Coop and Run advice needed

[JulesAussies]

Chicken Coop/Run advice needed. Two big questions I have at this stage in planning. 1. Will wooden pallets around the ground of the outer perimeter of the run work for digging predators? How should I attach them? 2. Is it possible to securely cover a 12' wide run against larger predators (not just other birds)? Ideas? I'm not a builder and need advice on this or links to others. I have wanted chickens FOREVER. I've had these girls from 2 days old. I can't believe how attached I am to each of them and their safety is beyond important. Thank you so much for any help. Lengthy explanation below. My nine chicks (7 weeks old) will have a 12 x 8 fully enclosed coop. That's just the start in the pic. Regarding ventilation - would two long rectangular screened (with hardware cloth) openings along the top of the sides be adequate along with two closable sliding windows? There will also be a full sized walk in door on the front that I can leave open unless it is too windy or cold. The ladies will have their own smaller entry door as well.

Regarding the run: I plan to use 2x4 no climb or possibly chain link for the sides of the run. I am also going to double up the bottom 3' with smaller wire, maybe hardware cloth so predators can't reach in to grab my chickens. I have access to a lot of pallets so I am using those along the entire outer perimeter of the run. They are 40" wide so I think that will be an excellent deterrent against digging predators. Has anyone used pallets for this before? What would you recommend as a good was to secure them? At some point I also plan to run a hot wire along the bottom and the top of their 6' tall run but that is part of my next project when I hot wire the pasture to keep the horses and donkey in. So it won't be in place immediately and I obviously want the coop/run as secure as possible in case it fails.

I would love to keep the run 12' wide by as long as I can afford to fence (24-30' if possible) since they won't have the opportunity to free range much. However, as you can see from the pic, my property is adjacent to miles of state trust land. The top of the run needs to be fully enclosed as well to protect them from predators even during the daytime. What or how would you recommend building a fully enclosed 12' wide run? I don't know if it's possible. I'm not a builder so I'm looking for the logistics. Budget is an issue so I'll have to go smaller before I can sacrifice security. Sorry this is so long winded but when I asked for advice on a couple FB groups I could tell from the responses that they didn't really understand my questions.

 

[JulesAussies]

I should add that coyotes are a threat even during the day so it is extremely important to me that my run be as predator proof as the enclosed coop. Thanks so much!!

 

[MamaC]

Hi I'm Celeste. I have a converted lean to turned coop in Central Wisconsin. My coops dimensions are 10 ft long by6 ft wide. Its insulated. We used foam insulation to cut down on cost. The run is 12 ft long by 6 ft wide by 10 ft tall. I will post pics in a couple minutes. If safety is what you are after you need a double coop entry. Our barn stylendoors open to our storage / isolation area. In there are my true human sizedncoop doors.

 

[MamaC]

 

[JulesAussies]

Thanks Celeste! Wow! I'm jealous of your 10' tall run. If mine was that tall I probably wouldn't have to worry about coyotes but I still have bobcats. Love your door system.

 

[MamaC]

We have coyote round here too. Your property look lovely. The chain link on the sides could be improved by surrounding the bottom two feet with hard wire as well. We have an electric fence round the back fencing too. Possums are the reason I boardedup my upper ventalation. Had one of those nasty creature climb into my storage area but it couldn't get to the birds. Double up on entries and exits and you improve safety. My beating stick whacked that possum I tell you!

 

[MamaC]

It climbed onto the roof from the tree and got in where I had no chicken wire while coop improvements were going on. Scared the life outta me when I opened my barn doors. That thing hissed and ran for its life.

 

[JulesAussies]

Thanks for the advice on doubling up the fencing along the bottom of the run. I plan to use hardware cloth on the lower 3 feet of the run in addition to the main heavier fence. I'm just not sure what to use to cover the top of the run. I can't leave it open. I don't know if 12' is too wide to try to cover securely. I'm at a loss as what to do and I'd like to get my chickens out soon so they can start acclimating to the cooler nights.

 

[MamaC]

If you go to my other posts you can see better pictures of my coop and run. For some reason I have not been having an easy time uploading photos today. I forgot to get the dimensions of the lumber my husband used to build our run. I believe every five ft we have a support piece. I mean every five ft lengthwise and vertically as well. That's why our dimensions are 10 ft long by 10 ft tall so it was an easier assembly for him. We have just chicken wire for the top and the sides. The bottom two feet of the run are reinforced with hardwire that runs 8 inches underground as well. Inside the run we have huge paving stone to deter diggers that somehow make their way past the hardwire. in two years no one has even attempted to dig into the run. The upside of the paver stones is how excited the birds get when I reset them after the moles are tunneling. They just go crazy for the worms and bugs that live under the stones. I will try to post better pictures of my run if I can.

 

[MamaC]