One BYC poster gave me the idea of constructing my run as a free-standing enclosure and putting my coop right in the middle of it. Coop would not be attached to the run at all. With the run's walls and ceiling made of hardware cloth tight screening, I wouldn't have to predator-proof the coop at all. Wouldn't even have to close the coop door and the hens could come and go at dawn and dusk without me having to shut them up at night or get up early to let them out. I'd put an apron of screening at the bottom of the run to skirt it all around. The apron would then splay out for a two feet horizontally and I'd cover that with heavy rocks or cement or something that raccoons couldn't dig under. Has anyone else placed their coop in the middle of their run, unattached? If so, I'd love to hear about it. Pictures? Comments? Advice?
Thanks,
-Carolyn
Thanks,
-Carolyn