Chain Link Run

[NewcoopNewpoop]

Netting will stop birds of prey. Any predator with teeth can and would simply chew or tear it. Might it slow them down? Possibly, but deter? No. Snakes can also get into netting, depending on the size of both. This plan will not keep your chickens safe.

We have coons and red fox, hawks and owls. Thankfully no bears or bobcats. Im not really worried about mice, rats, or snakes, as all of our chickens are grown and we pull the eggs promptly after they are laid.

Based on the responses I will probably get the upgrade to hardware cloth, and use that for the top and sides. I may use the plastic net for the underground apron.

The chickens get locked in their coop at nightfall when we are home.

 

[perkolator]

It's not fortress-like but I think you'll be ok with the netting or the plastic fencing.

I still have sections of plastic fencing on my 2nd run; it's been fine and we have many predators that could get past it if they wanted to. My overhead net is 90% chicken wire, 10% plastic deer fencing. Back wall of my run that backs up to 40ac of wilderness is plastic 7.5ft deer fencing, with with 1/2" hardware cloth and a 3-strand barbed wire fence protecting only the lower 3ft. My larger predators are: bobcat, mountain lion, raccoon, fox, coyote, occasional bear, owls, hawks, etc. If one of them makes it through my barriers, I'll accept the loss as being on me, and make necessary improvements.