[hughesy]

We've found heras panels with an electric wire around the outside works pretty well. If money was no object then weldmesh panels would get my vote. Way too expensive for a large run though.

[bloomer]

just under 200m of fencing, so has to be practical.


there are lots of good ideas so far and is helping my thinking...

[little bo peep]

Reading all this with great interest as my hens are in quite small runs at the moment but I want to build something bigger so they have more space. Judging by most people's experiences with chickens it's got to be like Fort knox to keep Mr Tod out, what is the ultimate run then? Electric mesh I thought was worth a try but is it a lot or work to keep the grass trimmed etc? I wanted something I could move occasionally.

[devonlad]

i built a very big run several years ago (perimeter of approx. 150 metres.which our girls live in permanently apart from the odd weekend out in the veg patch when theres no damage to be done. yet to lose one to the fox and there certainly about. key points 7 foot high, double layer of mesh for first 3 feet, 2 foot skirt which I tent peg down all the way round , grass soon binds it tight to ground. and make sure the gate is not a weak spot.

[Nethermoor Pigs]

I had a friend who did a extension lead straight into the mains (RCD) and a bare wire at about a foot off the ground and a foot away from the run.  230v, 13 amp enough to kill a human straight off!  No fox problems after that! but not ideal to know if you took a wrong step you would die, made feeding the chickens a life or death matter!

If you can build a decent overhang it can work well to stop them jumping, at about 45 degrees.