Question about fencing

[Country Gal]

I'm in the process of building my coop and my plan is to also make a fenced in run for them to use while I'm at work, and they can free range on the weekends when I'm home.

When building the run, taking into consideration that they will be locked in the coop during the night, do I need to put a top on it? Or is there a height that I should build the fencing so that daytime predators won't climb in?

I think the only daytime predators I've seen around would be a couple stray cats. I know that we also have racoons and possums, but I haven't seen them during the daylight hours.

TIA!

 

[bantymum]

Hi, do you have birds of prey in your area???
Im in the middle of building an outside run for the "nursery" and Im puttting a wire roof on.
I guess it depends on wether you will be having young chicks in there at any stage.
Have fun building. its a nice way to spend the day outside building with the cluck clucks hanging around wondering what you are up to!!!!
Helen

 

[Blondie]

The fencing on our chicken coop is about 9 feet high. It didn't have a cover on it. One day I was standing there and the cat crawled up the fence and down into the coop. The next day DH put wire fencing on the top.

 

[Country Gal]

So I'll go with a wire top - thanks for the input!

 

[SeaChick]

We live in an extremely dense suburban neighborhood so I wouldn't have thought that birds-of-prey would be an issue. But two days ago I saw a red-tailed hawk sitting in a tree in the yard. He flew off as soon as he saw me, but I was sure surprised to see him. Do small hawks like that attack chickens?

Stacey

 

[jkm]

I live in the suburbs and have five bird feeders, I get regular hawk visits, a full grown redtail could nail a chick no problem.
my last hawk was a swainsons, he worked for 15 min to dig finches out of a evergreen, fascinating!
cheers