Let's talk top of the run

[Country4ever]

My run is 16'x21' and is about 6 and 1/2' high, supported around the perimeter with cedar 4x4s and inside in several spots its supported by cedar 2x4's. The outside is covered in utility fencing and then covered with 1/2" hardware cloth.
On top I have 2" Topflight netting and on top of that is birdnetting.
I want to add the utility fencing to the top, since a coon got in one of the edges of the netting. Its probably over-kill, because the netting was loose, and we have secured it much better..........but I still feel the need to add the utility fencing.
Do most of you in high predator areas just have netting on top, or have you gone with fencing? If so, what kind? I need to go with the utility wire with the 2"x4" openings, to let the snow fall through. Otherwise, I think the ceiling of the run would collapse.
Please tell me what you have, and what problems you may have had with it. I would love to just use 1" chicken wire, but it would hold too much snow and ice.
Thanks!

 

[Ellie]

I had wire on top of mine, but it kept sagging, and the tree debris kept falling on it.

I finally got rid of it and have tin roofing panels up there. It made a huge difference because now it is shaded and the chickens are kept dry from the rain.

Hope this helps.

 

[Country4ever]

Thanks Ellie,
Did you have a pretty big expanse of the fencing without support?
I'm worried about the sagging too. The top of my run is flat and too big for alot of tin. I'm wondering if I could just put the fencing around the edges (maybe 2-3' in), and not worry about the middle, since its all covered with netting.

 

[citrusdreams]

We use netting. You may have to prop it up with 2x2x8's or 2x4x8's or even 4x4x8s which would last longer of course. You wouldn't need that many; just enough to make a tent. So it depends on how big your run is.

We twist tied the netting to the top of the fence.

 

[harryg6167]

My outside run is about 12' wide. On the top I have 1"octagon shaped chicken wire. I stapled it to one side and stretched it tight to the other side and stapled it there also. Overlapped the next run by a few holes and used wire ties to keep it together. As far as critter getting in so far I have never had a problem and we have LOTS of coons,possums,coyotes,stray cats, and stray dogs available.
Although this past winter we got 10" of snow on the only day it snowed (south Louisiana) and I was out of chickens at the time, we had some debris on top and the snow piled up and had o redo some of it afterwards,