Need help with t-post and wire fence design for run

[Trish1974]

Hi all! I am getting ready to build a chicken run, 25'x12', and I am wanting to use 7' steel t-posts and welded wire fencing. My quandary is how can I reinforce the the netting I want to cover the run with from sagging down?

 

[Howard E]

As you have discovered and others confirmed, the dead weight of any type of netting hanging free in open space is going cause it to sag. So it has to be supported. You have to find some way to transfer the vertical weight of the netting hanging down in the middle over to the load bearing sides. You can do that a couple ways. If you use a wire or cables, it too is heavy and it too will sag unless it is stretched to such a high degree it won't bend sideways. That takes a lot of tension, so that is where the sideways pulling screw-in ground anchors come into play. You see these on any powerline where it has a bend. The guy wires run from the ground to the top of the powerline pole to create a sideways pull to keep the powerline from sagging. A variation on this theme is essentially what they do with big top tents. Short poles around the edges, high poles in the middle with ropes between those running to the edges and guyed out to tent pegs or screw in anchors. In this case, the high poles in the middle support both the dead weight of the tent and also the rope running over them. If you stick with your T-post idea, this is what I would do. The wood poles need not be fancy. Go find some tall, straight black locust trees about 2 or 3 inches in diameter and cut them about 10' long. Bury a foot or so in the ground to stabilize them.

Option B is to consider scrapping the T-post idea and go to a system of bolted together posts as seen with chain link fence runs. Use your wire and whatever netting you want to use on top, but spread it over a frame made from these bolted together parts. In this case, the part in the middle is a gable style roof where the center ridge pole is supported by poles that bolt to it, then run down to the sides.

Option C is to consider doing the same thing, but framing it out of 2 x 4 treated lumber. In this case, you could scrap the high gable style center ridge pole and run 12' 2' x 4' rafters across the top to carry the load to the uprights. You can make them level but that may not give you as much head space as you would like. So you could one side higher (shed style) or if you don't mind the extra complexity, you could make it a gable roof. The advantage of wooden roof supports is if you decide you want to put on a roof vs. just the netting, you already have the frame for it.

 

[Intheswamp]

Drive a few posts down the center of the run, stretch a heavy wire to the top of this run of posts. You may want to run some wire from this center posts to the sides of the run. Drape the netting over the wires and attach at the run fence. Make sense?

Ed

 

[junebuggena]

10 foot fence post, sunk in the ground about a foot, with concrete poured in around to make sure it doesn't move.

Post #68 -
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/394655/post-your-exotic-domestic-duck-aviary-pool-pics/60

Post #91
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/394655/post-your-exotic-domestic-duck-aviary-pool-pics/90

 

[Trish1974]

I like that idea, Ed! Thank you! Junebuggena, that is a good idea also, but I do not have any wooden posts nor am I up for any post hole digging. Trying to keep everything in steel t-posts since that is what I have laying around. Thank you both!

 

[Intheswamp]

You're welcome, Trish1974. I take it that you're figuring on a covered run that you cannot stand upright in, correct? Or will the posts have six feet of their length above ground? Just curious.

Ed

 

[aart]

Where are you located...is snow load an issue??

 

[Trish1974]

I am wanting a run I can walk-in, so I planned on driving the posts a foot deep. Yes, I do get snow, but planned on using deer fence netting on the top to prevent hawks and eagles from dive bombing my kids. There is an immature bald eagle around who took my rooster and one hen last month putting an end to their free-ranging days.

 

[aart]

Most snow of any amount will very likely take deer netting down.

 

[Ridgerunner]

With T-posts as corner posts, you will almost certainly get some sagging from the weight of the fencing, tension in the fencing, and wind, let alone any ice or snow that may build up on the netting on top. If you don’t use wooden corner posts and really set them in solidly, I suggest you use guywires to brace them to keep them from sagging. By guywire, I’m talking about a wire that goes from the top of the fence post to an anchor in the ground in line with the fence. The guywires are a pain to mow and weed-eat around but I just don’t see how it is gong to fail to sag, especially if you only drive them in a foot or less. A wet snow or ice will build up on that netting.

12’ is a long span for netting or wire. I agree with driving a few posts in the middle of the run and stretching a wire along the top, but that probably will still not be enough to get the netting up out of your way. I’d consider driving your 7’ posts in the middle, then wire another t-post to the one you drove, overlapping them about 3’. Or you can use pipe clamps instead of wire if you wish. By overlapping them 3’ you will get a 4’ extension, plenty of height for you to walk under.