Adding a run to my existing set up.

[coolcanoechic]

Hello Everyone!

I want to add more space to my existing set up. What I have right now has a floor in it, and I want to extend off of what I have with a dirt run so the girls can have their dust baths during the winter time. I'm planning to go about ten feet off the end of the existing structure and mimick the roofline as well, so it will be a covered run. This should add about 60 sq ft for the girls.

I would like to see pictures of everyone's runs to help me get some ideas about how I want to do this.

This is what I have now. The tree will have to be removed of course. More pictures of how this is put together can be seen on my coop page. Thanks in advance for any ideas you can give me!

 

[7L Farm]

This is my Quail flight pen. I would do something similar to this if it were me. I'll show you before & after. I basically added another coop and attached it to the existing pen.I can close off one section if need be. It has a pop door to let the others in & another human door. The benefits are you can raise chicks in it & when they get the same size you just open up the pop door. Make it big more space is always better in many ways less cleaning, less picking on each other & yes more birds.

 

[7L Farm]

Another thing to consider is I built the annex while I already had quail living in the original pen. Guess, you noticed I have a deck on top which really helps in the summer it shades the birds. You can see the pop door in between the two pens. I'm thinking my next move is I will add a three hundred sq ft grow out pen nexts. The pen right now is over 500 sq ft. Another factor you might consider is positioning of your and. Mine is facing the prevailing wind which helps keep the birds cooler in the summer. Its super hot here. I also have the cold winds blocked off.
The pen is very open but the cold winds are blocked off. The birds acclimate to the cold no problem. Its the cold winds that can harm them. Hope this helps in your decision.

 

[7L Farm]

If you don't like the quail pen here's another coop I have. Its under trees but same senario. The coop & run face the prevailing wind & the cold winds are blocked off. If you notice most of my coops are three sided open air coops. Its again super hot here. I welcome cold not so much the heat. The heat is very hard on our feathered friends. This picture is before I added a roost in the run. I'll get another picture & post .

 

[7L Farm]

Here's the roost in the run & I have another roost in the coop.Notice the wire is sandwiched with another 2x4 very strong & safe.

 

[coolcanoechic]

Here's the roost in the run & I have another roost in the coop.Notice the wire is sandwiched with another 2x4 very strong & safe.

Did you have to stitch the hardware cloth together?

 

[coolcanoechic]

This is my Quail flight pen. I would do something similar to this if it were me. I'll show you before & after. I basically added another coop and attached it to the existing pen.I can close off one section if need be. It has a pop door to let the others in & another human door. The benefits are you can raise chicks in it & when they get the same size you just open up the pop door. Make it big more space is always better in many ways less cleaning, less picking on each other & yes more birds.

I like this idea....you never know when you may add more chickens!

 

[coolcanoechic]

I don't have a ton of space available, but now I am thinking a 12 by 12 addition. Since I have started a new job, The daylight hours will not correspond with my work schedule. It will be dark when I leave for work, and dark when I get home. I won't be able to let them out for much longer when I get home. They will already be thinking about beddie bye.
This is why I want to add the run with a dirt floor. They will devour the grass in no time, I'm sure, but at least they will have the dirt to dust bathe in. That should make them happy during the week when I can't be there to let them out and play.

 

[brahmakid11]

nice coop but i just let mine free range

 

[coolcanoechic]

nice coop but i just let mine free range

I'm afraid to do that. Too many predators in the neighborhood. I have had a game cam for a while now, and it shows me everything. My biggest fear is the fox, He has been here every night since I set it up. I have actually been sitting in the back yard on a bench and had a fox go running right by me in the middle of the afternoon......so no go. I won't let them out while I'm not there.