Run question... hardware cloth or welded wire?

[Tlmcq]

I found the link thank you! I'm going to look into prices and decide on hardware cloth or the 1" wire, I think putting them up at night will keep most the predators away!

Yes, the only thing during daylight hours I've ever had to worry about are hawks and cats or dogs. Don't have many stray dogs running loose here and even cats won't usually try too hard to get in unless we make it easy for em. They aren't as good with their paws as raccoon and such. As long as they can't get in most birds can get away from them batting thru wire.

 

[camochick96]

Yes, the only thing during daylight hours I've ever had to worry about are hawks and cats or dogs. Don't have many stray dogs running loose here and even cats won't usually try too hard to get in unless we make it easy for em. They aren't as good with their paws as raccoon and such. As long as they can't get in most birds can get away from them batting thru wire.

Yes hawks are a big problem here, I've had some circling when I have my chickens out. But I think by placing our coop and run under trees it should help. And having a covered run.

 

[dawnd13]

I have welded wire on my run, but my chickens are locked up securely in their coop at night when most predators here are out. I have hardware cloth buried about a foot deep under ground and then up the sides about 3 ft. I also have a motion sensor light by the run, but that doesn't stop anything. This run worked well for the first couple of years, but this winter, when my lab, who used to like to sleep outside, died, a coyote got into our backyard (over a 5ft fence) and then jumped the 6ft run fence and broke into my old coop which had welded wire on the openings. The coyote got 4 of my 6 chickens. I now have added 3 feet of wire to total about 9 ft high around the whole run. I also have an electric fence that runs around the whole run at almost the top of the run and at the bottom and then wire over the top. So far, I have not had any other issues, but if you have a lot of wild life around like I do, then I would say the more protection the better. I thought my girls were safe and was devastated when the coyote got in. It actually came back a few days later and got into the run again, but my remaining two girls were in the garage for the night, so it couldn't get them. My new coop is like fort knox, with an automatic door, and no uncovered openings that anything can get into. I felt horrible for my girls and what they went through and I am not going to loose anymore due to lack of protection for them.

 

[camochick96]

I have welded wire on my run, but my chickens are locked up securely in their coop at night when most predators here are out. I have hardware cloth buried about a foot deep under ground and then up the sides about 3 ft. I also have a motion sensor light by the run, but that doesn't stop anything. This run worked well for the first couple of years, but this winter, when my lab, who used to like to sleep outside, died, a coyote got into our backyard (over a 5ft fence) and then jumped the 6ft run fence and broke into my old coop which had welded wire on the openings. The coyote got 4 of my 6 chickens. I now have added 3 feet of wire to total about 9 ft high around the whole run. I also have an electric fence that runs around the whole run at almost the top of the run and at the bottom and then wire over the top. So far, I have not had any other issues, but if you have a lot of wild life around like I do, then I would say the more protection the better. I thought my girls were safe and was devastated when the coyote got in. It actually came back a few days later and got into the run again, but my remaining two girls were in the garage for the night, so it couldn't get them. My new coop is like fort knox, with an automatic door, and no uncovered openings that anything can get into. I felt horrible for my girls and what they went through and I am not going to loose anymore due to lack of protection for them.

I'm sorry to hear about that! I was thinking about using an electric fence too.

 

[dawnd13]

I'm sorry to hear about that! I was thinking about using an electric fence too.

My husband says I have gone overboard on the coop and run and says it looks like a compound, but he was out of town when I lost my girls and I don't want to go through that ever again. I have a lot of predators here, from hawks and owls to mountain lions, coyotes, foxes and lots of other wildlife.

 

[Tlmcq]

I have all but the mountain lions here as well. Another thing is make sure your latches on coop doors n such are secure too a raccoon can open many different kind of latches too. My coop would have to have wall tore out before anything could get in so I hear ya on the fort Knox coop

 

[camochick96]

I have all but the mountain lions here as well. Another thing is make sure your latches on coop doors n such are secure too a raccoon can open many different kind of latches too. My coop would have to have wall tore out before anything could get in so I hear ya on the fort Knox coop

Yep made sure my latches are secure, they are difficult for most people to open until you get used to them lol. So I should be good there. we will be dealing with all kinds of wildlife too. So hopefully we'll get it right the first time!

 

[Hamiam]

My husband calls it The Maximum security detention center for jailbirds. We built it from a old goat trailer. We are almost done with it. If you zoom in, you can see the hardware cloth screwed into the metal over the larger metal squares. And yes, that's a solar security motion light. It came one three times last night & alerted me to the coon walking around the run. The girls were locked up tight in the coop.

 

[Tlmcq]

Nice! I have too many hawks and other birds of prey to leave the top open on my run. Did have it open til I caught a hawk waiting for me to let them out one morning. I walked out on him scoping them out the evening before. I still see them daily but they don't stop in my yard now that I covered the run

 

[Hamiam]

Nice! I have too many hawks and other birds of prey to leave the top open on my run. Did have it open til I caught a hawk waiting for me to let them out one morning. I walked out on him scoping them out the evening before. I still see them daily but they don't stop in my yard now that I covered the run

Right now I only let them in the run & out of the run when the dog & I are outside. Yes, I think some type netting is in order. Need to figure out something lightweight & easy to remove & place back on. We are moving the chicken tractor & kennel every 4 days. Around here the Hawks are pretty small, i think when the girls are full grown I will worry less. Another BYC'R showed me how she sets up a tarp for the chickens to run under when a hawk is in the area. She also has a chicken tractor & moves them around.