Electric Poultry Netting vs a Fixed Run
Movable fence or permanent enclosure. Grass management, predator protection, hawk cover and what each actually costs to run.
The short version
Electric netting gives you fresh ground, which is the single biggest advantage in flock health, since a static run turns to bare dirt and concentrates parasites. It excludes ground predators well when the energiser is working. A fixed run takes no daily management, holds up in snow and wind, and is the only one of the two that can be roofed against hawks and owls. Many keepers end up with both: a secure covered run attached to the coop for nights and bad weather, and netting for daytime grazing on rotating ground.
At a glance
| Premier 1 PoultryNet Electric Fence, 48 in by 100 ft | Large Walk-In Chicken Run with Cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Protects against ground predators | Good while energised | Good if built properly |
| Protects against hawks | No | Yes, if covered |
| Grass and ground health | Rotates, stays green | Turns to bare dirt |
| Daily attention | Check the charge, clear vegetation | Little |
| Snow and wind | Sags and shorts out | Holds up |
| Total cost with energiser | Netting plus charger and tester | One purchase |
Choose the Premier 1 PoultryNet Electric Fence, 48 in by 100 ft if…
Choose netting if you have grass to rotate and are willing to keep it working. It needs an energiser sized for the fence, and it needs the bottom line kept clear of vegetation, because grass touching the wires drains the charge until the fence is just a visual barrier. Buy a fence tester and use it weekly. Move the net before the ground inside goes bare, which is usually sooner than expected with a decent sized flock.
Check Premier 1 PoultryNet Electric Fence, 48 in by 100 ft on Amazon
Choose the Large Walk-In Chicken Run with Cover if…
Choose a fixed run if you have limited space, harsh winters, or hawks. Cover the top with netting or a solid roof, run hardware cloth rather than chicken wire around the sides, and add an apron flat on the ground to stop digging. The known weakness is the ground: a permanently used run becomes bare, muddy and a reservoir for worms and coccidia. Add deep litter, wood chips or sand, turn it, and top it up rather than letting it stay wet.
Check Large Walk-In Chicken Run with Cover on Amazon
Related
Comparison based on published manufacturer specifications and the general consensus of owner reports. We have not tested these products side by side. Confirm current specifications and prices before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Reviewed in detail
If you have narrowed the decision to one product, we go through it in detail here: Premier 1 PoultryNet Plus starter kit review, Omlet chicken fencing review and Land Guard hardware cloth review.
Editor's Pick · Affiliate link
An Automatic Coop Door, the Upgrade Keepers Regret Waiting On
Nearly every predator loss happens because a door was open at dusk or dawn. An automatic opener closes on a light sensor or timer whether or not you are home, which is the single biggest reduction in risk available to a small flock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is electric netting safe for chickens?
Yes when set up correctly. Birds touch it, get a short unpleasant shock and learn to stay away, and healthy adult chickens are not harmed by a properly specified poultry energiser. The genuine risks are chicks and very small bantams getting tangled, and a fence left energised in long wet grass losing its charge without anyone noticing. Keep chicks inside a run rather than behind netting.
How much space does a chicken need in a run?
Common guidance is around eight to ten square feet per bird in a run and about four square feet each inside the coop for standard breeds, with more for larger breeds and more again if the birds are confined for long periods. Crowding causes feather picking, bullying and disease, and it is the underlying cause of a great many problems that get blamed on individual birds.
My run has turned into mud. What do I do?
Get water off it first, which usually means guttering the coop roof and diverting run off. Then add a deep layer of coarse wood chips, which drain, compost and give the birds something to scratch through, and top it up as it breaks down. Bare wet ground is where internal parasites and coccidia build up, and it is also how birds end up with dirty feet and dirty eggs.
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