Building a run first timer

[Frosty29]

I'm building my coop for my six Ameraucana chicks that will be arriving in a week and a half. I need to make run. I do not want rats in my yard so making it rat proof is a priority. I also have two dog that I need to protect my chickens from.

So if I make an attached run, what type of wire should I use? Do I need to have the run covered or would tall fencing keep the birds in?

The other option is to make a pen and have the coop inside the pen. How tall would the fence need to be? I have access to a 10x10 dog pen that has 4' high sides with no top.

I am not too concerned with night time predators as I will be getting a automatic door.

I included a pic of the coop I'm working on.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

For the run and all openings in the coop we used 1/2" hardware cloth. Our run has a solid roof, it keeps out predators as well as snow & rain allowing the chickens to be out in any type weather.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My run is chain link with a hardware cloth apron to keep out smaller critters. You can also do some combo with welded wire. Just avoid chicken wire as that is far too flimsy for any predator protection.

Covering the run is up to you. If you cover it it can provide weather protection and/or aerial predator protection. It's up to you to determine what you might need in your environment. Mine is not covered as I have a weeping willow tree hanging in to deter aerial predators, and the birds are fine being rained on so I haven't roofed it.

 

[Frosty29]

I figured they have the coop and under the coop if it starts raining hard. Will the chickens fly out of the coop, do I need to clip their wings

 

[rosemarythyme]

Whether or not you need/want to clip their wings depends on the height of the fence, the breeds (or even individual qualities) of your chickens. My run has a 6' tall fence and auxiliary run has 4' tall fence and as I mentioned before my run is uncovered. So yes my chickens have on occasion flown to the top of 6' part and clear out of the 4' side, however I have not clipped their wings because they've never run away after they escape. They literally just walk around the outside of the run, eating weeds, until I find them, pick them up and put them back in.

If it's a concern that they might fly clear off your property or that you might have a hard time wrangling them up, then I'd clip the wings of any chicken that seems to like getting airborne.

 

[Frosty29]

I would also like them to be able to run around my back yard while the dogs are inside. Even though I have a small yard there are plenty of bushes and shrubs for them to forage around in. My back yard is fenced in with a 4' fence.

Why do people use hardware wire vs chicken wire?

 

[thisjed]

Why do people use hardware wire vs chicken wire?

Basic answer is chicken wire keeps chickens in but doesn't keep predators out. It's pretty flimsy and a determined racoon will easily get through. Hardware cloth is a welded wire and much more rigid - will keep raccoons, etc. out if installed properly. I know it's kind of silly we have the word chicken in chicken wire and then say not use it with chickens, lol.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Chicken wire is great with chickens... keeping them out of my garden beds! But yes as a general rule it's too flimsy for most predator protection. If you want a run topper that is solely to keep the chickens in/aerial predators out, chicken wire can work, though if snow is a concern where you are, the weight of it might be a problem with chicken wire (or any type of wire) as it could get heavy enough to simply rip through the wire.

 

[ScottandSam]

Chicken wire is great with chickens... keeping them out of my garden beds! But yes as a general rule it's too flimsy for most predator protection. If you want a run topper that is solely to keep the chickens in/aerial predators out, chicken wire can work, though if snow is a concern where you are, the weight of it might be a problem with chicken wire (or any type of wire) as it could get heavy enough to simply rip through the wire.

Wow you get huge snow flakes. lol. Arround here there would be ice build up that would really make it sag and maybe break. All of our chicken even the jersey giants can clear 4' in a wink of an eye. there for If this was my project I go with 6 or 8' fence.

Ou runs not built yet but is in the works to get started. It will be 2 4' chain link fence in between wood poles and a wood in the center for upper and lower fence too attach to. Then the lower 4' will be covered with 1/2" hw cloth and a apron from that to deter digging. My biggest issue around me is coyotes and stupid pit bulls that all my neighbors like. We have lost 4 birds to 1 dog ,that wont be a issue no more and 10 to coyotes in the last year. So we now free range dang well knowing we may loose them. That is till the runs built. Even after that we will free range 3-5 days a week so We invested in 2 lgd dogs and a nightvision scope and upgraded my ar15. This year will be far less issues than last.

Scott

 

[Frosty29]

I'm thinking it is going to be a 4' fence that will be made from welded wire and posts dug into the ground. I will clip their wings so they don't fly. What precautions can I make to prevent rats. I'm thinking of keeping the feeder inside the coop. With no food in the run there would be no reasons for rats to come by. Is my thinking correct?