# How big should it be?



## Taratatou (Jun 23, 2021)

Hello ! 
I want to build a bigger run around my coop.For now I have two hens, but next year I want to add maybe another girl for the eggs, and 3-4 meats chicken.

Do you think a 12' x 6' run would be big enough for 7 chickens? 

Do you have any advices on building it too ? I know i have to bury the wire, I will bury 1'.Any other advices ? 
I know there is some hungry predators over here

Thanks a lot !!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If they are always going to be in the run, I would probably double the width if possible. 

Technically it is large enough with some wiggle room tossed in. 

What kind of wire do you have available to you? This one is going to be tough because you might call it a different name there. Some wire is light, we have poultry netting here, racoons can break through that. Most of us use welded wire.


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## Taratatou (Jun 23, 2021)

robin416 said:


> If they are always going to be in the run, I would probably double the width if possible.
> 
> Technically it is large enough with some wiggle room tossed in.
> 
> What kind of wire do you have available to you? This one is going to be tough because you might call it a different name there. Some wire is light, we have poultry netting here, racoons can break through that. Most of us use welded wire.


Thank you !! I will re-make my plant and make it bigger.
I didn't know racoon could break wires! I know there's at least one family living nearby my house.My neighbors got their corn all eaten last year, and I got a hen killed before I got my black one.Do racoon dig ? I don't know if it's a racoon or a fox, but something tried to get into my coop and dig a hole last night, luckily I had increased the security of my coop since I lost my girl.It stopped digging cause it got into the "ground" wire I put.

Here's the wire I wanted to use.I might look for other options now 😂(picture from Google)













I found some welded wire on my local hardware website, is 4"x2" too big for a chicken head?Or too big for the predators?
What size do you have?


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*I would think too big as many predators are small and could go through that; snakes, weasels, ferrets, mink, etc. It pays to bury the bottom of the wire to keep predators from digging under.*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have one 1X2 and hardware cloth on mine. Oh there's also some 2X4 on the Guinea pen with hardware cloth and poultry netting.

What you're using is called poultry netting here. One year a racoon got into my Guinea pen. I double wrapped everything in a second layer of poultry netting. The next morning I found where the racoon had broken one layer of the wire.

I don't think they dig. It could have been so many other things, like the fox you mentioned.

I also use hotwire on the lower section of my pens. Once diggers touch the wire they scream and run away.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

If your getting chicken wiring please don't get what you posted in the picture I'm warning you it's so cheap any kind of predator could get through that within minutes it's so bendy and floppy it won't stay up SUPER cheap i'm telling you.. i've gotten it before and DEFINITELY do not recommend it.. Way to cheap and thin... If your getting wiring I have gotten this wiring and it's super stiff and will stand up straight I definitely recommend this.. Here is a picture of it. From Google.
I honestly don't think think any kind of predator is getting in this except a few little ants..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

We'd all love to use all hardware cloth but it's very expensive. Most of us use it around the lower perimeter of the pens. The 1X2 welded is pretty standard. 

Or do like I did. Get the wrong wire, 2X4, not realize it and start installing. Finish the install and put a layer of poultry netting on the inside.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

robin416 said:


> We'd all love to use all hardware cloth but it's very expensive. Most of us use it around the lower perimeter of the pens. The 1X2 welded is pretty standard.
> 
> Or do like I did. Get the wrong wire, 2X4, not realize it and start installing. Finish the install and put a layer of poultry netting on the inside.


Oh well, nevermind.. How much do you consider expensive?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have no clue since there are different sizes. But if you compare the price of hardware cloth and 1X2 welded wire of the same size, you'll see a big price difference. 

Most of us would love to do everything in hardware cloth but money is an issue, especially when covering a large area.


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