A clean slate...

[chrispbrown27]

Since April the wife and I have been looking for a house and finally we found the right one. Three bedroom, one bath, sitting on just over 5 acres, pole barn, multiple outbuildings and close to school for me and work for the wife. The run I originally built two years ago has gotten too small for the ducks and chickens so I am looking forward to the space I will have now. The former owners bred dogs of some sort and one of the outbuildings is set up for the dogs, that has electricity, and is going to be perfect for the birds, along with a second smaller building that will need to be moved but will be perfect for a second coop and run. The dog building has concrete under the covered open area and where the second building will go also has a concrete slab. We have plans to eventually put about a 1/2 acre to 3/4 acre pond behind the house, which the ducks will love. I am looking forward to the closing date so I can get in there and get started on building the new and much improved run, but I am not looking forward to buying all the hardware cloth to enclose the run. The plan is to set it up so that I can keep the breeds I prefer (golden wyandottes and black jersey giants) separate and have an area just for meat birds and then the ducks have their own area too. Needless to say this is going to be fairly expensive when it comes to the hardware cloth, but at least I don't have to buy the wood to build the coops.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another option is to lock the birds in the buildings at night with hardware cloth over the openings so you don't have to cover all the runs with it.

 

[chrispbrown27]

When I originally built the run they are in right now I did lock them up at night, but they just seem happier when they can run and roam as they please and don't have to wait on me to let them out in the morning. The initial cost will be worth it in the long run.

 

[RJSorensen]

Everyone's management style and preference is different. You seem to know what you want, how to do it, and have a plan in mind. I say good for you. A clean slate is a gift… a pallet of opportunities with which to create that dream design you must have. And as a second build, Rev. B, you have experience on your side this time. What you are about to do is nothing short of a ton of fun. At least by me. I envy your position, and your will to make it happen, as you wish.

Best to you and your flock(s),

RJ