2 (dumb) questions about a run

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I’m in the process of building a run and I haven’t decided on a few things.

1. It’s going to be 6ft tall and I will be getting heavy birds. Do I really need a net? I’m assuming yes? Or will most just stay in the run? My neighbor has a 5ft fence and 95 percent of hers stay in it and even when they fly out they don’t go far, so is it really necessary?

2. If I bury some wire under the ground and then put a single strand of electric fence around the perimeter, will that be sufficient to keep dogs and raccoons away? Also how high should the electric wire be from the ground?

 

[Brooks_]

1. It’s going to be 6ft tall and I will be getting heavy birds. Do I really need a net? I’m assuming yes? Or will most just stay in the run? My neighbor has a 5ft fence and 95 percent of hers stay in it and even when they fly out they don’t go far, so is it really necessary?

When mine were younger they would fly out of a 6' run. Now, over a year old and fully developed, I don't think they would/could. I keep netting for protection.

2. If I bury some wire under the ground and then put a single strand of electric fence around the perimeter, will that be sufficient to keep dogs and raccoons away? Also how high should the electric wire be from the ground?

@cmom should be able to answer your questions on this.

 

[thehenandchick01234]

Raccoons will not cross if you have it a foot tall and one at five inches. I know this works because our friend puts it around corn.

 

[Sally PB]

1. It’s going to be 6ft tall and I will be getting heavy birds. Do I really need a net? I’m assuming yes? Or will most just stay in the run? My neighbor has a 5ft fence and 95 percent of hers stay in it and even when they fly out they don’t go far, so is it really necessary?

The netting is as much to keep aerial predators out as it is to keep the chickens in.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

The netting is as much to keep aerial predators out as it is to keep the chickens in.

Yeah, I know anything is possible but we had chickens before and didn’t really have a problem with hawks or kites.

 

[3KillerBs]

I’m in the process of building a run and I haven’t decided on a few things.

1. It’s going to be 6ft tall and I will be getting heavy birds. Do I really need a net? I’m assuming yes? Or will most just stay in the run? My neighbor has a 5ft fence and 95 percent of hers stay in it and even when they fly out they don’t go far, so is it really necessary?

2. If I bury some wire under the ground and then put a single strand of electric fence around the perimeter, will that be sufficient to keep dogs and raccoons away? Also how high should the electric wire be from the ground?

Not dumb questions at all.

The net on top is to keep aerial predators out. It helps with keeping lightweight and active chickens in but a 6-foot fence would hold all but the most determined. I have a California White who flies like a helicopter and only stays in the run (mostly), because she wants to.

That sounds like a very good anti-dog and raccoon plan.

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. It’s going to be 6ft tall and I will be getting heavy birds. Do I really need a net? I’m assuming yes? Or will most just stay in the run? My neighbor has a 5ft fence and 95 percent of hers stay in it and even when they fly out they don’t go far, so is it really necessary?

Them staying in is not just a matter of fence height. Many people would be surprised at how high a heavy breed can fly if they want to. They can sometimes reach some pretty high roosts. The trick is to keep it so they don't want to.

Some of that is the size and chicken density of the run. The tighter they are packed the more likely they are to have conflict. If a losing bird in a fight is trapped against a fence they may go vertical to get away from the winner. You might be surprised at how well they can walk up a fence with wigs flapping but them not really flying. That's how many of them escape.

Another part is what the top of your fence looks like. Chickens like to perch up high and look around. Who knows which side of the fence they'll hop/fly down on? If the top of your fence is a rail or something that looks like a fun place to land they may fly up there for fun. If the top of your fence is flimsy like wire or netting they won't fly up there.

If you have netting covering the top they can't fly out. Netting is not just for flying predators. It can keep your chickens in.

2. If I bury some wire under the ground and then put a single strand of electric fence around the perimeter, will that be sufficient to keep dogs and raccoons away? Also how high should the electric wire be from the ground?

Depends some on what your fence looks like. If you bury it so you are comfortable you've stopped digging predators you don't need it real low. For dogs the hot wire needs to be at a level that they will encounter it to stop them. For climbing predators it needs to be up a bit but not real high. The main thing for dogs and raccoons is that they need to touch a hot wire at the same time they touch a ground. If you make the wire of the run fencing your ground and the hot wire where the raccoon has to hit it to climb you are good. For a dog the soil or the wire can be your ground. How you hook up and insulate the hot wire and how you hook up your ground are important.