Grape vines by the chicken run?

bantiesrule

Songster
11 Years
Dec 1, 2008
938
99
176
Long Prairie, MN
My new run will be up beside a shed that has grape vines beside it. Should I keep pruning the vines back or reinforce the run on that corner and let it go? I think it would be nice to leave it go as to give them more shade in the summer but I'm afraid the vines would get too heavy and wreck my run. How much reinforcing would I have to do and how should I do it? Any info will be appreciated! Thanks in advance!
 
Yes, the grape vines do get heavy with fruit - but if the chickens have access to it, the fruit won't last long at all!
Our vines are on wire - I think it was a medium gauge wire, not super heavy thick, but not thin enough to twist easily. We put turnbuckles between the vines and the posts, so in theory, if the vines stretch out the wire, I can tighten it all back up. Only problem with this theory is that the vines have overtaken the posts, so to access the turnbuckles, the vines need to be bare (i.e. wintertime, and I'm not out there and mindful of doing this in the dead of winter!)
As for the chickens, ours very much enjoy the nice dirt underneath the vines - they spend a lot of time under there digging for pests, taking dust baths, sitting in the shade. Very lovely. However, once the fruit is about 1/2 grown, I restrict their access to this area - I would like to eat the grapes, thank you!
 

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