My rabbit hutch turning coop

[LivingLocal]

I picked up this hutch on Craigslist for...free! It's 6' x 3' and we're hoping to house 5 Ancona hens. We've screwed on a plywood floor to the bottom and we're currently building a 6' x 8' run off the coop alongside the fence. We're in a subdivision so we don't want the hens wandering into the neighbors yard so they'll probably keep to the run with lots of scraps given to them.

We'll be screwing on a recycled 2 door cabinet to the outside wall that will be used as 2 nesting boxes. I'm quite excited to move along with this project. Any tips or tricks you can give for run building? Hubby is making a wood frame and stretching the chicken wire over it. He'll also make a rough door for me. Thanks!

 

[Zahboo]

I would turn it around, so the rain is shed out of the run, not in. Nice find.

 

[LivingLocal]

Oh great tip! I didn't even think of that! So I'd cut out a hatch for them attached with hinges I suppose. The Ancona's are a flighty bird I heard and will fly in and out with no problems.

 

[boogiedog]

From experience - build the run even bigger than you think you will need

. I'm only a few months in and already need to expand my run.

 

[LivingLocal]

Are you expanding due to adding more birds or other reasons? We really can only do 5 no matter how many I want! We live in a fairly snug subdivision!

 

[rrgrassi]

If they are flighty, you will need to clip thier wings. Thay can clear that privacy fence. Also put some hardware cloth along the bottom of the fence, as they will be able to squeeze under it.

 

[LivingLocal]

We do plan on fencing below the privacy fence and putting up bird netting over the top of the run.

 

[kichohana]

Quote:
A wood frame is great - chicken wire, however, is not. Strongly recommend 1/2 x 1/2 hardware cloth for security, attached with screws and washers, NOT staples.

All the BYC members know, "chicken wire only keeps chickens in, it doesn't keep predators out!" Better safe than sorry. And kudos on your free score! My girls do not free range and are in an enclosed coop/run 24/7. Check out my BYC page for pictures of our coop and run build.

 

[LivingLocal]

They'll be locked in the "coop" at night. Is chicken wire ok then for the run? Don't really have the funds for that much hardware cloth! Ah! Now thinking about how to make a sandy bottom run also...

 

[Zahboo]

Quote:
Chickenwire is not the best. I would do chicken wire if available, and as money becomes available, replace it. Chicken wire may do fine, but it's that one night that may do was did not do that people use hardware cloth for. Could you do welded wire with chicken wire at the bottom? or find a chainlink kennel on Craigslist. We found one free after searching! It's definitley a great start.