Wood privacy fence instead of gauge wire around coop?

[GaChick34]

I don't care about the look of it. I think the open air pens look nice. It's in my backyard, so it's not visible from the road.
I was thinking it would be better if the dogs couldn't see them and they couldn't see the dogs. I'll have to take video to show you how crazy this dog is. She's prey driven with no manners.

 

[MeepBeep]

If you dog is like any other 'hyperactive' dogs I have known, they will spend the entire day 'trying to see' the chickens through the cracks in the fence as they run up and down the fence line trying to get a stir our of the chickens... See them or not they sure as heck can hear and smell them even if they can't see them... And they will probably attempt to charge the gate every time you open it...

Not saying a fence is a bad thing, but I don't think it's really going to have the effect you are expecting... I would spend more time with training and disciplining the dog around the chickens, as that is likely to have a better long term effect...

 

[21hens-incharge]

I too have completely nutty dogs. I built my dogs a huge run and actually imbedded the chain link in a concrete trench to prevent digging. I also made my coop and run across the yard in the human side. To prevent the visual thing I planted lilac bushes between them and the chickens. They have lost interest in the hens now unless one of them is screaming their head off.

They do that sometimes when a fox is in the alley or a neighborhood cat has gotten in the yard.
Would my dogs still eat my chickens if given the chance? Of that I have no doubt. They are bird dogs after all.

 

[GaChick34]

Ty!
They definitely need some training. Ty for all of the input. I'm going to have to figure out the safest option for them. At this point, I'm going with the gauge wire and have to work with the dogs and training them.

 

[6of6chicks]

What would you recommend for the top??? What about raccoons ??

Not to disagree with iwiw60

, but I did use hardware cloth across the roof of my run. But that's because I went with clear plastic corrugated panels and knew that sooner or later something would chew through that plastic. The hardware cloth is my extra insurance.

I think your roofing depends on your shade needs. My run is shaded by an oak tree, so I wanted clear roofing to let light in. Otherwise it would be very cave-like, which I didn't want. If you NEED shade then by all means go with metal roofing. Just make sure that you close ANY gaps across the top. Wrap the hardware cloth up & over the edges of the rafters before screwing the roof down. My eyes are getting wider and wider the more I read threads in the predator section. You'd be amazed at the TINY spaces that raccoons, foxes, and all the rest can squeeze through!

 

[6of6chicks]

If you dog is like any other 'hyperactive' dogs I have known, they will spend the entire day 'trying to see' the chickens through the cracks in the fence as they run up and down the fence line trying to get a stir our of the chickens... See them or not they sure as heck can hear and smell them even if they can't see them... And they will probably attempt to charge the gate every time you open it...

Not saying a fence is a bad thing, but I don't think it's really going to have the effect you are expecting... I would spend more time with training and disciplining the dog around the chickens, as that is likely to have a better long term effect...

X2

Don't try to "hide" your chickens from the dogs. That's just going to backfire and is the opposite of what you want. The more you train and socialize your dogs with the chickens, the more desensitized they will become. Even highly prey-driven dogs can be taught to leave chickens alone with enough positive training and patience. Before you can work with your dogs, though, you need to make sure YOU know how to train them. Otherwise it will just be an exercise in frustration for everyone. For example, "socialize" doesn't mean toss the dog in there with the chickens and yell at them to "be nice." (Not trying to be rude - I've just seen people do that very thing and then wonder why it ends in disaster). Do your homework on training strategies that will work with YOUR dog's temperament and personality, because what works for one might not work for another.

 

[vehve]

X2

Don't try to "hide" your chickens from the dogs. That's just going to backfire and is the opposite of what you want. The more you train and socialize your dogs with the chickens, the more desensitized they will become. Even highly prey-driven dogs can be taught to leave chickens alone with enough positive training and patience. Before you can work with your dogs, though, you need to make sure YOU know how to train them. Otherwise it will just be an exercise in frustration for everyone. For example, "socialize" doesn't mean toss the dog in there with the chickens and yell at them to "be nice." (Not trying to be rude - I've just seen people do that very thing and then wonder why it ends in disaster). Do your homework on training strategies that will work with YOUR dog's temperament and personality, because what works for one might not work for another.

Some negative reinforcement goes a long way too. I'm not saying that you should kick your dog, but hugs, flowers and happy thoughts aren't always the best way to teach a dog. Took two days to train our labrador not to chase rabbits with a remote controlled spray collar. She still brings the dead one's though, or any shot bird you send her out to fetch, so hunting abilities aren't lost. The spray collar doesn't hurt the dog in any way, just breaks the hunting frenzy and gives you a chance to get the dog focused on you calling it instead.

I also agree that you should expose the dogs and chickens to each other as much as possible instead of trying to hide them.

 

[iwiw60]

Thank you for the pic. It def helps me to see a visual. Ok, so mesh and a metal roof. Ty, again. Now I need to find someoneoc who can build this for me and build it well.

When you put that hardware cloth up make sure whoever you get to build it uses screws and washers only...using staples, no matter how "big" they are won't work...just FYI and good luck!! Let me know how it goes for you!!

 

[enola]

Another tip - if you have corners in your hard ware cloth make sure you have a stable support to fasten your wire securely.

I made the mistake of just forming a corner with the wire. I fastened the edges with hog rings, lots of hog rings. But, the neighbor's pit bulls just chewed through/ collapsed the wire to get to the chickens

I really hate learning everything the hard way.........

 

[6of6chicks]

Another tip - if you have corners in your hard ware cloth make sure you have a stable support to fasten your wire securely.

I made the mistake of just forming a corner with the wire. I fastened the edges with hog rings, lots of hog rings. But, the neighbor's pit bulls just chewed through/ collapsed the wire to get to the chickens

I really hate learning everything the hard way.........

Don't we all, lol! I spent yesterday afternoon slathering concrete all along the edge between where my run meets the concrete slab that my coop sits on. I had trouble with that spot when building because I couldn't attach the hardware cloth to the concrete. I did my best with wrapping it under concrete blocks, but I still ended up with a TINY gap in one spot (less than 1 inch). Well, a LARGE snake (2 1/2 feet) found that TINY gap, and yesterday I had a nasty surprise waiting for me in the run! And I thought I had that coop/run locked up TIGHT!! Well, live and learn I guess, lol!