Any experience with buying a "Chicken Safe" run?

[Criticalicious]

I found this site called Chicken Safe Inc. via an ad in Backyard Poultry magazine. The runs look heavy duty, large, and not too much more expensive than if I bought wood and wire and constructed it myself. Plus I wouldn't have to transport it, because they offer free shipping. It even includes a predator apron and optional rain covers.

Does anyone have experience with these runs or know about this company?

 

[Flockandfowl46]

I'm not familiar with them hun but they do look interesting

 

[rosemarythyme]

I doesn't look bad... I like that there's a variety of size options. My only issue is... with the slope of the roof, are you supposed to use children to clean out the edges of the run? The man in the photo can only stand where he's at, with his head bent down!

 

[Criticalicious]

I doesn't look bad... I like that there's a variety of size options. My only issue is... with the slope of the roof, are you supposed to use children to clean out the edges of the run? The man in the photo can only stand where he's at, with his head bent down!

Good question! I noticed the door is only 5'11" high which is fine for me (I'm 5'9") but my husband is 6' so he'd have to duck. It's still bigger than the coop with enclosure I have now. At least I could bring a chair inside.

 

[Emmaxx]

Double check what kind of mesh it has. The close up of the wheels shows square weld mesh but the main pic shows it with hexagonal chicken wire, which I understand isn't as predator proof as the the former. I only looked at the first option and saw no man inside so there may be other options. The description was pretty ambiguous in the 13ft one though and I'd lean towards it describing chicken wire.

 

[Criticalicious]

Double check what kind of mesh it has. The close up of the wheels shows square weld mesh but the main pic shows it with hexagonal chicken wire, which I understand isn't as predator proof as the the former. I only looked at the first option and saw no man inside so there may be other options. The description was pretty ambiguous in the 13ft one though and I'd lean towards it describing chicken wire.

On the main page it claims they don't use chicken wire. I'm a little leery only because their website is so lousy.

 

[Emmaxx]

On the main page it claims they don't use chicken wire. I'm a little leery only because their website is so lousy.

Oh I didn't see a main page. It's a real turn off to have a rubbish website isn't it, I'm sure a lot of great businesses miss out because of it! I think these type of runs are more popular in the UK, not that I've had personal experience of them, but see them a lot on ebay and various places.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The website said "17gauge 1inch hole galvanised weld mesh" - so I have to assume that's going to be a square type mesh. Maybe contact them for more clarification? I like welded wire but it's hard to find it with small openings. If you think you might have any issue with rats/mice, you're going to have to overlay some hardware cloth to make the openings even smaller. A rat can definitely fit through a 1" square.

I mean I think if you like it, this run could work. Other than the headroom issue the design is functional and the price isn't bad for a kit. If I didn't already have a run (and a tall spouse) I would've definitely considered something like this.

Another option, if you like this style of run but want more headroom... look into carports. It'll take some work to modify but you can use it as a frame and overlay mesh or wire fencing on it, add a door, and it'll end up being similar but taller, with a solid roof.

 

[aart]

Double check what kind of mesh it has. The close up of the wheels shows square weld mesh but the main pic shows it with hexagonal chicken wire

I noticed that too.

Other than the headroom issue the design is functional

Head room appears to be higher with the narrower layouts....thinks it's because roof angle joints remain the same.
Not sure tho, their drawings are not stellar.

 

[jthornton]

Why not just start with a canopy that has proper height and add your own welded wire and door frame.

@aart Looks like the same fittings that came in a canopy kit I got years ago with welded pieces to form the joints and you just put tubes into the sockets so yea the angle stays the same.

JT