[porkandapples]

Hi, we are building a new chicken run this weekend as the first steps towards my empire of breeding lincolnshire buffs! It will be 200sqm whick is much larger than anything we have built before. Was hoping not to have a roof on it, is this feasible? Will be using aviary mesh for the sides, how high would i need to make the sides to discourage my chickens from all escaping of their own accord??

Thanks

[bloomer]

if your prepared to clip wings 4ft is ample

if you dont want to clip 6ft and make sure its nicer inside than out or some will still go for it!!!

[porkandapples]

Excellent, thank-you 

[Rosemary]

Our fencing is about 5ft high and none have escape so far.

[Snapper]

We've just put some up that's 2 meters high to pen of the ones I want to hatch from. So far 2 Welsummers and the Crested Legbar Cockeral have flown out. The heavier/bigger birds i.e Marans and Light Sussex  don't seem able to fly out.

Hubbie has clipped the wings on the lighter birds this morning and reckons that once they get used to the idea that they can't get over the wire they'll give up trying!

So I think it probably depends on what breeds of bird you are enclosing and how heavy they are.
HTH

[porkandapples]

Thanks very much everyone, think i'm going to go with 5ft and clipped wings (and crossed fingers!).

[hughesy]

I'd be more concerned about foxy getting in. 4ft definitely not safe unless there's some other means of deterring the fox eg electric tape etc.

[JulieS]

I put 6' fences up because I have a friend who had a 5' fence and foxy got in. 

[knightquest]

I've seen a fox jump six feet from a standing start so be careful.

Ian

[egbert]

We have a 2m high pen. Our old chooks have never tried to escape, having moved into it from a roofed pen so I presume they are used to not trying.

However we got 3 newbies a few weeks ago who all had one wing clipped as the breeder said it would make them too unsteady to fly. And the first 2 nights we found our Sussex Star in the bush outside the pen. However, by night 3 she had found the coop and no longer bothers.

[doganjo]

if your prepared to clip wings 4ft is ample

Sorry, but not true.  I clipped wings and they JUMPED onto the 4 foot fence!

[ramblerskitchen]

Hi    We have recently built a large run for our rescue battery hens.  The area is approx 300msq and I have fenced to a height of approx 8 foot.  We were recommended to use a flexible rabbit wire, so that foxes struggle to climb it.  We have also surrounded the entire area with three strands of electric fencing to deter foxes.  The rabbit wire has been laid along the ground, approx 1ft from the fence, again to deter digging.  the wire has been secured into the grass and hopefully quite soon will be covered with grass to help keep it in place. Apparently if foxes or badgers try to dig under a fence they will try tight up to the fence line.

We do not shut our hens in a night and have taken this advise from local who built a very similar one 2 years ago and has not had a problem with foxes.  I am keeping my fingers cross.

[princesspiggy]

our orchard has 6 ft fence and chickens stay in their by choice. yesterday we put our pet sheep in there to graze it and the chooks took fright and jumped over the fence. still trying to catch one today! they are locked in at night and never had a fox in the run yet, touch wood, but they live close by.