Ideas needed to figure out how to cover top of run

[Birdydeb]

aart, I know you give great advice. Sorry about the pic...it is an old one. The fence you can see is the chain link fence around the yard. The apple tree is just on the other side of the chain link. The building on the other side of the tree is the coop(before repairs) and also missing is the new welded wire fence along the bottom and up the other side. We will be putting hardware cloth along the bottom of the welded wire fence this weekend. Back wall of the garage is the fourth side of the pen. It is 40' x 30'. The 40' sides run from the back of the garage to below the coop. I hadn't even considered chickens flying up into the branches...what a corner we backed ourselves into. I just ordered and got today some more netting....

 

[Birdydeb]

Did not mean to sound ungrateful to everyone for their advice. Coming down to the wire with finishing up and my brain is cooked. I spent the whole afternoon trying to make the windows safe. Was I the last person to figure out that old wormy chestnut is HARD. oh. my gosh. A couple of times it was tempting to burn it down....but then I would have to build a coop. LOL I am taking everyone's advice and kinda combining it? We'll see. I will be sure to get some closer pictures and show what we did when it is done.

 

[aart]

That's fine......get your coop done, come back with some better pics, and you'll get lots more ideas for covering run.

 

[lynnehd]

I agree. Get to the point where all you need to do is cover the top, and then you can focus on that alone.


When you are ready, I have a daytime run with a tree in the middle. I used the crotch of the tree to support my aviary/poultry netting.

I use nylon straps around the branches above the trunk, with pieces of pipe insulation under the straps to protect the tree.
I used coated wire from the straps to the perimeter.
This set up would provider protection from hawks, but not ground predators.

I hope you can work with the tree, it will provide good shade!

I can try to take some pics tomorrow if you are interested.

 

[aart]

I can try to take some pics tomorrow if you are interested.

I would love to see pics...
.....or are they already in another thread that you could link here?

 

[lynnehd]

I would love to see pics...
.....or are they already in another thread that you could link here?

I've posted the first pic in a couple of other threads, but here ya go @aart and @Birdydeb

I used clamps that you pinch on to secure the loop of wire around the strap, and added turnbuckles on the fence end so they could be tightened as needed. Now I think I would use 'U clamps with bolts' on either end because these can be adjusted as needed.



Anyway, I digress!
Here is the overall picture. (I now have 3/4" PVC framework along the top).



And a pic of the tree with straps, which I check periodically to make sure the tree is safe.
You want straps that are wide enough not to bite into the tree.



We get very high winds, being near the Columbia River and there's been no issue. In addition, in the Fall, the leaves generally 'roll off' (or fall through), because of the slant.

 

[aart]

Great pics @lynnehd Looks very effective against aerial preds......and as long as a 4 legged can't get to the tree.

 

[lynnehd]

Great pics @lynnehd Looks very effective against aerial preds......and as long as a 4 legged can't get to the tree.

Well....squirrels can.

Fortunately no daytime ground predators, but one does have to be on the look out.
(I have a small pond, and it is sort of my 'canary in the mine', in that it has remained untouched with the same two fish for several years).

 

[OEF5]

@lynnehd is doing exactly what I thought the OP could do with the apple tree. Except her run seems long and narrow, which is why I said run welded wire on top of the run until you get to the limbs of the apple tree, then net around the tree tying it to the tree and welded wire.

 

[Birdydeb]

@lynnehd
 is doing exactly what I thought the OP could do with the apple tree.  Except her run seems long and narrow, which is why I said run welded wire on top of the run until you get to the limbs of the apple tree, then net around the tree tying it to the tree and welded wire.

Not sure if I can convince hubby to run wire over top. I understand perfectly what you are saying and I think that is probably the best idea. The wire could be connected from the coop to the back of the garage. Use the net to deal with the tree. We hit snags trying to run the skirt of hardware cloth around the bottom yesterday so we aren't ready to deal with the top yet today. Always seems as if it is 2 steps forward and three back. If I can convince to use wire over top would the chicken wire I bought work? I bought it before I realized it would be useless for fencing so now I have several rolls. Hubby says the pen is actually 45' x 32'. The tree creates a visual that makes it look narrow. Thank you everyone for all the help and lynnehd for the wonderful pics!