Run Materials

[MyGardenHelper]

We're almost done painting the coop and will be building the run this weekend. We bought the 1" chicken wire, fence posts, etc.). Should we get hardware cloth instead? Is the chicken wire strong enough? I'm going to have a covered run and they will be able to free-range once they are bigger (and we need to add a large fenced area).
Thanks!

 

[brooster]

I dont like chicken wire, it is not strong, i like the 2x4 or 2x3 welded wire, it is much stronger. Chicken wire will work but i personaly dont trust it.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

The larger welded wire would be better. Hardware cloth for a large run will cost you $$$$. Chicken wire may cost you chickens

 

[azelgin]

Chicken wire works good for keeping your chickens in. Not so good for keeping other critters out. I used it for my runs and then put electric fence wire out side to keep the preditors out. ZAP ZAP!!

 

[FrChuckW]

Chicken wire will only keep chickens in, but won't keep a determined predator out. To prevent digging into the coop/run area, bury the wire at least 18 inches to 2 feet under ground going away from the run. You will want to use hardware cloth for at least the first 2-3 feet up the walls of the run to keep the chickens from sticking their heads through the wire, and to prevent things like racoons or cats from biting their heads off through the fence.

You will also want to have some sort of shade for the chickens to get out of the sun during the hot months.

 

[MyGardenHelper]

It didn't seem strong and I want to do it right the first time

They will have plenty of shade and sun. They have trees over half of their coop/run. For free/range, they'll have plenty of large manzaneta (sp?) trees for shade and hiding. At the moment, plenty of greens.

Thanks! I'll take back the chicken wire and get something stronger. I'm also going to bury the wire approx. 12" down.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
This is going to depend on your ground too. I would love to have ground soft enough for anything besides a backhoe to dig in. Maybe something could dig under my run. In a few weeks. We don't even have gophers. Dig a hole for a five gallon pot and you get three gallons of rocks. An electric wire 3 to 4 inches from the ground will keep critters from attempting to tunnel under. They won't even come close to it after they get zapped once. I have a weiner dog that will testify to theat.

 

[MyGardenHelper]

We're on rocky ground too...so it will be difficult to dig. We have golfers in the garden, which is on the other side of the fence of the chicken coop. If we ever catch one, my boyfriend said he's doing the golfer dance. I'd like to see that

 

[nightshade]

I know that feeling too. When it takes you two hours a rock pick and breaker bar to dig a hole for 1 1gal rose bush you know you are in trouble.

 

[patandchickens]

All hardwarecloth is going to get extremely expensive. An alternative is to use something like heavy-gauge 2x4 welded wire, and put the chickenwire you already have on the inside of the 2x4 wire for the bottom 3' or so. (1/2" chickenwire works even better for that, but then the price starts creeping up again). It is not as good as all hardwarecloth but more feasible for some of us.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat