Coop run for free range hens?

[Breadhead]

Get the 1/2" hardware cloth for the perimeter, at least 2' up from the ground and another 2' apron flat on the ground. That will prevent predators from digging under or reaching through.

This shows the apron:
View attachment 3783453

Ok, that’s what I’m thinking, except I’ll wrap the perimeter 24” from the ground up. I do plan to put some wire in the ground, I planned to put the bigger welded wire on the ground since I’ll have a lot left over from a 330ft roll of the 2x6 spacing wire.

 

[NatJ]

What’s everyone’s opinion on this wire for the run? Looks like they are small squares vs. The 2”x4” rectangles.

https://kencove.com/fence/detail.php?code=WH10-6-14

Those squares do not look small to me.
I see openings of graduated sizes, ranging from 3" by 6" (the smallest) to 8" by 6" (the largest, which is big enough for some adult chickens to go through.)
Those are all bigger than the 2"x4" rectangles you mention as a comparison.

Personally, I would go for something with smaller holes than that, unless you are planning to cover the entire thing with hardware cloth as well.

Some people (including me) can have trouble visualizing how big or small a hole is, if the size is just given in inches. It helps me if I get a ruler and draw the size on a piece of paper, or take a piece of cardboard and cut an actual hole that big.

 

[Breadhead]

Those squares do not look small to me.
I see openings of graduated sizes, ranging from 3" by 6" (the smallest) to 8" by 6" (the largest, which is big enough for some adult chickens to go through.)
Those are all bigger than the 2"x4" rectangles you mention as a comparison.

Personally, I would go for something with smaller holes than that, unless you are planning to cover the entire thing with hardware cloth as well.

Some people (including me) can have trouble visualizing how big or small a hole is, if the size is just given in inches. It helps me if I get a ruler and draw the size on a piece of paper, or take a piece of cardboard and cut an actual hole that big.

You are right. I called and got an official measurement and it was 6” x 6” openings, big enough for a family of 4 to walk through (j/k)!

 

[RebelRo]

Hello all,

We purchased 9 one week old Brahmas and will only keep the hens. Hopefully at least 7 are hens. We will be keeping them as egg layers, not for eating. Many of our neighbors have free range chickens so there aren’t many predators in the immediate area (Meridian, Idaho).

The plan: To let them roam the yard all day and our yard is roughly 50’ x 35’ (ball park, might be bigger). With the exception of weekly mowing during the season and when we have occasional guest that might be scared of the big birds.

I am in the designing stage of our coop and have a couple questions…

First question, if the plan is to have them free range the majority of their life, do I need to take up yard space and make a 16’+ run?

2nd question, does the 4sqft (coop) per bird apply if keeping them locked up w/the run or can the coop be built in the 3sqft per bird if free ranging?
I was leaning towards a 6’x5’ raised coop and adding 6’ of run (12’x5’ of space when locked up).

Thoughts, suggestions, improvements?

Thanks for any feedback!

I have chickens and 2 guineas that free range-have a 12ft x 12 ft run and attached coop is 8 x 12 (only cuz I got for 600$) -sq ftg only becomes an issue when birds are enclosed and stressed for resources- my birds go in and go to bed with some scuffling for best roosting position and are le out and free range all day-have had as many as 42 birds and did keep them in the run for a 3 day period due to weather and had no issues

 

[Breadhead]

Update…
Still have 9 birds and it looks like 2 (possibly 3) are roosters. We made the decision to keep a maximum of 6 but highly considering going down to 5.

Coop is 6x5 (4’10” to be specific).
Run is 11.5’ x 5’1” so just over 55sqft of run. We were going to put the coop and run along the side of the house but placement made the coop look so out of place. We ended up putting it in the back of our yard.

I might of over engineered the structure but I’d rather overdo it than hurt someone or have to rebuild it. I also added 6 orange 30” earth anchors to make sure wind will not cause it to roll, along with 300lbs of mixed gravel in the coop.

Thoughts! Suggestions! Ideas for food and water welcome, at the moment I’m thinking about 3-4” diameter PVC, 4-6’ long and just topoff as needed.