Adding 2nd run.. If you can't laugh at yourself? (added predator pics)

[88heather]

Why I don't free range.. maybe I should start another thread on this..

This is the fox we somehow adopted. (I named her Betty). that decided to keep her kids under our driveway..

Unbelievably no attempts on our chickens.. fortunately for Betty and her children there is tons of easier wildlife to get.. Gumbo JUST ran off a fox.. and he's sitting guard right now! He won't let anything bother his chickens!!

Betty's children

And here's Betty:

 

[cheryl98117]

Quote:
Absolutely gorgeous and adorable! But boy would they make me nervous! Nice shots though! I love the look of foxes!

As for your run! Good job! It doesn't look anywhere NEAR as bad as your discription makes it sound. lol Good for you on all your hard work! Last year when I built my first coop and run... It was my first attempt, "no experience like you" the run turned out great, But I failed miserably keeping the inside of the coop dry! So I had to rebuild this year...

I don't know you, but I'm so proud of what youve done, and you should be as well! So should your kids! Yes its uneven, yes its over built, and wont meet many construction workers standards, but as long as it keeps chickens in and foxes out. What more can you ask for really?

I think your doing an awsome job for having no experience! And like others have already said, measure twice cut once, and DONT be afriad to over build! Personally I love the look of your pannels, it reminds me of looking through a picture frame. Great job hun, keep up the great work!

 

[88heather]

Thanks Cheryl!! Oh yes. Betty the fox and her 5 kids made me NERVOUS this past spring... I still can't figure out why I had no digs at our chicken run or any attempts?? Is it b/c bunnies are abundant to eat here? tons of other birds and easier prey?.. Gumbo does run them off.. Once Gumbo chased a fox right in front of me.. this was when here children were in the pipe.. Before I knew what was in the pipe it was a mystery till my husband I armed with the camera and flashlight looked in and there were 2 of her kids. I heard they lived under my neighbors deck and would play near their house! (i wish I got shots of it!).. Well Betty would hang out during the day near our drive way and I took a TON of pics of her.. she is cute!.. but must keep chickens SAFE!!

Thanks on the encouraging words.. I moved the chicks in the closed coop till I get this run finished! Much safer in a locked coop than the dog crate b/c I would have the garage door open in the day and they would be easy prey for a fox gutsy enough to go in our garage! Gumbo runs them off.. but he is inside a lot too!

If it werent for my realtor coming over last week and suggesting the panel idea and those brackets.. then this run would look way worse! LOL.. b/c I would of continued with my other way of building! It's hard to do some things without extra hands to hold..

I should show more fox pics..I have some great ones and even another of the fox kits in the pipe with the neighbor dog's ball!!!

Better go outside and work!

 

[sharol]

Betty is lovely and the kit in the pipe is adorable. Your pen looks great. Your story is quite entertaining.

Don't let the engineer bully you.

Sharol

 

[vfem]

Betty STILL flips me out... you should probably post about that story in another thread. Its a good story!

 

[dsqard]

Great shot of Bettie and the kits too! Your panels look like they are quite sturdy enough to keep them out. You are using hardware cloth instead of chicken wire? Not sure if you mentioned that before or not. I agree with sharol, don't let the engineer bully you. I work with engineers (although electrical, mechanical and aerospace not civil) and sometimes they don't know as much as they think they do. Not saying that particularly about your neighbor just take what he says with a grain of salt if he is really harsh which I don't really think he will be. He might suggest a few ways to make sure the panels don't fall over but other than that I think the panels look really solid. Can't wait to see the finished product with the chickies in it! You really are doing a marvelous job!!

 

[88heather]

Thanks!!! Um.. i'm using chicken wire which is the same wire on the other coop.. is that bad?? Betty and her family haven't tried?? Don't know why? Maybe I could add at the bottom the hard cloth stuff at the bottom and take it all the way around?

I am using the really good staples you hammer in..

I have been working on these hinges for the door all morning.. Door opens! a bit of a stick at the bottom but maybe I can sand down the board underneath.. no way am I redoing that hinge.. OMG.. if that didn't take FOREVER!.. Just happy the door actually opens but I have one screw that is sticking out about 1/4 inch and wont screw in on the hinge.. I think i stripped the screw some.. not even a handjheld screw driver will get that screw in.. I should just beat it with the hammer! tee hee! Then went to put on the latch and realized I need a wider board.. DOH! So.. I'll just screw in a little board to use for the latch.. what a pain!

Better screw in those giant top boards I have on top so they don't fall off and bonk anyone in the head.. should do that before guy comes tonight. I moved the chicks in the new coop b/c I am sure he'll bring his kids and they are little kids and last time the chicks were in the garage.. the kids were in there and it was a bit chaotic.. Kids were all grabbing in the dog pen to pet the chicks.. chicks going crazy and I didn't have a good system of keeping them from flying out (loose cardboard on top with some wire barely holding on).. Chicks will be safer from 3 little ones grabbing them!!

Geesh,.. i totally missed lunch out there sitting in the dirt trying to put latches on my not so level door!

 

[88heather]

oh and thanks to all who are commenting and reading!!.. whether I am directly replying to everyone or not.. it means a lot.. I mean to comment on everyone's comments.. but I have my mind so focused on this.. Seriously glad I haven't hurt myself yet.. I thought I'd put peel and stick linoleum squares in the coop.. put down a few.. and had trouble doing a professional job.. Ok.. so I just slapped them down.. so pathetic looking.. some of them wouldn't stick anyway so I figure it didn't matter they'll be back up in no time.. I have patches of bare floor.. linoleum squares here and there... Oh brother!

I should take a pic of the coop prisoners!! I think they are happier in the coop than the dog crate..

Day going too fast! I thought i'd have more done today than this.. I may of well hired my 95 yr old grandma to do it!

 

[88heather]

here's that pic of the kits that stole the neighbors ball!

Fox kit with ball.

 

[dsqard]

Heather love the pic of the kit with the ball! Too funny

For the hardware cloth (you can find it near the chicken wire usually or you can ask the guys at Home Depot) all you would have to do is run it around the bottom. You would not have to cover the whole run with it. Some people will dig down and run it into the ground around the run as well for more protection. It is a lot more safe than chicken wire. I know you said that the foxes don't seem to be bothering the chickens but if they decide to, chicken wire will not stop them and a raccoon can reach through the chicken wire and grab tasty pieces. I don't want to scare you but I have read threads about raccoons doing it. How did it go with the engineer neighbor?