The Poultry Keeper

chrislee765 · Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Hayling Island

Hi,

For our hens we want to make a 20ft x 30ft x 6ft run.
The reason for it, is that we have seen foxes in the garden (so need to be out with them when they're free ranging) so they dont get long to free range, with the days being much shorter and being out at work. Sad

Has anyone got any ideas? It needs to be fox proof, permenent, let in light, enclosed roof(cost isnt an issue so much) etc.

Rolls of chicken wire arnt very wide, and i find it hard to keep it straight so is there other wire mesh's on the market?

Thanks in advanced!

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

hello, you could use weldmesh on the sides of the run. I'm not sure what widths it goes up to but it's definitely in 3' widths, so two runs with the weldmesh joined with wire running through the top and bottom holes should do it.
I think you should also have some mesh run into and along the ground so that the fox can't dig under. I would have thought you could lash some chicken wire to the weldmesh and put that into the ground, I think 12" is recommended
For the roof, I don't know that's quite a width to cover, unless you could build some kind of wooden frame the same size as the width, fixed into the ground at intervals and then perhaps use corrugated plastic ~ I have no idea what size sheets it comes in.
You should also remember to have one side higher than the other to allow the rain to run off, but not near the door you use!
I'm sure someone else will come along with better ideas than this

chrislee765 · Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Hayling Island

Thanks for your reply.

just to clarify, im not after a roof to keep the rain out, but a roof to keep foxes out Smile

Ill look into this weldmesh.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

no problem. You could use the weldmesh on the top as well as the sides if you wanted ~ but again you would have to build some kind of supported for the joins.
Let us know what you decide to do and please let us see pictures.

dubois · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 6

Try www.lindasgrove.com they make 6' x 9' panels that you can construct almost any shape out of.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

thanks for posting that link, dubois ~ I've bookmarked it for future reference!!!