Hen run plans - ideas please

[mandyballantyne]

Hi All,

I have had the coop built for a while now but have not had time to build a run.

Does any one have any plans that they have used before or any advise please?

Coop is 3'x2' and idealy would go inside the run. The girls when eventualy get them will free range 2/3 days a week so it needs to be big enough for them and small enough for me to move.

Thanks in advance, Mandy

[Birdie Wife]

Hi Mandy,

Depends what size you want, whether it has to be covered, and whether you want it to be movable. Are you thinking along the lines of a permanent run or an ark-style one that can be moved with the house? Is your coop square or an ark?

[mandyballantyne]

Hi BW,

The coop has an apex roof but not an ark On legs, square etc

I was thiking of something big enough to put the coop in so maybe 4' wide 11-12' long and high enough for me to crawl in. Maybe just one door.

Thinking of the roof being chicken wire but with a covered area for food etc

Does that sound ok, or have i missed something crutial??

Thanks, Mandy

[Birdie Wife]

I think I know the one - sort of square but with a sloped roof? TBH it's easier to have the run not covered, so you can get in and out without having to crawl - this quickly gets boring. Are your chickens quite flighty? Most wouldn't fly over a normal stock fence which is about 4' but some do (especially light breeds or bantams) so unless there's another good reason for having the run covered, I would tend to have it open. Are you going to shut the chickens away at night? If not, then that would be a good reason to have a covered run!

A covered area for food is quite a good idea but you can get weather-proof feeders with a wide-brimmed aluminium hat which keeps out the worst of the weather, and these can be suspended a few inches off the ground. If you put this in a corner of the run and made a windbreak by putting some 4 x 4' exterior ply sheeting over the wire of the run, your girls will be able to snack in comfort!

From the dimensions of the run I'm thinking it's going to be a permanent run, is that right? If so, all you need are fence posts (normal fence posts for a stock fence, which are about 6' long with a pointy end, either round or square), enough chicken wire or weld mesh to go all the way around plus a bit for luck and some 1" x 2" batons, a couple of hinges and a latch fastening/hook-and-eye style closure to make a gate. Raid your local hardware store, they should be able to sort you out for gate fastenings. A timber merchants will have your fence posts and probably wire too.

If you want to cover the run, I would be very tempted to use deer fence posts instead of stock fence posts, so you are able to walk upright. They take a bit more thinking about how to put in, because they are about 10' long and go into the ground to about 8' high, but ultimately it will be much more comfortable for you. To cover the run, you'll need to put batons around the top of the wire so you can attach the roof wire.

Hope this helps a bit, good luck with it!

[mandyballantyne]

Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed reply.

I had planed this to be a movable run as they will only be able to free range 2-3 days a week until i find out what the fox population is like round here.

Am I being too generous with the size of it? Would be for 3/4 hens probably black rook.

The roof of chicken wire etc was again for fox proofing while I am not around during the day, they would be in at night.

Maybe I should re think the size and go a bit smaller to start and expand if I feel they are too cramped.

The rate I am going it will be next year before I get them!

Thanks, Mandy

[roitelet]

Have a look on the thread ' Chicken Run' Mandy. I posted some pictures of my moveable, flexible run on there.

Not fox proof but at the moment (fingers crossed) I don't seem to have a problem. The hens are shut in at night.