Dog-proof option for your run: cattle or combo panel

[ChooksChick]

I haven't seen anyone else ever mention this as a run option, so I thought I'd throw it out there.

We used the 4'x16' pieces of cattle panel for our run, using small pipe mounts to affix the panels to 4"x4" posts set in the ground, using just 2 screws at the top and 2 at the bottom.

Cattle panel is $16 for a panel here, and so it's not super cheap, but it's worth the ease of installation. It's pencil-sized wire gauge, and while the holes at the top are 4"x8", the bottom holes are 1 1/2"x8" and gradually get bigger on the way up the panel. This isn't a run that your birds can sleep in overnight, but it's far sturdier than any chicken wire ever was, and no dog coming at it will ever get in.

We left the 4'x4' posts their 8' height above ground, with the intention of making a pergola-type roof. We have grapevines planted all around the run to grow up and over for shade, protection and treats.

Our birds free-range all over the yard during the day and only get locked in the run when we go out of town or need to have them out of the yard, but for others, the cattle-panel might make a good option to prevent some of the many dog-attacks that break my heart to keep reading.

Just thought I'd share!

 

[ChooksChick]

Forgot to mention: This is also fantastic for growing vines against and super-sturdy for that. I have my tomato plants on the front side, and they work very well for that- mind you my chickens eat anything they can reach, it's still beneficial!

 

[newchicksnducks]

I googled cattle panels and the only thing that came up for me were the big panels such as you use for a round pen (for horse training). It's made of 2"pipe with at least a 3"gap between rails with stiles (upright beam portion) being 6-8 foot apart. Apparently that is not what your talking about. (And the price is quite a bit more than $16/panel!!) Do you have a website for the material?

Okay...went futher on google page and found some of the panels you were talking about. A bit more expensive here at $28 a panel...interesting use for it though. Will have to see if it would be cost effective at these prices.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I paid $34.00 each for the three I got at my local feed store I'm planning to make a 5' x 12' tractor out of so I can safely let my ten chicks graze on fresh grass, weeds and bugs.

 

[Heelers&Chickens_OhMy]

Yes - a link to the product you're talking about would be MUCH appreciated!! Perhaps pictures of your coop as well?

 

[dsedler]

Here is a link. http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_36153_-1______14345%7C14359%7C14368%7C36153?listingPage=true&Special=false

This is what I used to make my run. I did line it with hardware cloth as well. I can't remember what they cost, but it was worth it for the sturdiness.

Here is a pic of my run. This is before I put the hardware cloth on.

 

[espressola]

We're planning to build our run that way. It will have 4x4" posts at the corners and halfway down the length (45 ft) and 10 ft T posts (or maybe 8?- I forget) every few feet between. I will cover it with some of the aviary wire I have at first since this is only a daytime run for the most part (our coop is predator proof, I do believe) and replace it as I can afford it with hardware cloth. Then I plan to put electric fence around it a couple of times. We will put aviary netting (knotted, heavy duty, 1") over the top to thwart the hawks. When all this is done I will feel comfortable leaving them out when I leave the ranch. That cattle panel stuff is strong! It's nice to see/hear about it doing well in use!
Patty N. ;-)

 

[AmCanyonStables]

I built my run the same way. Cattle panel on the bottom (for dogs, large preditors), hardware cloth over that, (4ft), then another 2 feet of chicken wire above that for height. Covered the whole run with bird netting for raptors. So far, so good. (knock on wood) I got my panels at TSC for about $18. each. One side of panels is attached to the front of the coop, so the chicken door is on the inside of the run, and the nest box on the outside.
It sounds like a lot, but was cheeper than the dog runs I was looking at before I settled on this combo.

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

I just built a coop using 2x4 no climb horse fence. Metal roof and metal half way down the sides as weather protection and this winter will install panels that can be shut when it get cold.

 

[vicki2x2]

The picture actually shows what is called a combo panel. A cattle panel is large squares all the way down, a hog panel is the smaller squares the whole panel and is shorter, the combo panel has the smaller squares at the bottom, larger at the top and is taller like the cattle panel so it can be used for both. This is what we like to use for everything around here, including our goats.