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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> The raised beds are made from metal siding and are
> 2 feet tall.  The closest raised bed, the problem area, is 16x4.

I like the design. Hadn't thought to use metal for garden bed sides. 
How long has it had earth contact? Suspect the issue ultimately will 
be weakening by rust.

> They have wire in the bottom, then about 8-10 inches of rocks, then
> decaying sticks and wood, then waste hay and compost on the top.  All
> have the wire and rocks, some only have waste hay with no wood and 
> some are not top dressed with composted soil (yet).

Sounds perfect. You probably got the idea from me. Ahem.

. . .  if I end up buying 6 foot fencing like
> you suggest, I will most like make the moat 4 feet wide at the ground
> and lean the fence in towards the 8 ft fence.

The only disadvantages I can think of are difficult human entry and 
the hens will have to stretch toward the outside edge to get the 
weeds. Should be entertaining to watch.

 I hope to allow the chickens
> out to free range several times a week as I can.  We have a renting
> neighbor's unleashed dog to contend with.  Last year, that dog killed 4
> of my geese, 8 of my ducks, and various assorted chickens, so I have to
> now limit my birds freedom to keep them alive.

Why is that dog still alive?

> My ideal flock size is about 15-20
> hens.  That provides enough eggs for us and enough to sell to pay for
> any feed or replacement layers if need be.

I normally keep a dozen hens and one rooster. They almost kept my 
moat perfectly clean. It was six by about four hundred. Of course 
your conditions are different, rainfall, soil, plants, sun aspect, etc.

It is also noteworthy that in the years I have been
> here, I have never had a hen go broody and stay broody long enough to
> raise her own chicks until this year.

Nursery-hatched chicks never had a role model.

>   I did not count on that, but it
> is happening, so that adds to the flock population, too. (BTW, if I have
> observed correctly, those eggs should hatch tomorrow or the next day)

So eat some of the others.

> As for garden expansion, yes, I could actually expand it.

Great. As long as you have room to expand, then do this first part as 
well as possible and don't worry about reducing garden space. Btw, 
when I laid out my first garden, of sixteen four-by-sixteen beds--too 
many--I alternated the path width two feet and then four feet, so I 
could run the garden cart or wheelbarrow along at least one side of 
each bed. Worked well. I now have much wider paths and I mow them. 
Wider paths and narrower beds have worked for me. Age persuades for 
less bending and less reaching.

> But, back to the moat thing....one problem I have had in the past with
> the perimeter fence is having honeysuckle and various vines grow up onto
> the fence, especially on the south side (long 100 foot section), and I
> think the chickens will stay busy clearing that.  Thankfully,
> honeysuckle is not kudzu, but there are enough vines to keep the girls
> busier than you might think.

I have no experience with that. My garden area is clean all around 
with mowed grass. No vines allowed except boysenberries in a bed on 
trellis. Do your hens actually eat the vines or eat the leaves to 
weaken the vines?