Building a run - fencing

Daisycow · « **on:** June 02, 2008, 14:50 »

Well, we have 5 chooks, but are looking to extend to 6 or 7!! But no more after that!!..I think!

So, we have a coop that is big enough, but they will have to be kept in for the morning and occasionally the afternoons durring the week. OH has started building an extension run for them, but we were wondering about the fencing...the coop is made of weldmesh, but we have some spare chicken wire that would be perfect, but not sure of the suitability...will it be ok?
We keep pekins and a wyandotte bantam if thats useful?

peggyprice · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2008, 14:54 »

Hi Daisy - ordinary chicken wire is fine for keeping the chickens in, no good for keeping foxes out - so depends really on your other security measures

Also I believe that small wildbirds can get in through chicken wire - not great if they're going to eat your chicken feed & can spread diseases - but I've not seen that happen in our run which has a mix of chicken wire and green garden fence wire.

Of course, if you want a really expert opinion you really need to post us up some pictures of your chooks

poultrygeist · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2008, 15:25 »

To keep foxes out you need 19g/1mm weldmesh. The more you pay, the better the quality (probably!).
To keep rats out, you need at biggest 25x13mm mesh size but mice can still get in.
As Peggy says, the chickens will stay in with chicken wire or any sort of lightweight netting as long as it's high enough.

Bear in mind, also, that foxes can climb so you will need at least 5ft with some sort of roof on top. We only have a small section with corrugated plastic over but the rest is covered with pond netting or polythene sheeting. This won't keep a fox out but at night they're shut in their coop which is fox proof-ish.

Rob

Porffor · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2008, 17:56 »

I went for cost initially but we are planning to improve the run/house in time.

So for now we have chicken wire with pond netting over the top. part of the run has screening as the back wall too.
The netting has worked a treat with wild birds in our area, today is the first day i haven't heard a comotion from a magpie or jackdaw trying to get in!

not sure if the little uns can get in, but we don't have many little uns in our area to be honest.
our chooks haven't escaped either so it's done that part of it's job. Was cheap from a local homebase (black in colour).

Our girls are religously watched from 9pm and go to bed around 9.20-9.30pm. Though they are cheeky little hens and ask for a late night these days.. I am a tough mum and put them to bed at 9.30 if they haven't done so already.

pushrod · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2008, 19:00 »

wire with large holes often called chicken wire is not really suitable for protecting chickens. When mr fox comes visiting he can panic the chickens so much that they stick their heads out thru the wire in their efforts to get away. Mr fox then gets bitesize portions :evil:
I know this from bitter experience

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Building a run - fencing

poultrygeist

Porffor