Ideas for preventing chickens from flying out

[Toddziegler]

My dad, son and me built a new coop for our new chickens and we are going to put their exercise yard together this weekend. We are using dog run panels with chicken fence on the outside of each panel to prevent them from sneaking out and predators from getting in. With a 6 inch skirt to keep the predators from digging in. We were going to put chicken fence across the top to keep them from flying out and the bad guys out. Does anyone have a better idea for the top of their run.

 

[townchicks]

By chicken fence, do you mean chicken wire? Chicken wire will keep chickens in, but will not keep many predators out.

 

[Toddziegler]

By chicken fence, do you mean chicken wire? Chicken wire will keep chickens in, but will not keep many predators out.

We are using a double layer of chicken wire, with the 2nd layer offset just slightly and with the chain link makes a pretty good barrier. It is what we did with our other chicken coop. Across the top is the only thing that we are still looking for ideas.

On our other coop we had some metal panels with 1/4 inch openings but we don't have any more and can't get it.

 

[Egg Blues]

Depends on the potential predators, I'd reckon.

the chain link makes a pretty good barrier.

That's for sure. I also use chain link (2" hole size) where I am to keep dogs out. It doesn't keep the wild birds out, though, which consider the chicken feeder to be shared equally with them. So I'm preparing to add bird netting inside the chain link to keep them out--more out of concern for disease/pest control than for stinginess on the chicken feed.

If your top cover is also chain link, I'd have a hard time suggesting anything to top that. I'm building a coop that will have a metal roof--but that has its disadvantages, too.

 

[Hermits Garden]

You'll want more than a six inch apron--at least a foot, preferably two.

I have a similar set up--kennel panels that make up the run around the coop. I bought cable and crimpers and hooks so that I could string the cable from the eaves of the coop to the top of the run.

Then I bought high quality hawk netting to drape over the cables--it's best not to make it tight.

I think my total expense was 150 for the netting, and maybe 35 for the cable, crimpers, hooks and a crimping/cutting tool.

 

[Toddziegler]

Depends on the potential predators, I'd reckon.

That's for sure. I also use chain link (2" hole size) where I am to keep dogs out. It doesn't keep the wild birds out, though, which consider the chicken feeder to be shared equally with them. So I'm preparing to add bird netting inside the chain link to keep them out--more out of concern for disease/pest control than for stinginess on the chicken feed.

If your top cover is also chain link, I'd have a hard time suggesting anything to top that. I'm building a coop that will have a metal roof--but that has its disadvantages, too.

I don't have anything for the top yet. I was thinking of zip tying bird netting with chicken wire and draping it across with some 1" x 1" wood ribs to keep it from sagging.

 

[Toddziegler]

You'll want more than a six inch apron--at least a foot, preferably two.

I have a similar set up--kennel panels that make up the run around the coop. I bought cable and crimpers and hooks so that I could string the cable from the eaves of the coop to the top of the run.

Then I bought high quality hawk netting to drape over the cables--it's best not to make it tight.

I think my total expense was 150 for the netting, and maybe 35 for the cable, crimpers, hooks and a crimping/cutting tool.

Where did you get the hawk netting, if you remember.

 

[Toddziegler]

You'll want more than a six inch apron--at least a foot, preferably two.

I have a similar set up--kennel panels that make up the run around the coop. I bought cable and crimpers and hooks so that I could string the cable from the eaves of the coop to the top of the run.

Then I bought high quality hawk netting to drape over the cables--it's best not to make it tight.

I think my total expense was 150 for the netting, and maybe 35 for the cable, crimpers, hooks and a crimping/cutting tool.

I was going to bury some leftover orange construction netting 6" deep and then put a 6" skirting on top of the ground. We are using all recycled materials except for the chicken wire. That includes the coop that we built.

 

[3KillerBs]

My run is 100 feet of Premier 1 electric poultry netting so it doesn't have a top.

Many of them *can* fly out, but most *don't*. POL pullets are the worst for wandering.

Any bird I catch outside the fence twice gets a wing clipped.

 

[Toddziegler]

My run is 100 feet of Premier 1 electric poultry netting so it doesn't have a top.

Many of them *can* fly out, but most *don't*. POL pullets are the worst for wandering.

Any bird I catch outside the fence twice gets a wing clipped.

That sounds great. We have a lot of wild life around us and in particular a lot of hawks. I don't want to put a top on it but I will feel better knowing that we have one. I will have serama chickens on one side and they don't win any fight n