Inexpensive, simple mobile run

[Ccort]

My girls were living the good life and roaming my whole yard freely but of course, the hawks had to show up and ruin it for us all. Fortunately, noone was injured.

My girls have a predator proof run but now they are desperate to have fun exploring outside of that. This would only be something they are in during the day for extra playtime...it really just needs to keep them in, and hawks out. I'd like it to be mobile so they explore different areas.

I liked the idea of a fabric tent-like area but those are all so small. (I have nine chickens).. I've been looking at these metal mobile runs from Amazon but they're only about 7 feet long. I was hoping for larger. It doesn't look like I could easily connect two of those either.

I've seen the articles on mobile tractors here but they are fancy and require building. I'm looking for more of a super simple, under a hundred bucks but keep them safe type of thing. Ideas, anyone?

 

[cavemanrich]

Consider repurposing a large trampoline,, into a chicken tractor. The trampoline I got,,, was free. Craig's List. But you may find some,,, not free, but reasonably priced. Them all you need is a roll of chicken wire to run around perimeter. I made mine movable by one person,, by installing some used lawnmower wheels on one side of unit. I lifted the other side, and dragged it to new area. . The trampoline fabric does let light come thru. You can opt to remove it, and use just the frame,, and some bird netting. That would also make unit considerably lighter,, and require no wheels. A swimming pool leaf cover may also be used. Possibilities are multiple,, depending what you choose,, and what you are able to put together with your skills/help.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[raingarden]

With a 4 ft x 50 ft roll of welded wire, three wood 2x4x12 and some fasteners you can make a 4 ft x 12 ft x 4 ft high open bottom pen with wood around the bottom perimeter. About $100.

wire
wood

It would cost about the same for 8' x 8' x 4' high.

 

[Ccort]

Consider repurposing a large trampoline,, into a chicken tractor. The trampoline I got,,, was free. Craig's List. But you may find some,,, not free, but reasonably priced. Them all you need is a roll of chicken wire to run around perimeter. I made mine movable by one person,, by installing some used lawnmower wheels on one side of unit. I lifted the other side, and dragged it to new area. . The trampoline fabric does let light come thru. You can opt to remove it, and use just the frame,, and some bird netting. That would also make unit considerably lighter,, and require no wheels. A swimming pool leaf cover may also be used. Possibilities are multiple,, depending what you choose,, and what you are able to put together with your skills/help.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Once upon a time we had one of those! That's a great repurpose idea. I wish we still had it!

 

[Ccort]

cattle panel hoop structures are fairly simple, but will probably put you over $100, unless you can get some wood or parts salvage.

I've spent so much on the coop and predator proof run already. I wondered about something like this or a tunnel, like mentioned above, but with pvc pipe. I assume people use tent or landscaping stakes to keep it down? Not sure what that would run me either but still trying to find a solution.

 

[3KillerBs]

but with pvc pipe.

If you want "predator proof" then PVC pipe isn't likely to do the job.

 

[Ccort]

The green space beside my existing run is their favorite spot so free range. They love getting under the shrubs there. Problem is, I also have two smaller trees in that area. I wondered if I could run chicken wire from the existing run to my fence and sort of make an oval area of extra playspace. Problems are...there are trees in the way and I don't know how to do a cover, to keep the hawks out.

 

[Ben Lynnsy]

The green space beside my existing run is their favorite spot so free range. They love getting under the shrubs there. Problem is, I also have two smaller trees in that area. I wondered if I could run chicken wire from the existing run to my fence and sort of make an oval area of extra playspace. Problems are...there are trees in the way and I don't know how to do a cover, to keep the hawks out.

I've been thinking about a similar issue here in my own (so far, chickless) yard. Trying to solve problems in my mind, before I solve them on the ground, LOL. The place that I want to make the coop and run has one Korean dogwood tree. Twice a year the tree drops sweet berries that you can make jelly out of, but I never do (they are a little gritty, LOL). But they would be a perfect tree for chickens. I want those berries (about the size of a cherry) to be able to fall into the run. But I don't want hawks and raccoons, etc, to get in the run by accessing it through the top or trunk of the tree. So I'm scheming about how to put welded wire fence or hardware cloth up to within an inch or so of the tree bark and filling in that small inch or so gap with "something else" (that's the part I'm still scheming about). The hardware cloth can be trimmed, one square at a time, to allow for the growth of the tree.

 

[raingarden]

You can do the same with knotted plastic mesh. The mesh can be split open if needed and then stitched back together. It will easily keep out hawks. It will keep out racoons as long as they cannot get up in the tree canopy by climbing an adjacent tree.

 

[raingarden]

Yes, they can chew through it if they get up on top. The plastic mesh is just easier to work with and doesn't require much support structure under it.