The secret of using chicken wire is to secure it to stable posts that will not wobble and that are cemented in so they will be stable for a long time.

Staple (1 to 1-1/2") to your starting post. Be generous stapling every 1-2" the whole length.

Get a couple 2x4's that are the same length as the wire is high. Staple the end of your wire to one of the 2x4s (the 4" side) again being generous with the staples. Than using 3-1/2 to 4" deck screws tightly fasten the two 2x4s together with the wire (stapled to one 2x4) between them. (you have just made a cheap fence stretcher). one get a chain or strong 3/4" rope about ten feet long and fasten 1 end of the rope/chain to the ends of your fence stretcher (be sure it is fastened so it won't slip-best to staple it in place.

Using a few 'good strong friends' or tie it to you garden tractor or a trailer hitch on your vehicle. Slowly stretch the fence past the second post until it is very tight (but not so tight you pull the anchor post out of the ground. Fasten the wire to that second post again generously with staples. Do this with each post until completed.

You may have to cut the fencing so it can be fastened to the a post (or building) that you can't stretch the fence close enough to fasten it, then stretch it toward the post that you can get to.

When chicken wire is tightly stretched predators can bit on to it to tear a hole in it. Even mink cut their gums on it trying to chew through it.

Note that even a cover run-flight-cage or what ever you want to call it you should always close up you birds in their coop at night. Just a safety habit we all should practice. They do have electronic hen doors the will close and open on a timer-but still not the same as doing yourself.

Now that you are totally confused-just remember the tighter the fencing the safer your birds.

stretching that flimsy wire? well if we get over the frost I will try it. velvet it is just to let them out for a couple hours a day. especially when I am cleaning the cage.

You do it very carefully! It is flimsy. We cleared a pile of it, all tanged with some pieces of broken wood it was attached to. What a mess! There is no way we could have untangled the stuff. Thin and very hard to work with! Make sure you wear gloves.

Be sure to wear the large plastic eye protection that fits tight over the whole eye area. Avoid using the flimsy safety glass that leave gaps on the sides for stray wire to slip around.

In Feb I'll be making some chicken wire dividers (8'L x 6'H) that can be fastened together to make portable cages of various sizes. I'll take pictures and post them on my website with the materials list-required tools-and patterns. Chicken wire can be difficult to work with but with for-thought applied it can be quite easy.

Vinylcoated wire from my pet chicken, 150' rolls, much friendlier to work with.

I have rolls and rolls of bright orange plastic snow fencing that I can use for anything, however it's a bright neon orange! Ugly! It came with the property. It's easy to work with, though, and cheap. Why anyone would buy neon orange fencing is beyond me, when it comes in black too!

runningtrails I think they use that orange to make sure people see it like construction projects and it is MUCH cheaper if I remember anything. hmmmm might be an idea.

I thought about the chicken wire questions I had and now I was wondering if I overlap the wire on a end stick (firmly planted in the ground) I can probably wrap it with wire and that would hold it pretty good. I thought about that and then wondered why in the heck didn't I think of that before. I used a little of it in the goat pen and secured it with duct tape. well you know the goats quite enjoyed eating that! LOL

Well it is in the teens here so I will not be working on making my more enclosure until it warms up soon.

seramas I am looking forward to seeing what you post. I tried to get on your site via a link that you posted on another thread but the link did not work for me.