Thoughts on a split rail fence with wire mesh?

[Fluffy1804]

Looking to build my run in the next couple weeks. I've been thinking about doing a split-rail fence with wire mesh behind it. The birds will be locked up in the coop at night, and it'll be a pretty large run (around 1,000 sf for 16 birds.) I'm obviously concerned about predators, but I'm more concerned with keeping the birds IN. Any thoughts on if this might work, and how tall I should try to make it? I'm also willing to clip their wings; and breeds are pretty varied, everything from two Easter Eggers (because I can't spell Americauanauana) to a Brahma.

I watched this video - and like the idea of continuing the wire up above the top rail so they can't just hop up and roost on it - but still not sure if that'll be enough?

 

[Mamatomany123]

It will probably keep them in if you clip their wings but predators dont only hunt at night. And some predators fly.

 

[neo71665]

My grandma always had an open top like that but hers was 6 feet tall. For the most part they stayed in it but yeah it only really kept chickens in. Possums and coons will go right over it, that aint counting the flying predators. She kept a sawed off 12 gauge by the door for anything larger than a snake.

 

[Fluffy1804]

There's a pretty big apple tree in the run, so I'm hoping that will provide some aerial cover for them (and not a place for them to leap over the fence from!).

What about if I ran a strand of hot wire over the top of the fence?

 

[tinkerteachermom]

I'm considering the same, however we are cross hatching the structure at corners instead 9f using piles because it is in a heavily wooded area amd it was the only way to work around trees. I also am planning on putting some bird netting as a canopy over the top to keep them in. It has worked pretty well for me in the past. It also acts as a barrier if we have any bold hawks. Won't completely protect them but likely buy them time to run back into our shed.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
It will look nice, and be ineffective, unless you have nearly flightless chickens, and no concern about predator losses.
Build a safer run for them, and then free range when you can. Or, get the electrified poultry netting (Premier1supplies.com) and at least protect them from most ground predators. It would be less expensive than that nice split rail fence too.
Mary

 

[neo71665]

There's a pretty big apple tree in the run, so I'm hoping that will provide some aerial cover for them (and not a place for them to leap over the fence from!).

What about if I ran a strand of hot wire over the top of the fence?

All the tree will do is give birds of prey a place to land so they can take their pick