Wood privacy fence instead of gauge wire around coop?

[GaChick34]

We are looking to fence in an 8'x16' area for my 5 hens. I have dogs that will go after my chickens if I don't use wood privacy fence vs an open air with gauge wire. I'm worried the wood fence will prevent ventilation and the chickens will get too hot.
Thoughts on this?

 

[MeepBeep]

Wood fences won't protect them from most predators, give a determined predator a night or two and many will eat right though a wood fence after seeing what is on the other side through the cracks...

 

[B-Goock]

Agree. Wood fence won't keep your dogs or predators out.

Your fence also needs to go under ground and turn outward away from the run. 18" down and 18" out should be good. When they dig to try to get under the fence they will run into the L. A top might be a good idea too.

 

[iwiw60]

1/2" hardware cloth .. the only way to go.

 

[GaChick34]

Ok. I was planning to do the hardware cloth over the top. I just worried that my dogs seeing the chickens would make them go crazy. We have a pit/boxer mix who is very neurotic and paces our fence that is next to a neighbors yard. They have a dog and she spends all day digging and trying to get into their yard. She's insane. We also have a full size boxer, but he's a bit better behaved than she is.

 

[iwiw60]

Ok. I was planning to do the hardware cloth over the top. I just worried that my dogs seeing the chickens would make them go crazy. We have a pit/boxer mix who is very neurotic and paces our fence that is next to a neighbors yard. They have a dog and she spends all day digging and trying to get into their yard. She's insane. We also have a full size boxer, but he's a bit better behaved than she is.

I frankly wouldn't waste the money on hardware cloth for over the top. Just go with some cheap metal roofing. It's the sides and around the bottom you need to be concerned with. If the dogs are as radical about digging then I'd advise to lay your hardware cloth just like you would wallpaper...start at the top, go down, then leave a GOOD 12-14" before you snip it off. Screw w/washers from the top down, screw across the bottom, then bury the 'leftover' kinda down and out. That should prevent the dogs or any other predators from gaining entry.

 

[enola]

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

 

[iwiw60]

I'm using metal roofing...easy-peasie. The way I designed my run there is no "air space" between the top of the walls and the roof. But if you have 'air space' then slap some hardware cloth in all the holes....ALL of them.

 

[GaChick34]

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.

 

[Blooie]

It sounds like you wanted the dogs to be unable to see the chickens so they'd leave the birds alone, but I'm afraid that their senses of hearing and smell would negate that benefit. Even the old blind dog I used to have would know there were chickens behind there and leave no stone un-turned to get to them. And if a little mousey can chew through wood to get to food and shelter, so can any other predator. It's a lovely idea, and gee, I hate to add more cold water to your plans, but I'm afraid you'd be setting yourself up for losses.

If it's the appearance of a wood fence you are after, there are options. You could build a solid predator proof enclosure, then surround it with the wood fence for asthetics and a first (although weak) first line of defense. We put white lattice in front of ours because we live in town and it's visible to anyone walking or driving by. We wanted it to look nice but we don't expect that lattice to do the job of a solidly built run. The lattice isn't for protection - it's just for looks. The chickens are behind a cattle panel hoop run anchored to 8 steel fenceposts, it is covered in chicken wire against overhead predators, and the sides are hardware cloth about 2-3 feet up, which runs down to the ground and extends outward as an apron around the entire perimeter to discourage diggers. It worked too! Our 10 year old English Setter tried desperately to dig under the edge of the run. A broken, bloody toenail later she decided those chickens weren't worth the effort.