A secure run is the difference between hens that graze contentedly from dawn to dusk and hens that pace a bare, muddy patch behind wire. Grass is genuinely good for them — it supplies fibre, trace minerals, and hours of foraging interest — but a green sward only survives under birds if you plan the space properly. Get the basics right and you'll have a run that keeps foxes out, keeps the ground healthy, and is pleasant to look at from the kitchen window.

Choosing A Spot That Suits Hens And Garden

Start with the ground itself. Hens will happily destroy a run that sits in a boggy corner, and damp litter is the beginning of most health problems. Look for a spot that drains well, gets morning sun and dappled afternoon shade, and is within easy reach of a wheelbarrow — you will be moving bedding, feeders, and water far more often than you think.

Practical points worth weighing before you dig anything in:

• Access: leave at least a metre of clear ground around the run so you can walk the perimeter, repair mesh, and rake out litter.
• Wind: a run on the exposed side of the garden will need a solid windbreak panel, or the hens will simply huddle in the shelter and never use the grass.
• Boundaries: the closer the run sits to a hedge, fence, or shed, the easier it is for a fox to approach unseen. A metre of open ground around the outside makes a real difference.
• Drainage: if the site is heavy clay, lay a thin layer of coarse woodchip or grit over the grass in winter rather than letting it turn to slop.

Fencing And Ground-Level Defence

The single most common mistake is using chicken wire. It keeps hens in, but a fox will tear through it, and a badger will simply shoulder it aside. Use welded mesh with 25mm square holes and a wire gauge of 16 or thicker, stretched tight on sturdy posts and secured with staples or clips, not tied on loosely.

Height matters less than people assume — a fox can clear two metres from a standing start — so a run of about 1.8 metres with a proper roof is far safer than a taller open-topped one. At ground level, bury the mesh or, better still, bend a 45–60cm apron outward along the base and pin it flat to the soil or under turf. Foxes, badgers, and rats all dig at the base of a fence, and an apron defeats them without the labour of trenching.

Latches deserve a mention. A simple bolt or hook is no obstacle to a determined dog or a curious child, and foxes have been known to nudge loose catches. Use a two-step catch, a carabiner, or a padlock on the main door, and check it every evening.

Roofing, Cover, And The Wild Bird Question

An open-topped run is only safe until something finds it. A buzzard or sparrowhawk will take a bantam or a chick in broad daylight, and a fox will climb netting or a nearby shed roof with unnerving ease. Cover the whole run with welded mesh or heavy-duty netting, ideally with a slight slope so rain and snow shed rather than sagging.

Keep mesh small — 25mm is a good compromise — which also stops most small wild birds from wandering in to share feeders and water. That matters more than it once did. Wild garden birds can carry disease into a run, so site hanging feeders and bird baths well away from the coop, clean drinkers daily, and follow any national housing advice during avian influenza outbreaks without hesitation. You can still enjoy your garden visitors — just not through the same fence.

Add a covered section at one end: a clear corrugated panel or a taut tarpaulin over a third of the run. Hens hate being wet, and a dry patch keeps feed and litter in far better condition through a British winter.

Rotation And Keeping The Grass Alive

Grass under a static flock will vanish. The answer is movement, and it is easier than it sounds.

• Moveable runs: a lightweight ark or panel run shifted every three to seven days, depending on flock size, gives hens fresh grazing and lets the vacated patch recover.
• Split static runs: divide a fixed run in half with a mesh panel and alternate sides every fortnight, resting each for at least four weeks.
• Reseed bare patches with a hardy mix of perennial ryegrass, white clover, and plantain, sown in early autumn when the soil is warm and damp.
• Poo-pick weekly in small runs. It reduces worm burden, cuts flies, and stops the sward smothering.

A dust bath area of dry sand and wood ash, plus a few shrubs or pallets for cover, will keep birds busy even when a patch is resting.

Small Routines That Keep It Working

Walk the perimeter every morning and look for fresh digging, loose staples, or gaps at the base. Count your hens at dusk, close and double-check the door, and refresh drinkers before you go in. Once a month, lift a few roof panels and check for wear, and inspect the housing for red mite while you are there.

None of this is complicated, but it is cumulative. A tight run, a dry corner, and a patch of real grass give you hens that behave like hens — scratching, dust-bathing, and grazing their way through the day while you get on with the garden.