I have an 8'x10' dog run that I was thinking of converting into a chicken run. It's pretty heavy to move by hand, but I can tow it with our ATV (not with chicken's inside of course.) To make the conversion from dog to chicken run, I will line the bottom two feet with hardware cloth and then extend the hardware cloth inwards two feet to discourage digging predators. This will leave a small open rectange area for the girls to forage. If I stake the apron down, should this be adequate predator protection? I'm only getting four chickens and there will be a seperate, predator secure coop attached to the run for nights.
Good idea? Bad Idea? I'm in desperate need of advice here.
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Dog run as movable chicken run? Advice please!
If it's outside beasts you want to discourage from digging into the pen, rather than thinking that the hens will dig enough to make a hole under the edge, then why not let the hardware cloth extend out rather than in? It would be a bit more work, and more work when moving the pen, but it would give the hens more grass area for foraging, and work as well to stop digging into the pen. If predators bump into the hardware cloth in the 2' next to the pen, it should discourage them. I can't see many animals thinking well enough to move out 2' and start digging at an angle!
