additional "daytime" run made from wire fencing?

[Cindy in PA]

If you want even a portable fence covered with something to keep them in, use deer netting. It's about $15-20 for a 7 by 100 foot roll. It's light and you only have to wire tie it or something to your configuration.

 

[tomasko]

Quote:
Tomasko

Do you worry about the run not being covered? Also, what does your coop look like if you don't mind me asking? i am going crazy, back and forth between just throwing something simple together or spending time and $$ (surely I have some somewhere) on a decent coop. I am a college student and will have a yard thats fenced in but I'm wondering if letting them "free range" is a good/bad idea...

Thanks

I live in a fairly populated area in CT and have no day time predator issues...our yard is fenced and the neighbors dogs keep anything larger than a chipmunk far from our run. A cat took a look at them a few weeks ago and quickly realized he was out sized and outnumbered. The coop is locked every night at sunset and they are let out when I leave for work in the morning...

As for our coop...took a weekend to build using downloaded plans. Basically a 4-foot square box with some rafters and plywood. Easy to build and wood was dirt cheap on craigslist...even found brand new window sashes (energy star rated!) for a few bucks. We had fun building it in the winter with our kids...as a new chickener I can say how much fun this is. And easy too.

btw...chickens love brown rice sushi