mature tree in possible run?

[kellyokelly]

Hello. We're just barely planning our coop and run. One of the possibilities is having the run enclose a mature Chinese Hackberry tree. The trunk is about 3 to 4 feet wide. I want them to have the shade of the tree during our hot summers so I was toying with the idea of putting the run around the tree. Have any of you done something like that? How would you secure the hardware cloth to the tree without harming it? And, would the chickens eventually kill the tree my messing with it? Thank you!

 

[Brooks_]

There's an oak in our run. Only used bird netting for cover. Will probably go to aviary netting this year. I'm guessing fence staples wouldn't hurt the tree, but I'm not familiar with that type.

 

[ackie]

I doubt the chickens could kill the tree. What if you just put posts behind the tree and attached the hardware cloth to them, instead of directly to the tree?

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

How tall is the tree?

 

[Alaskan]

If the birds start digging too much around the tree base, you can put a little fence around the trunk base.

The other suggestions already made are good. Net over the top of the tree, or hardware cloth up to the trunk, but staple the hardware cloth to a wood ring that goes around and doesn't quite touch the trunk.

 

[kellyokelly]

Thanks, everyone! The tree is really big (maybe 30 or 40 feet tall?) so I couldn't net it. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

[3KillerBs]

hardware cloth up to the trunk, but staple the hardware cloth to a wood ring that goes around and doesn't quite touch the trunk.

That's twice today that you've beaten me to exactly what I was going to say.

 

[theoldchick]

I visited a person who had a massive oak tree in her chicken area. I wish I had taken a picture of the area. It was a very zoo-like setting. Lots of natural-looking areas the husband had protected with netting/hardware cloth that he painted black so it wasn't so noticeable. He used natural wood fences that were about ten feet tall-think stockade fence to create his boundary. It was a pleasant place to visit. Check out images of zoo aviaries on-line.

 

[perkolator]

I have a full size tree in my run and my only concern was whether or not the lowest branches were high enough that a chicken couldn't get into it and fly over the perimeter fence, lol.

I know hackberry trees are pretty hardy - I've stump cut hackberry volunteers and they come back every year until I finally dig them up and take the roots - your chickens won't be able to kill it.

If you're concerned with the chickens exposing the roots, just keep piling up those hackberry leaves and seed pod things in the run every year, or add some wood chips etc for them to forage through

 

[Alaskan]

I visited a person who had a massive oak tree in her chicken area. I wish I had taken a picture of the area. It was a very zoo-like setting. Lots of natural-looking areas the husband had protected with netting/hardware cloth that he painted black so it wasn't so noticeable. He used natural wood fences that were about ten feet tall-think stockade fence to create his boundary. It was a pleasant place to visit. Check out images of zoo aviaries on-line.

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Great photo... I wonder how chew proof that is.