I want to build a ~7ft high run entirely enclosing my existing secure coop and run to protect against a pair of hawks that won't leave me alone. The footprint for this will be somewhere between 10ftx20ft and 12ft x 24ft. I only want to use this larger area during the day; the chickens will go back in the smaller secure area in the evening and in bad weather since it stays dry. The only daytime creatures that have caused me any trouble so far are hawks, chipmunks, and the occasional stray cat. Everything else seems to be nocturnal.
The anti-hawk canopy has to be both lightweight and have openings big enough to let snow through. I have read that deer netting can be used for this. Assuming I can pull it tight enough, how much support does it need over large horizontal areas to avoid major sagging and/or tearing free at the sides?
For the sides I will probably need some kind of wire instead of more deer netting since I don't want chickens sneaking out through any tears. At the risk of a dumb question, would chicken wire on the sides actually work in this situation or does it really need to be some type of welded wire even if the openings are comparable in size?
Because of how tall this will be, I may need to use two rows of stuff on the sides. I have read of using smaller-opening wire like 1" for about the first 2-3 feet and then larger openings like 2"x4" above that. Wouldn't animals just climb up to get through the larger openings or even through the top?
The anti-hawk canopy has to be both lightweight and have openings big enough to let snow through. I have read that deer netting can be used for this. Assuming I can pull it tight enough, how much support does it need over large horizontal areas to avoid major sagging and/or tearing free at the sides?
For the sides I will probably need some kind of wire instead of more deer netting since I don't want chickens sneaking out through any tears. At the risk of a dumb question, would chicken wire on the sides actually work in this situation or does it really need to be some type of welded wire even if the openings are comparable in size?
Because of how tall this will be, I may need to use two rows of stuff on the sides. I have read of using smaller-opening wire like 1" for about the first 2-3 feet and then larger openings like 2"x4" above that. Wouldn't animals just climb up to get through the larger openings or even through the top?