Covering a run................

[gavinandallison]

Can anyone tell me how high a chicken will fly - Barred Rock's - and how they prevent them from flying out of the run?

I see many pics of runs that are either open topped or with string and things hanging to keep away predators...... Any good suggestions? I did just think about chicken wire across the top completely....

 

[eenie114]

The highest I've ever seen a chicken fly is about 5 feet.

 

[chicmom]

That's what my DH did for my chicken run. It's 8x8, and he made this frame for it and just totally wrapped it in chicken wire. Hardware cloth is what you really need though, because chicken wire really only keeps chickens in. It's not strong enough to keep predators out like hardware cloth is. I'm sure I've just been lucky there have been no "break-ins so far.)

 

[gavinandallison]

We do have 2 spare panels we have attached across the top, leaving about a 4 to 5 foot gap, was looking to maybe use some sheet wood and cut and attach it to give some shade and weather protection.

 

[Roaddog]

I have a barred rock hen that will fly over a 6' fence and she doesn't touch it. Have 2 more that will wait til the door opens to leave..

 

[chicks4kids]

The majority of my adult flock is barred rocks, and I use just the welded wire fence up to keep them in a large area. I've noticed that so long as they don't have anything to land on while flying up, they avoid it completely....if there's a top rail (like on a gate) they will surely be up and over in a heartbeat! BTW, the fence height I use is 4 ft.

 

[gavinandallison]

Many thanks..... loks like I'll cover it to be safe!!

Gavin.

 

[muddyhorse]

at home depo they have bird netting to keep birds off of fruit trees. a 14'x45' piece is 19.00 I have this over the runs to keep the birds safe. silkies don't look up and see predators. heaven forbid something happen to cuttie pie

 

[tigerbarbd]

Gavanandallison.....I guess you could use "chicken wire over the top, but you would have to have quite a frame for it, if were a large area. We have a 35'x30' covered with "bird netting" that we sewed together with those little "zip-ties". We have a large square with rounded edges, on a 4"x4" post in the middle to hold it up, then "zip-tied" it all the way around the fence. Hope these pictures help.........Don

P.S. I sent you a winter picture, I thought it would show the netting better.

 

[gavinandallison]

Don, many thanks.... looks to be a great idea. At pesent we have some spare chain link panels over the top, but using material like you have done would enable us to expand the run, and then cover it. I really like the idea of a center post. Have an auger to drill holes so wouldn't be too much of a problem. How tall is your post, and is it affected by winds at all?

Gavin and Allison.