Cutting it Close

[WalkerH]

Okay, so I have been reading up on this forum for the past couple of days. I have fourteen Wyandottes and six Cornish Rock X, going on four weeks today. Anyways we are going to do the run and coop this weekend, should be able to finish it this weekend, hopefully. Anyways as they will have a run with a covering I was wondering what you all suggest for the topping. Should we just go with avian netting or chicken wire up top? Pros v. Cons? The Cornish X are going to be slaughtered in about two or three weeks, at six or seven weeks, depending on when our butcher can fit them in.

Anyways now that I am off topic our coop is going to be about 12x5. With the run being 20x20. I have read to bury the chicken wire about six inches below the ground with a lip to deter diggers even more. But I have also read I should use something besides chicken wire, I believe it was fencing inch by an inch opening. I believe two of the Wyandottes are roosters, so eventually they will be butchered, well probably. We don't want to annoy the neighbors with the crowing in the morning. Anyways that will leave us with twelve hens, and possibly a couple more in Sept. around fair time.

I was wondering if you all think this will be big enough, what is better material, ect.

Thank you in advance,
Walker

 

[sune42]

You have got about 4.5ft per hen after the Cornish are butchered, and that's assuming the Wyandottes are all hens. That's plenty of space, and your run is huge! You will be fine on spacing. The other wire they are talking about is hardware cloth, it's a stronger wire with a smaller opening. I have heard it's recommended to use it for the first 4-6ft of the run, from the ground up. As for the roof, I am still up in the air myself. I think I am going to use hardware cloth, but only because I have extra, it's a bit pricey. I think it depends on how many aerial predators you have in your area.

and good luck

 

[WalkerH]

I'm glad to hear it will be big enough, I would much rather them not get bored. They'll also have a bit more, the footage underneath the coop will be made into a big dust bed. I believe we have quite a few. I know our old neighbors had issues with hawks stealing their chicks, but we use to live next to two pair of bald eagles, so that may have been the issue.