This is my first time raising chicks. I keep my chickens in the typical black and yellow storage totes you can get at Costco, Walmart, etc. They’re working well, but as the chicks are getting bigger but not ready to be outdoors full time, I thought I could build a small run for them to hang out in during the day time on warm days.
My supplies were
2 2”x4”x8’ 2x4’s
2 4”x4”x about 18”
1 roll of chicken wire (I used a roll that is 24” wide and 10’ long - you won’t use this entire roll)
2 packs of corner braces (8 braces total, and these should come with screws)
1 door lock or latch
Box of U staples/nails
Drill and 3 inch screws
Wire cutters
Power saw
Plywood
Pencil or pen
I didn’t use a plan of any sort, I just had an idea of what I wanted. I cut one 2x4 in half (4 feet), and the other I used to cut two 3 foot sections. I laid out the wood and put it together with two corner braces in each corner. On the three foot sections, I measured out 1.5 feet to the middle and used the three inch screws to attach the 4x4’s.
The next step was to lay the wire. I can’t tell you the length that I cut it to, because I didn’t measure. First I attached the wire in the first 2 feet of the 4 foot section using the U staples. I then draped it over the top of the 4x4 and across the the other side where I again attached the wire. I repeated this for the other 2 feet. I took the wire that my chicken wire came wrapped in, and used it to essentially sew the two pieces of wire together by looping it through both sides and pulling the wire through all the way across. After this I attached the wire the the back side of the run, and looped it over. Using wire cutters, I cut the wire from the roll in two triangular patterns on the sides. Doing this, I was able to use the cut wire to fold under the side wires and attach it that way.
On the front, I used a piece of scrap plywood. I put the plywood up against where I wanted the door and traced the outline of the wire with a carpenters pencil. Using a saw, I cut the plywood along the traced line, then screwed it in place to the 4x4 using 3 inch screws. Next, I used U hooks to attach the wire to the plywood.
Finally, I attached the wire to the other half of the front of the run, attached it to the bottom of the 2x4 and the top of the 4x4 and again cut the wire in a triangular pattern and use the cut wire to attach it together.
It was relatively easy to put together, but I do recommend an extra set of hands if, like me, you don’t have a lot of experience with wood working.
My supplies were
2 2”x4”x8’ 2x4’s
2 4”x4”x about 18”
1 roll of chicken wire (I used a roll that is 24” wide and 10’ long - you won’t use this entire roll)
2 packs of corner braces (8 braces total, and these should come with screws)
1 door lock or latch
Box of U staples/nails
Drill and 3 inch screws
Wire cutters
Power saw
Plywood
Pencil or pen
I didn’t use a plan of any sort, I just had an idea of what I wanted. I cut one 2x4 in half (4 feet), and the other I used to cut two 3 foot sections. I laid out the wood and put it together with two corner braces in each corner. On the three foot sections, I measured out 1.5 feet to the middle and used the three inch screws to attach the 4x4’s.
The next step was to lay the wire. I can’t tell you the length that I cut it to, because I didn’t measure. First I attached the wire in the first 2 feet of the 4 foot section using the U staples. I then draped it over the top of the 4x4 and across the the other side where I again attached the wire. I repeated this for the other 2 feet. I took the wire that my chicken wire came wrapped in, and used it to essentially sew the two pieces of wire together by looping it through both sides and pulling the wire through all the way across. After this I attached the wire the the back side of the run, and looped it over. Using wire cutters, I cut the wire from the roll in two triangular patterns on the sides. Doing this, I was able to use the cut wire to fold under the side wires and attach it that way.
On the front, I used a piece of scrap plywood. I put the plywood up against where I wanted the door and traced the outline of the wire with a carpenters pencil. Using a saw, I cut the plywood along the traced line, then screwed it in place to the 4x4 using 3 inch screws. Next, I used U hooks to attach the wire to the plywood.
Finally, I attached the wire to the other half of the front of the run, attached it to the bottom of the 2x4 and the top of the 4x4 and again cut the wire in a triangular pattern and use the cut wire to attach it together.
It was relatively easy to put together, but I do recommend an extra set of hands if, like me, you don’t have a lot of experience with wood working.
