Most chicken run failures come down to the same problem: using materials designed to keep chickens in rather than to keep predators out. Setting up a chicken run that actually keeps predators out means thinking through how predators actually get in: what digs, what climbs, what reaches through, and what comes from above. At Edge Wholesale, we carry the welded wire mesh and poultry equipment that give a run real protection rather than just the appearance of it.
Mesh Choice Is the Foundation
Standard chicken wire was designed for confinement, not security, and raccoons can pull it apart with their hands while foxes will chew through it given enough time. Welded wire mesh with small openings is the correct starting material for a predator-proof run. The welded construction resists pulling and bending in a way that twisted hex mesh simply does not.
Mesh opening size matters as much as construction. Half-inch openings stop raccoon paws from reaching through and exclude weasels, which are a real threat to Canadian flocks and can slip through larger gaps. Poultry mesh in tighter grid sizes is the right choice for the lower sections of the run where determined predators are most likely to probe and test. Larger grid panels work for upper sections where direct reach-through is less of a concern.
Stop Diggers with a Ground Apron
Foxes, raccoons, and dogs will dig under a run wall rather than through it. The instinct is to start right at the fence line and go straight down, which is why a surface-laid apron defeats them effectively. Lay a strip of welded mesh flat on the ground and extend it 12 to 18 inches outward from the base of the run. When a predator starts digging at the fence base, it hits wire immediately and gives up.
The apron can be pinned down with landscape staples and covered with soil or gravel. Grass grows through it over time, hiding it from view without affecting how it works. For areas with particularly persistent diggers, burying the mesh vertically 12 inches deep around the perimeter provides stronger deterrence, though the surface apron handles most situations without the extra labour.
Cover the Top
An open-top run is only a partial enclosure. Hawks and owls take birds in daylight with little warning, and raccoons can climb a fence and drop down into an uncovered run at night. Netting discourages hawks but climbing predators go right over it, so welded wire mesh is the only roofing option that closes off both threats at once.
In areas with heavy winter snowfall, the roof structure needs to handle snow load, so a slight pitch that sheds snow is worth building in from the start. Welded mesh panels work well on a roofed run frame, and the galvanized construction that resists rust in the walls holds up just as well overhead.
Secure Every Edge and Connection
A run is only as secure as its weakest connection point. Raccoons in particular will probe every seam and edge, and any gap larger than an inch is a potential entry point for smaller predators. Where mesh panels meet, overlap them by several inches and connect with hog rings rather than relying on friction alone. Staples are convenient but pull out under pressure; screws with washers hold mesh against a wooden frame far more reliably.
The gate deserves the same attention as the walls. Any gate that rattles or can be lifted off its hinges will eventually let something in. Latches should require two distinct steps to open, since raccoons are genuinely capable of working out simple single-lever mechanisms after enough attempts.
A well-built chicken run pays for itself quickly when compared against the cost of losing birds. Getting the mesh right, addressing the ground, covering the top, and securing every connection point covers the main vulnerabilities that predators exploit. If you need poultry mesh, welded wire panels, fencing staples, or hog rings to get your run built or upgraded, give our team a call at 604-857-2436 and we’ll help you put together what you need.