hoops if you can swing it. Just make a rectangular frame out of 2x4s. Not the cheapest option, but very strong for the time/money. You could probably also do something cheap with a "dog wire" fence and a few stakes. Around here, dog wire means about 4' tall with 2"x4" cells.

Sorry about your hen. Good luck.

 

[Beaker99]

Thanks everyone. I am hoping to have both eventually. Poor pup was hungry, we think. She had puppies with her. And we knew dogs would be the biggest threat in our area.