Winter damage!

[pattgal]

So I want to know how you keep your run intact during the winter months.
I asked my father the same question, and he said he takes everything down every winter and put's it all up again in the spring.
I can't do that because we berried our chicken wire 2 feet deep to keep pests out
My run is simply 4 wooden posts wrapped in chicken wire. the top was covered in light plastic netting. we take that part down for winter because it gets weighed down too much.
the door is a door we found as garbage at spring cleanup
all the fencing came off the posts and is just kinda drooping
the door is gone. the wind tore it apart today. So I had to put it in the shed before someone got hurt

Any help?

 

[patandchickens]

If you build your run sturdily to begin with, with predator- and snowload-proof materials, there is no problem whatsoever. It is only flimsy netting/chickenwire and/or large unsupported spans that will come down.

There are many ways to do it, but one reasonably budget-friendly way is to use heavy 2x4" wire mesh (livestock-fencing type) with something smaller mesh added along the bottom 2-3' (could even be your chickenwire or plastic netting, better than nothing).

As far as a top for your run, either you have to put invest some significant money into it (in terms of strong materials well-supported by lumber) so it will stay up despite snow, OR buy moderately-expensive aviary netting or fishingnet to put over the top and just expect it to go splat over winter and you re-rig it in the spring, OR use the same netting you're using now and just remove it before your first snow and reinstall after your last snow of spring.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat