Help settle disagreement with the wife: What to cover TOP of run with.

[backwoodsman4life]

At a minimum I would use poultry netting. The stronger the better.

 

[CT_Todd]

Quote:
I thought about the 'sagging' issue and let's just say I'm using netting (based on the responses it looks like I'm winning here !!!

) I planned on running some type of wire or rope across attached to the tops or the 2 x 4s..That way it won't sag) then maybe a simple way to 'detach' the netting to let the leaves down.
A simpler way is just use a leaf blower and blow the leaves off the top.

Thanks for the responses so far everyone..The sides will be hardware clothed from top to bottom..
I ordered 48 inch wide by 100 feet of galvanized HC (.5 inch holes) from a local feed/farm supply store and it was 130 bucks...I thought that was a GREAT DEAL!


I'm thinking this:
2 x 4 Welded wire (Mandy) for the top sounds like the way to go..Large enough for leaves to mostly get through, snow will not be an issue and it will be strong enough and too small for racoons.. I can use galvanized wire than run through it (kind like stitched) and attached on each side top wall as support. Then I can wire tie the sections together so no gaps..

 

[Mtn Cur]

Sorry, but I'm gonna side with your wife because i'm cheap. And replacments would be cheaper than enough hardware cloth to cover that run.

 

[CT_Todd]

Quote:
Agree with you BUT Keep in the mind the emotional cost of dealing with 3 weeping womens folk..

I looked up how much 4 x 50 feet of 2 x 4 welded wire costs and its only 35 bucks...

 

[leahthor]

Quote:
I was thinking the same thing.

 

[woodmort]

Your wife is going to win this one too. Just put up the heavy duty deer netting, it'll at least slow down the SAK wielding beasts.

 

[CT_Todd]

Quote:
well i'm figuring the maritial advice would be something like: "Let the wookie win" (did I jsut call my wife a wookie??)

and the chicken advice would go along more or less with what everyone else is sayin

Almost 18 years of marriage to my high school sweetheart, I figure i gotta be doin something right??

 

[Southernbelle]

I covered the top of my run with deer netting and while I didn't lose birds to predators, the netting got destroyed first by fall leaves gathering in a huge pile to the point that the netting sagged a good 3 ft, then eventually tore and in the chaos of the leaves falling into the run, I had 3 hens fly the coop through the huge hole in the netting (they were rounded up without incident.)

I kept repairing the netting, but it got weak and fragile after the exposure to the sun and the weight of the leaves and snow... it now hangs in tatters and strings of netting.

Within the next couple of weeks, my husband is going to help me move the run and I want to put some field fencing over the run instead of netting. At least it will keep my birds from flying out and let the leaves fall into the run.

 

[BC Gal]

Aaahhh, your weather is so much different - I would not have thought of blowing the leaves as it is too wet here to use one of those

.

Anyways, I wanted to add that if you want cheap wire, price out stucco wire; it works great and was the best priced wire around when we fenced our yard (though it is small squares so leaves would not be able to fall through).

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

My runs are covered with chicken wire. All but 1 of the coops have sliding doors that I close at night. The other has a fully enclosed run made with chicken wire.