We put up a rather haphazard run for our guineas that we covered with bird netting to keep the hawks out. Worked well enough, but we had to rehome the guineas so the coop now has chickens. During the winter, I hear the bird netting will get bogged down with snow - any budget way to cover a rather large run that isn't a nice even square or rectangle AND is rather weak near the top? Tarps won't work - the snow would just collapse the whole run, I think.
More details - we ran 50 feet of 6' high welded wire in a rough circle out from the coop and used those green metal fence post things to secure it. It's also got a welded wire skirt running out from the bottom and 2 feet of 1/2 inch hardware cloth along the entire base. The birds are all closed in the coop at night. It's not fort knox, but our main predators during the day appear to be hawks in this area. I'd like to put something more substantial on the top that will hold up to snow, but the top is rather weak and unsupported. Currently we have pink ribbons
crisscrossed over the entire run to discourage hawks - this has worked SO FAR but I know when I put younger birds in there might be more temptation. Or would this be sufficient?
I've tried chicken wire as a topper, but the welded wire does not have enough support. My DH is a little less than helpful (I think he's tired of building coops and our last two ARE fort knox) so I might have to do most of this myself.I'm thinking I may have to put some sort of wood or pvc frame on, but I'd prefer not to rip out the run we currently have - it was a lot of work attaching the hardware cloth and the skirt, which is embedded in the ground.
Anyways, I know this thread needs pictures and I'll post them when I get home!
More details - we ran 50 feet of 6' high welded wire in a rough circle out from the coop and used those green metal fence post things to secure it. It's also got a welded wire skirt running out from the bottom and 2 feet of 1/2 inch hardware cloth along the entire base. The birds are all closed in the coop at night. It's not fort knox, but our main predators during the day appear to be hawks in this area. I'd like to put something more substantial on the top that will hold up to snow, but the top is rather weak and unsupported. Currently we have pink ribbons


I've tried chicken wire as a topper, but the welded wire does not have enough support. My DH is a little less than helpful (I think he's tired of building coops and our last two ARE fort knox) so I might have to do most of this myself.I'm thinking I may have to put some sort of wood or pvc frame on, but I'd prefer not to rip out the run we currently have - it was a lot of work attaching the hardware cloth and the skirt, which is embedded in the ground.
Anyways, I know this thread needs pictures and I'll post them when I get home!
