Does our chicken run need a wire roof?

[breadandroses]

Dh has built a house and run, the run is about 6 feet high. If I shut them up at night, will we need to put a roof on the run or can it be left open? Thanks!

[meltedmarsbars]

My hen-friend has similar system to you, with open roof at 6'.
Make sure there's no jumping-off point to enter the run.
I have lower roofed runs for mine - don't trust wily fox.

[Nekabu]

Foxes can climb that high so I'd roof it as they don't always attack just at night, especially urban/released urban foxes.

[meltedmarsbars]

Who is releasing foxes?

[Nekabu]

Not sure but I know someone who's had loads dumped on his land. They're not supposed to be released if they've been trapped for culling purposes though, so hopefully it's fairly rare though we're fairly sure we've had a few released near us not long ago which have been a PITA.

[Dazmum]

Three of my chickens were taken by a fox in broad daylight a few weeks ago, must have got over the top of a 6ft high fence, so we are now roofing it - but read on a poultry forum that foxes can chew through chicken wire! We have also bought some spiky plastic stuff to go along the fence.