1" or 2" chicken wire for top of run

[momofthree]

We have a 20 x 12 run right now, with only a 12x12 area under sunshade cloth. There are lots of predators like owls, possums, etc. in our place and i want to cover the entire top of the run, including over the sunshade cloth. do i "have" to use the 1" chicken wire or would a 2" chicken wire keep out the owls? i am planning on putting a hot wire around the run also, so that is why i am going with chicken wire instead of something else more sturdy. The chickens are locked up at night in a secure coop and i just feel uneasy with part of the top open like that during the day.

 

[teach1rusl]

If your primary goal is to resist hawks and owls, then I would think either would work. Obviously, since there is more wire involved with the 1in., that wire would be a little sturdier, but I don't see an owl putting forth the effort to tear through either if it's well secured with nails/staples/screws...JMO.

 

[momofthree]

thanks, that is what i was thinking......

 

[jrudolph305]

I have a 12' X 12' run and we have hawks and owls and we just put that plastic bird nesh--Lowes, Home Depot etc--over the top. Because the mesh is only 7' wide we did have to "sew" pieces together with a nylon string to get full coverage. Stronger than I thought it would be. Also put a support in the middle to hold it up--2 X 4 with an 8' long 1 X 2 on top forming a T. I put the 2 X 4 thru a cement block filled with sand and then didn't have to dig deep in the ground.

 

[Chicken Boo]

I have used the plastic bird cloth. When we built the new run, I used the left over chicken wire from my old run for the roof of the run.