New Hen House build - Page 4

Thank you very much for the very generous compliment.

We are pretty excited about our cute little babies.. I'm looking forward to spoiling them. 

 

Thanks Kaitie.  The first time I saw the in-wall idea, I knew I had to implement it in my design. Assuming you used a standard 2x4 stud for your walls.. how wide and tall did you make your feeder to accommodate a 50 lb bag?

 

Thanks Sean, that type of compliment makes it all worth it.

Looking forward to seeing your design in action. Keep me posted.

 

I used 10' 4x4 redwood posts and set them with concrete about 2'+ in the ground. The soffit on the building was almost exactly 8 foot tall from finish grade... The window trim is only about four inches below that.. I knew I wanted some kind of over head protection from aerial predators, so in my mind I had to get the outside posts up high enough so whatever I ended up using wouldn't be strung or mounted across the windows or the window trim.. I'm sure there are lots of other things that I could have done but this made the most sense to me. I ended up buying an aviary netting from Cutler Supply.

The posts are spaced about 8' apart so I could tie them together with 8' 2x4s at the top.  I've built a lot of fences for myself, family and friends and this is how I've always done it.

 

I used 8' 1x8s as the skirt around the bottom to retain the sand I plan on adding to the run.

Also, I buried the hardware cloth about a foot down and about 12 - 18".

Hope that helps. Good luck with your project.

 

That's a great question.

 

I was/am very concerned about the predators where I live. I knew I wanted to invest in quality birds and consider it my responsibility to keep them safe.  I built it so they would be well protected.

 

I did think about expansion.. I couldn't grow the run any wider than the 12' that I have. I left room for planting vines and making walkways around the perimeter.

It's funny.. I actually already expanded the run twice right when I started digging the first post holes.. Originally the run was only going to be 12'x8' and house just a couple hens. 

BYC is a bit addicting and there are just so many beautiful breeds available..  I figured while the string lines were up, I would just make it a bit bigger... and then bigger yet again.  I even ran extra pvc (water) and conduit (electrical) out to the end when I buried the hardware cloth.. just in case. 

 

Plus I can still set more posts at 8' intervals and expand it by going longer with the run... It will always be 12' wide, but I can go an additional 24' - 30' before the ground starts to slope downward.  I even considered sectioning off at the 8' posts with chicken wire to build small breeding pens/runs that would be 8' x 12'. .. I hope my wife doesn't read this.  

 

Hope that helps you understand where my head was with all this.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the very nice compliment..
I just received my chicks on Thursday! Such the cute little distractions.
I should be able to finish by the time they outgrow their Brooder.

Good luck with your coop n run project.
Be sure to post pics.

BTW, welcome to BYC!