[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Has anyone used one of these as the skeleton for a run? you can pick something this size up for £60, i would then wrap with wire mesh and use some of the supplied sheeting as a cover for part of the run? Any one had any experience with this kind of structure?

PS the picture shows an old style frame, the company tells me the frame is galvanised and weather hardy.

Thanks Andy

[nerdle]

Looks great to me!  Ths problem I have with runs is that they are so ugly.  The only lovely one I've seen is African and dome shaped....

[GrannieAnnie]

We did use our polytunnel for our amberlinks one very wet winter.  I didn't have enough mesh, but as we've never seen a fox I used the orange builders netting inside the tunnel to stop the chooks getting too close to the polythene, but they used to fly over the netting and peck at the water droplets running don the side of the tunnel when it condensates.

So yes, it would work as long as you can keep them from pecking at the polythene that you are using for the covered up bit

[pepsi100]

That looks pretty good, but I think it could do with a bit of reinforcement to make sure its fox or rodent proof (chicken wire in or out)

My run backs on to garages, so I just made up wooden frames,(8 feet long x 3 feet wide, 6 panels) put galvanished wire  over the wood frames and lent them against the garage, put a bit of rope to the top so I cam take them down to dig the ground over

Keep a section for grass, when its high enough, move the panel, they eat the gass (it is poultry grass) I dig it over, reseed, then put the panel back till it grows again, gets a bit boggy in the rain, but they dont leave the coop then, just hang about inside looking bored and fed up

I have a 3 foot section that stays dryish they use that for pecking, scratching and dust baths

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Thanks for the feedback! My plan was to install an electric fence but I'm not sure how much the ongoing running costs would be when the fence is hooked up to the mains. The alternative to that would be to get a run about the size of the pic in my original post but then let the chips out into the rest of the garden when I'm about.

Does anyone have any electric fence running cost estimates for a 25m fence?

Many thanks

[nerdle]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coated-Wire-Garden-Fence-0-9m/dp/B005JIZZ80/ref=pd_sim_sbs_lp_1

I can't anwer your costs question but I found this suited me (they have a range of stuff). It has to be weldmesh to be foxproof and this is the easiest on the eye I coud find.  Not certain this is foxproof at ground level though (might need two layers offset)- mine is on top of my wall and solid wood fence.

I would have gone for an electric fence had I not got a shared boundary with a neighbour and lot of shrubs etc.

[Sassy]

Thanks for the feedback! My plan was to install an electric fence but I'm not sure how much the ongoing running costs would be when the fence is hooked up to the mains. The alternative to that would be to get a run about the size of the pic in my original post but then let the chips out into the rest of the garden when I'm about.

Does anyone have any electric fence running cost estimates for a 25m fence?

Many thanks

The cost of running an electric fence from the mains is negligible. I cannot give you the figures but if you phoned one or two of the companies they should be able to advise. Mains is cheaper to run and less hassle than a battery operated fence. I have a barn with lighting, radio used daily and other machinery used from time to time from the mains as well as over 100 metres of electric hen netting and my bill is never more than £35 per year.

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Ah thanks Sassy! Yeah I couldn't find out the impact on ones electricity bill anywhere but like you suggested it will probably be worth phoning a couple of companies.... I just had notions of the electricity bill going though the roof but thanks for your info which seems contrary to my fears. Part of the attraction of the electric fence other than its effectiveness was its minimal aesthetic impact on the garden as opposed to a fixed cage type run. Hmmm decisions, decisions..

[pepsi100]

Just my thoughts on the cost,

IF it was a 12 volt system, from a battery, the cost to charge a battery with a 24 hour charge is minimal (pennies) so I cant really see this being much, if any, dearer,

I guess it goes into a transformer that reduces it to 12/24 volts DC

Cant see it having 240 volts running through it 

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Thanks Pepsi, i just found a quote on a manufacturers website....

Which energiser?
This depends on the length of the fence, amount of vegetation likely to grow on the fence line, type of animal to be contained or excluded, the fence line materials and conductors being proposed, and the power source for the energiser.

 Mains Energisers
Where possible, always use a mains-powered energiser sited inside a building. Running costs are low (unlikely to exceed £20.00pa) but best of all, no batteries to go flat and less likely to be damaged by animals.

[Sassy]

Whilst you can never guarantee 100% an electric fence as protection against predators they are the best of the available options for most people.