Run Design

[HKW77]

Okay, I'm in the middle of a shed conversion coop. The coop itself will be designed to ward off predators with the appropriate hardware wire, yada yada. But my question is about the run, do I need to worry about putting fence along the bottom of it, or dropping the fence under ground? I'm to criss cross oil cloth bunting over the top to keep Osprey and Bald Eagles out, but they are the only real daytime predators, correct?? We are going to eventually make a portable tractor that I can put them into during nice days so they can free range. Our yard have fence all around and we have a tree line of 30ft Leylands that run the entire fence line, it's super private. My cats go outback during the day, they are in at night, but my dogs go outside during nice days as well. Between two Mastiffs and a LITERAL attack Siamese cat we don't really get too many critters during the day especially.

 

[iwiw60]

Well, I can only speak for myself, but what I'm doing on the run I'm going to build here shortly will have 1/2" hardware cloth on all sides, and at the base of the sides will extend the HC out at least 12 inches at a downward angle, and then bury it. We have lots of predators here where I live in Central Oregon so I'm going to play it safe and do it up right the first time. Besides, at my age of 70, I probably won't have enough energy to do it all twice!!

 

[thomasboyle]

You don't say where you live, but most predators can come around in the day, if they are hungry enough, taking care of a litter etc. I have seen raccoons, coyotes, bobcat, opposum and fox during the day, so just because they normally hunt at night does not mean they attended that class in predator school! Your dogs should go a long way in keeping them away. But it is better safe than sorry, so I would bury the fence underground to prevent anything from digging in.

I build my coop from a 12x16 shed, with separate areas for the chickens, ducks, brooder, food, hay and tool storage. The shed is very secure, and to make the 15x15 run equally secure, I used 2"x4" field fencing on the outside of the frame, and 1/2" hardware wire on the inside. The double layer has defended against raccoons and bobcat that I have seen, and probably more that I did not see.

 

[HKW77]

I live on an island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, it's a rural/suburb setting. We have lots of farms here and several developments with around an acre. We're a couple houses back from the Bay so we have a lot of Bald Eagles and Osprey. I have seen Fox when we go to the nature reserves and we have a lot of bunnies in our yard. I was thinking of maybe putting a layer of screen (I got this stuff for our screen house that our cats can literally climb and it's the first screen my Mastiffs don't just walk through, so it seems rather tough and I have extra) on the bottom 48 inches of the run, on the outside of that put chicken wire and then also put chicken wire on the inside of the run, so basically the 4x4 posts would have chicken wire and screen on the outside and chicken wire on the inside. Does that sound good? I am using hardware cloth for the windows we installed in the coop and ventilation, but it's rather pricey and I figure with double chicken wire plus the screen it would be pretty good?? My husband does want to drop a 2x8 board down a few inches into the ground and cover the ground of the run with chicken wire as well. So much to think about, it's really more stressful than I'd realized! Thanks for your suggestions!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Even on your island, if you have foxes you almost certainly have practically every other predator there is. You may even have mink or other swimming predators like that. While most of them are more active at night many are still very active during the daytime. My biggest problem has not been from wild animals, it’s been from dogs, and I’ve got wild animals all over the place. I assume some of your neighbors have dogs.

Instead of going to all the trouble you’re talking about with covering the bottom of the run or burying wire, I suggest you use an apron. Take a piece of wire maybe 18” to 24” wide and lay it horizontally around your run and maybe around the coop if necessary. I’m not sure how your coop/run are built. Then attach that to the bottom of your run. You can use J-clips, hog rings, or just weave wire if the bottom is wire. If it is wood you need to attach it firmly down there. You don’t have to bury it at all, just lay something on top to hold it down until the grass grows up through it, but removing the sod, laying the wire, them putting the sod back will bury it about 2” and keep it well out of the way of a weed whacker or lawn mower.

The idea is that a digging predator goes up to the fence, starts to dig, hits he wire, and does not know to back up. It’s extremely effective and a whole lot less work than burying the wire vertically.

 

[HKW77]

We do have lose dogs on occasion, but the coop in inside my acre which is entirely fenced in, so my dogs will get to it, but no others. With that said, I love your idea and I think your correct, that sounds best. Thanks so much!

 

[kitfoxdrvr]

Instead of going to all the trouble you’re talking about with covering the bottom of the run or burying wire, I suggest you use an apron. Take a piece of wire maybe 18” to 24” wide and lay it horizontally around your run and maybe around the coop if necessary. I’m not sure how your coop/run are built. Then attach that to the bottom of your run. You can use J-clips, hog rings, or just weave wire if the bottom is wire. If it is wood you need to attach it firmly down there. You don’t have to bury it at all, just lay something on top to hold it down until the grass grows up through it, but removing the sod, laying the wire, them putting the sod back will bury it about 2” and keep it well out of the way of a weed whacker or lawn mower.

This has proven most effective for me. Wish I could do this around the corn patch right next to the run...'coons have a hay day the night before I plan to harvest. I can imagine the hens watching through their hardware cloth defenses, sticking their tongues out!