I just adopted 3 Brown Bovans. A friend found me a small coop (about 4ft x 3.5ft) for free on Craig's List. Now we just need to build a run. We have a chain-link fence and turkey wire. We were thinking of putting up a perimeter of at least 4ft high around the coop. Is it essential that we cover the run if we keep the chickens securely in the coop at night? We live in downtown Denver so our biggest concerns would be raccoons and foxes. Our neighbor has a dog which may deter them a bit.
I would definitely cover the run. A run is a safe place to be during the day that is freedom from being stuck in the coop. Hawks and other birds of prey can cause heartbreak. I would go higher with the perimeter if you need to enter it to get to the coop. Also, if it is sturdy, you would not HAVE to be home by sunset every single day... Liberating.