I am building my first chicken run!

[OkChickens]

Well I mainly have possum problems. I have a live trap that works well and I have shot a few trying to break into my coop. Would 2x4 welded wire work for possums? And what is hardware cloth? I haven't ever herd of that before?

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

What TigerLily said. Yep. Yep.

And OkChickens, hardware cloth is a small-square screen made from heavy wire. It keeps predators from sticking their paws where they don't belong. If properly secured, it will discourage pretty substantial predators (not bears). Never had a possum get into my coop but a little one could probably squeeze through. I had raccoons push under the (poorly secured) 2x4 welded wire and menace my chickens. The wire has been secured by another piece of wood and the aforementioned varmints are not a threat to my flock anymore.

 

[OkieChickenDad]

I'm from Oklahoma and I shot 2 coyotes last weekend deer hunting in Blackwell...they were trying to get at the chickens and the lady said "All I have 'round here are possums"... You are from NE Oklahoma so no doubt you will have racoon, opossum, skunk, fox, coyote and bobcat issues if you live even just a mile outside of an urban area. Wintertime is the worst time...they are cold and food is scarce...except for those nice fat tasty chickens

 

[OkChickens]

I have lived here outside the Tulsa area for my whole life since I have moved out in the country three years ago i have seen very few skunks, no coons bobcats or fox at all, 2 coyotes (one was road kill), And to many possums to count. Would 2x2 12 gauge mesh wire keep these out? I will probably secure this with wood along the ground. How tall should the run be? I'm about 6'1" tall and I have been told that they might lay in the run? Would 5' be to much?

 

[spartacus_63]

I have something that sounds similar to what you described. I have 36" poultry wire with deer netting on top of that up to 7'. The poultry wire is tied to steel posts with Sch 40 PVC supporting the deer netting. The deer netting overlaps the poultry wire and all is staked to the ground. I don't have much of a problem with predators due to dogs & Remington, but I have not lost any birds inside the run. The mix keeps the girls in the run when needed, but they mostly free range during the day. They have tried to escape a time or two, but there is enough give in the netting that they can't get a good grip on it. I have some Bantys that have been able to fly up to the top support but none ever jumped out. You can see a picture of it at the following link. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=39612-chicken-palace

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

I am inspired by spartacus_63. I am going to start on a chicken piñata.

 

[abhaya]

You can keep chickens in with chicken wire no problem. BUT chicken wire will not keep many predators out.

 

[Aria]

We had Chicken Wire for our Call Ducks. Follow TigerLily advice if you want your chickens
SAFE.

We lost all our Call Ducks and could not locate the MONSTER. To keep your Chickens Safe...
do not use Chicken Wire.

You will SAVE in the long-run.

 

[cottage19]

I'm in agreement with need to decide on the goal here: contain them or keep them safe? You can contain them with something as simple as thin poultry wire which is fine for the times you are nearby but provides no protection for overnight or even daytime when no humans are around for long stretches of time. A friend of ours lost her entire flock to a determined dog who made short work of a poultry net fence. Our girls love to roam free during the day but when I have errands that take me away I lure them back into their 1/2x1 inch welded wire run. Our run is roofed over and the wire is buried 12-18 inches in the ground around the perimeter.

 

[LynneP]

Some ideas below. I agree about using wood, and for possums and other predators, I think you will appreciate 1/2" gauge hardware cloth the best. There is a predator flange shown in our plan.