New chicken owner run question

[kookieoboe56]

I am a first time chicken owner living in rural Maine. You get the idea, plenty of predators.
We just completed the coop and the run with the exception of roof covering for the run. This was an existing chain link fenced area 18' x 25'. We dug a 1' deep trench around the perimeter, dropped 1/2" hardware cloth and back filled with gravel. Fence has been totaling covered in either hardware cloth or chicken wire. The problem is the distance that needs to be covered is so great. I don't know whether to use chicken wire or aviary netting and how to support it over that distance. Any and all suggestions would be welcome. The chicks just moved into their coop and will stay safely there until I get the run covered. Thank you!

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! I don't know about aviary netting as I've not used it before, but I know chicken wire is fairly lightweight and should at the very least slow down birds of prey significantly. What I would try is criss-cross the area with some wire and then attach the netting/chicken wire to that. I hope this makes sense!

 

[kookieoboe56]

Thanks!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

Glad you joined the BYC flock.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - you have some great advice already so I'll just say hello!


All the best
CT

 

[Intheswamp]

ko, you could install two poles in the center of the run and spaced about 8' apart...this would give roughly a 9' span from outer fence to support poles and would give roughly 8'-9' spans between poles and ends of run length-wise. Run some type of support wire between the poles across the width and length...the support wires and poles should keep the netting/mesh-wire from sagging too much. You could have multiple wires coming off at angles from the poles in the center to give even more support. Hopefully all that is a touch clearer than mud.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

One more thing... Chicken wire or netting will not keep raccoons, coyotes, etc., out of the yard. You might (seriously) consider investing in an electric fence system. Two or three wires encircling the run's fence will up your predator protection greatly. FWIW.

Ed

 

[Dayna2424]

I'm with Ed I also would install poles in the Centre to support the chicken wire. I only have a small flock and a small run. but that's what I going to do so no more predators can get my chickens I lost one here about a week ago. Good luck to you