Hello from California!

[Lazy Gardener]

My understanding is that chicken wire will keep your birds in, but... in no way, will it keep a determined predator out. Coons and foxes can tear through it. If you can afford to do so, you would be better with welded fencing. Including a buried skirt (laid on the ground, and let vegetation grow up through it, or buried either horizontally, or deep vertically. Foxes are adept diggers, and a red can jump 6' high to go over your fence. A grey can actually climb trees, and have been known to go 18 meters high, and move from limb to limb. If you want a scary education, do a google search for videos of foxes climbing trees and fences.

My run is chicken wire, with buried skirt, bird netting and tarp over the top. 6' high. There is no way I could afford the welded wire for the size enclosure I've built. We came home to find a determined fox trying to break in. (this after the first attack that killed birds when they were out free ranging). If we had not returned when we did, I've no doubt that the fox would have broken through the wire, or gone over and through the top, killing off the rest of my flock like catching fish in a gold fish bowl. So, we went the next step on security: electric fence surrounding entire enclosure. You might consider this option.

The benefit of electric fence is that once the local predators have an up close and personal meeting with the fence, they will learn that your chicken buffet comes with a huge ouch factor. They will move on to easier pickings. Then, because your local predators have an established range, a newbie will not move into your territory unless he takes out the existing population. A good fence will deter all of the larger predators, including bear. Check out Premier 1 electric poultry netting.

 

[CrealCritter]

@Britesea I haven't been to any plays in quite a while, unfortunately, but I will keep my eye out for her name whenever I go into the city! And yes...I love the long growing season, too, but man, there are a lot of people. Not my ideal place, even though there are many wonderful things about it. I need a bit more room to breathe.

@CrealCritter Thanks! My husband grows Wilamette and Cascade...I think they are supposed to grow pretty well here. Do you grow any?

I'm thinking hard about growing hops, but haven't done it yet. I use Wilamette as an aroma hop in my high gravity Golden American Wheat Beer. Love the aroma. I'm not to keen on Cascade though, I like MT Hood better as a bittering hop in this style of beer.

Here's my Golden American Wheat recipe. Please share with your husband and let me know what he thinks. Everyone who tries the beer likes it.

 

[Junebugaboo]

@Lazy Gardener I have a pretty small coop because I only have a few chickens, so the framework is not a lot of surface area and we reinforced the chicken wire with extra staples. So far, so good...but your experience has me scared about my run I plan to build...thankfully I can build away from the redwood tree trunks and there are no low branches overhead. I have to think about how I'm going to protect them from the top...time to start researching!