How high should a run be?

[Anonymous]

Hi folks, this is a n00b speaking; I'm a complete chicken virgin, so to speak. I'd appreciate your advice on the following.

I have a coop on order which is 3.5ft high and plan to extend one end of it with a DIY run along the length of a shrub border. To keep the run as inconspicuous as poss I plan to use green chicken-wire mounted on a tensioned wire frame. My other strategy is to minimise the height of the run, so...

Q1: What is the minimum height for a run? I intend to buy 'standard', hybrid hens.

There will be gaps in the roof of the run around the tall shrubs. The easiest option would be to lay square wire panels in the gaps between shrubs, though I could cut the mesh to fit the shape of the shrubs. Hence,

Q2: Can I get away with square panels or will that not be enough to keep hens in/beasts out?

Thanks ever so, N

 

[nnbreeder]

If it were me I would run a solid lenght of fencing all along the shrubs. Here I have seen critters like Racoons, Coyotes and even Fox go through the thickest shrubbery.

As far as run height the question to be asked is, If you have a sick bird just how easy would it be to get to? I like to be able to stand up in my runs as I have various parts like my back and legs that just don't like to bend very well these days.

As far as the coop goes I like to make mine on the smallish side so the birds can snuggle in on cold winter nights. Like tonight it is supposed to get to -17C with wind chills of -26C and I want to know the birds will be alright through the night.

 

[Tim]

The minimum height for hybrids varies, depending on exactly what you get - birds that come from Leghorn crosses are generally good at flying. Some can clear 6ft with ease, others won't attempt anything more than 4ft.

You can clip a wing (this involves cutting the flight feathers of one wing with scissors to unbalance the bird in flight) which will help. All of my birds are behind a 4ft high / chest high fence and once they have settled in, the birds that escape get a wing clipped and this keeps them all in.

I'm not sure what you mean by square panels. Foxes will dig, as will rats so ideally you should bury the wire, however if they are locked up religiously at night, you can usually get away without burying the wire. If you have no roof on the run, there is little point in burying the wire anyway but they must be locked up. There are many urban foxes, often as many as in rural areas.

As a minimum I would consider 4ft - but perhaps add a wire along the top of this at 5ft until the wing is clipped and the birds are settled in their run. If covered, I would consider a removable top, at least in places to allow easier catching of birds.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 6ft fence the full length of my run.

The idea there not just to keep my hens in but everything else out. The run backs onto next doors garden wall which is only around 4ft high and they've never went over. I'm still planning on raising the boundary to 6ft there as well. This might be me being overthorough but I'd rather be sure.

Osric

 

[Lucylou]

Mine is 6' fence & I've had a re-run of the great escape a few times in the past! I had to clip their wings & it was fine. Now & have a mesh roof which is peaked in the centre to about 7' at the highest point & the little Campine flies onto the coup & loves to sit on the top, so that's about 6'. I now have it covered because I had a fox attack so consider security keeping preditors out as well as them in!

Don't forget they'll probably eat the shrubs