# Cattle Panels



## TriWinkle (Oct 2, 2011)

Not the typical, "I'm gonna make a hoop run" scenario....This is a bit, I hope, different question.


Anyone ever built a run from cattle panels and t-posts (or just posts), and just kept the girls in by clipping their wings? In other words, no top...just kinda like a fence (hope that make sense).

I figure it's a great way to get a lot of room for them to run around, without killing my savings...Plus I figure to have a coop for them to go into at night to shut them safely away from predators.


If this is a totally bad idea, please be gentle...I'm showing my ignorance by asking.

Oh, and if it is an awesome, earth-shattering, life-changing, concept that none of you has ever thought of...Then I'm showing my genius.

BTW, if some of you have done this, then would you mind sharing pics?


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

Yes but not with cattle panels, the openings are too big. I use horse fence. The 2" x 4" -6 or 8' high.
You can use good ole fashion chicken wire but it rusts real fast and needs to be replaced to soon.


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## no1butcherman (Sep 6, 2007)

That's what I use 6' t-post and 2"x4" welded wire 4 foot tall. I have 2 pens 50 x 50.Clip 1 wing and they can't fly. I don't bother clipping the roosters they won't leave the hens. If hawk's are a problem tie a nylon string across it with some flagging every 5 feet.


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

Yes I use cattle panels,But I ran 3 foot chicken wire around the bottom on the inside.
I used this cause my Maremmas were finding there way into the hen house and eating the eggs. Then they liked playing soccer with the chickens.
The chickens could get through the cattle panel but the dogs couldnt get in.
Then we had a fox that found his way into the cattle panels.
I also had some young ones that I wanted to keep safe so I ended up putting the chicken wire on the inside.
I can take the panels down easier to clean coops and get the UTV in and then replace the panels.I like it.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

we used 2x4 wire and still had to run 2' of chicken wire around the run to keep the smaller chicks in. 
One year we switched coops and moved the full grown hens. We had run field fence backed with plastic snow fence. Clipping wings did not stop the girls from getting out and hanging around their old run area at all. Every day we were hauling them back to their new area.
They would jump up and grab the fence then flap their wings as hard as they could to balance themselves and walk straight up the fence.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

It all depends upon how many predators you have.

All of them will hunt during the day. The worst killer, which is stray neighborhood dogs, are most common during the daylight.

Owls are the only ones who only hunt at night and there are even exceptions to this rule.


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## BobbyB (Apr 6, 2009)

If they are grown birds, the 4"x4" will work fine. I have seen 3 different people use then 3 different ways. 

Ine was enclosed on top with the same panel, one was 2 panels tied together at the top Teepee style and the other was open top.

I asked each and they all said no problems of any kind. 

If you had biddies, you could wrap the bottom with 2' tall chicken wire.


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

I have never tried cattle panels but I will tell you what works Great----I kept looking till I bought several used 6ft tall 10x10ft dog kennels. No T post to drive and you can move the whole chicken yard in a few minutes if you do not have a top on it. I bought most all of mine for around $100 used. Some I have been using for about 15 years. I could resell every one for what I payed for them if I was to ever sell out so in a way thats using them for free.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I used to have show dogs. Now I have duck pens! I'll second the chainlink fence. I run chicken wire the bottem 2' to keep ducklings in and smaller predators out. My only real losses are eggs to a raven until I put bird netting on the top. Baby ducklings are in the "duck house" pen, which is entirely covered with chicken wire and so far has been quite safe for them.


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## CoachB (Aug 30, 2011)

Mine are in a fairly large area surrounded by 2"x4" wire four feet tall right now without any getting out. However, I've had them get over the same stuff six feet tall when penned in a smaller area. No problems with predators so far. I do put them inside a Premier Poulty net electric fence at night.


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