Tips for predator proofing chain link fence?

[alinas2010]

We’ve got our ladies new run and coop just about ready for them! There are only 4 chickens, and PLENTY of space. The run is chain link with covered top. It’s got some gaps that need filled around the bottom, does anyone have experience on how to fix the bottom so nothing can get in? We live in town, so pretty suburban. Our only predators in town are:
Hawks fixed by having top on run
Neighborhood cats/dogs
Raccoons - do they dig?
Our coop is solid, nothing can get in, the door will be locked at night and we have an automatic chicken coop door that will go in, so the run is our main concern. Here are some pics. It’s not finished yet, we have to put in some shrubs and whatnot for them and some more coop ventilation and a window or 2, so don’t judge too harshly yet. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[alinas2010]

we’re also fixing the drainage so it’s not a constant mud bath back there.

 

[Sally PB]

An anti-dig apron would be a good idea. Also, chain link won't stop mice. Discourage mice by not encouraging them, ie, don't leave food and water out to attract them.

Hardware cloth is great for covering small openings. Zipties will hold it in place.

Wood chips make a good floor in a run. It soaks up rain/snow to help with drainage, composts down and enriches the soil, and give the chickens something to scratch through.

 

[alinas2010]

An anti-dig apron would be a good idea. Also, chain link won't stop mice. Discourage mice by not encouraging them, ie, don't leave food and water out to attract them.

Hardware cloth is great for covering small openings. Zipties will hold it in place.

Wood chips make a good floor in a run. It soaks up rain/snow to help with drainage, composts down and enriches the soil, and give the chickens something to scratch through.

Ah thank you. I have heard that hardware cloth is a life saver. I didn’t think about mice, but you’re not wrong. How far down is far enough to put in an apron?

 

[Sally PB]

How far down is far enough to put in an apron?

Some people suggest 2 feet down. That's really hard to do if you have roots or rocks in your soil.

The other option is to go out 2'. Lay the hardware cloth on the ground and secure it with landscape staples. The grass will grow up through it. I string trim that area so that hubby doesn't mow over it. Edges and corners of the hardware cloth pop up, and I don't want to hear about him hitting it with the mower.

 

[raingarden]

What's that long piece of metal pipe? Looks like top rail or something. Anyway, you could secure it to the bottom of the chain link. That would keep an animal from pushing up the chain link to crawl under. But it would still be easy enough to dig under.

So yeah, you'll need an apron and there is no room to get in there and work. Maybe lay the apron on the ground between the chain link and the building and then shovel gravel through the chain link mesh to cover it.

On the other side it looks like the chain link parallels a concrete walkway?? You could put a few anchors (like this) in the side of the concrete walkway . Put a 2x4 on the inside of the pen and secure it with the anchors, thus sandwiching the chain link mesh between concrete and wood.

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck! Looking good!

We are in the process of replacing the chain link fence here - and digging down about 2 feet to extend the fence down. We are using 1x2” welded wire. It’s a work in progress. This was this past weekend.

We started 2 years ago, but ran out of wire and could not source any for over a year.

We had drainage issues too. We trucked in 102 tons of dirt (4 truck loads) to re-level the back and side area of the barn. The white building in the pic is the barn. Then, we re-directed gutters, built a low berm, and added in a trench with two 10” diameter smooth wall pipes to get the water to go specifically where we wanted in various areas of the yard. We put about 20 yards of chopped tree mulch to start in the run. It’s been about 4 years since all of that was added to the run, and you would never know that much was put into the run!

 

[alinas2010]

What's that long piece of metal pipe? Looks like top rail or something. Anyway, you could secure it to the bottom of the chain link. That would keep an animal from pushing up the chain link to crawl under. But it would still be easy enough to dig under.

So yeah, you'll need an apron and there is no room to get in there and work. Maybe lay the apron on the ground between the chain link and the building and then shovel gravel through the chain link mesh to cover it.

On the other side it looks like the chain link parallels a concrete walkway?? You could put a few anchors (like this) in the side of the concrete walkway . Put a 2x4 on the inside of the pen and secure it with the anchors, thus sandwiching the chain link mesh between concrete and wood.

Yes, it is excess rail for a bottom. The bottom rail gets out on today. The side walk and the building being so close is a problem I was pondering. That is a great idea to use the building and secure an apron to it. I think that would be a great work around, as long as we put enough gravel and rock or brick on top. Thank you for the link and your input, much appreciated.

 

[alinas2010]

Good luck! Looking good!

We are in the process of replacing the chain link fence here - and digging down about 2 feet to extend the fence down. We are using 1x2” welded wire. It’s a work in progress. This was this past weekend.

View attachment 3261701
We started 2 years ago, but ran out of wire and could not source any for over a year.

We had drainage issues too. We trucked in 102 tons of dirt (4 truck loads) to re-level the back and side area of the barn. The white building in the pic is the barn. Then, we re-directed gutters, built a low berm, and added in a trench with two 10” diameter smooth wall pipes to get the water to go specifically where we wanted in various areas of the yard. We put about 20 yards of chopped tree mulch to start in the run. It’s been about 4 years since all of that was added to the run, and you would never know that much was put into the run!

Wow it’s coming along great! Your chickens are going to have a wonderful sanctuary! I can’t imagine how excited you are to get it done, I bug my fiancé about getting the little things done everyday and we’ve only been working on this for about a month or so, can’t imagine 4 years! Be sure to post when it’s all finished my fiancé is always talking about how these $4 chickens costed him $4000 he’s not wrong. But they deserve it. It really is crazy how much we put into anything for them!

 

[alinas2010]

Some people suggest 2 feet down. That's really hard to do if you have roots or rocks in your soil.

The other option is to go out 2'. Lay the hardware cloth on the ground and secure it with landscape staples. The grass will grow up through it. I string trim that area so that hubby doesn't mow over it. Edges and corners of the hardware cloth pop up, and I don't want to hear about him hitting it with the mower.

Haha my fiancé must be related to him! I would never hear the end of it if his lawnmower hit anything I was responsible for putting out I have little room to work with for an apron, as raingarden pointed out, but I think there are some work around we can go with. Thanks a million for your input!