# Need a little help with Chicken Run



## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

I know hardware cloth is the best material for a run but I can't afford it.

Option 2 is Poultry netting with 3/4 in opening. It's 1/3 the price.

I wish I could afford hardware cloth but gosh darn not being rich and famous.

I have 2 pet dogs. One I need to train with chickens. I know there's a hawk in the area. 

They won't be in it at night

Their coop as hardware cloth but would it be ok if the day run didn't?


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Depends on the poultry netting, some stuff is made of a fine gauge wire and very fragile, other stuff is a thicker gauge and much sturdier. 
I am in the same boat as not being able to afford hardware cloth, I can get a 3x9 foot roll for 12$ versus a 3x25 foot roll of chicken wire for 20$. It's just a good financial decision lol. 

My day time run is all poultry netting with bird netting over the top, certainly not Fort Knox, but I've had no problems with it. My predator count includes foxes, owls, hawks, and coyotes. I have not seen trace of raccoon yet, they are the ones I worry about tearing up the coop.


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## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

I'm sorry to hear we're both not in the rich and famous boat.

I can get a roll of either the bigger hole hardware cloth (3 in x 2in hole) which is 16 gauge and would be attached with wire. 2ft x 50ft at $25 Hardware cloth I can afford

Or

3/4 in hex hole 20 gauge chicken wire which is the same price. It's pretty flimsy. I can't find sturdy chicken wire.

I know it's only a day run but my biggest fear is the hawk kills my chickens and then I bought a hawk dinner. And it's one of those I know it's there. My run will have a green house roof.

I didn't think of it till now. I want to keep my chickens safe but I can't afford the Cadillac of Chicken protection being the 1/4 in hole hardware cloth.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I have the plastic bird netting for protecting gardens from would be seed stealers on the top of mine. It seriously would do absolutely nothing to protect the birds from a ground predator, but birds of prey won't come near it, risk of entanglement and all that nonsense I guess, because it rips like tissue paper. I've had a hawk circle 20' above the yard for the better part of an hour whilst my chickens were in this run and I guarantee it debated and studied the entire time. Not once did it go near it. At 9$ for a 10x25" roll, it wasn't a bad investment for it's effectiveness. A hawk needs an up and out escape route so the chicken wire walls wouldn't be an issue, and with the green house roof you'd have no problems.

When I redo my coop this spring I am putting the walls 6' on one side and 4' on the other with proper truss-style bracing and the bird netting on top, in the winter I'll tarp it off so the snow won't weigh it down and can be easily slid off, maybe put a real roof on it but again, the financial boat is leaky lol and the sheer size of a run for 50+ birds equates to a lot of plywood and shingles. My current set up was 8' high and had a flat top of just netting and support beams attaching the outer wall to the barn - frankly was a touch overkill on the height (the place is sloped so on one side the wall was more like 10'). The first build is a right off anyway, we learn as we go around these parts. 

I've seen a lot of folks use the chicken wire with that 2x3" hardware cloth over it, so the sturdiness of the hardware cloth is there but the hole size is greatly reduced, that seems to even be more cost effective than going with all 3/4" hardware cloth. Even to run it just the width of the roll across the bottom of the run for extra durability if ground predators are prevalent in your area.


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## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

I'm not worried about the top because it will have greenhouse roofing as the roof. This has a dual purpose of rain proofing and hawk proofing.

My primary ground predator is my medium sized pet dog who weighs about 40 lbs. I'm worried about him busting through chicken wire. My other is a wild red tail hawk.

I'm not trying to make the mistake of predator proofing for dinosaurs but I don't want to make it a easy target.

Would it be ok if I reinforced with chicken wire later? or would I be asking for trouble? 

It would be attached with wire and I prefer the home depot because they give me a military discount.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I wouldn't be concerned with the chicken wire on the inside for a dog. They don't have prehensile fingers!


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## hellofromtexas (Feb 16, 2014)

Fiere said:


> I wouldn't be concerned with the chicken wire on the inside for a dog. They don't have prehensile fingers!


This one's a border collie and has a genius IQ. I have been amazed an horrified at this dog before.

This 23 inch tall 38 lb wonder is why I have a 6 ft chain link fence around the yard and it has to be double locked....

Don't underestimate this one... he can open doors... My other one can work elecronics (to include ps3 and tv)

They are really really smart


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