Appropriate size for a "tunnel" to the run?

[paneubert]

I am thinking of coming over to the dark side next Spring by either greatly reducing or maybe even getting rid of my quail in favor of chickens. In my imaginary setup, I would re-purpose my 50 SF quail aviary by turning it into a coop, and then maybe make a hardware cloth or chicken wire tunnel out to a run somewhere in the yard, since a run directly adjacent to the aviary/coop would not be the best placement.

Do people have advice about the size of tunnel that would make the most sense? I am thinking we will end up with some generic sex links. Black, Gold, etc... Mostly thinking about how wide or high I need to make it for the chickens to actually use it and not just look at me like I am trying to get them to walk into a tunnel of death. Other thoughts running thru my mind include how to maintain access to clean it out or get in there if I ever need to.... I am not concerned about it being predator proof at all, just want to be able to get chickens from one place to another. Hence why I am willing to use chicken wire.

 

[Alaskan]

for chicken movement. .. 1 foot square would work.

 

[Ohmyheart]

I used this link to make my chunnels. The size works great and they have no issues going through them. They even run without a problem.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...vable-run-enclosure-for-our-chickens.1024739/

 

[paneubert]

I used this link to make my chunnels. The size works great and they have no issues going through them. They even run without a problem.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...vable-run-enclosure-for-our-chickens.1024739/

I actually had not considered having wire on the floor, but that is not a bad idea......would provide form/structure and keep them from digging out. My initial thought was a simple wood framing using 1.5 by 1.5 inch wood wrapped in wire. But this would probably be easier. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

 

[Ohmyheart]

I actually had not considered having wire on the floor, but that is not a bad idea......would provide form/structure and keep them from digging out. My initial thought was a simple wood framing using 1.5 by 1.5 inch wood wrapped in wire. But this would probably be easier. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

I was going to go with a wood triangle and chicken wire type of tunnel, until I saw this. It is so much easier and lighter to move around.

 

[Alaskan]

for chicken movement. .. 1 foot square would work.

eh... In that chunnel article they said 14" by 16-18 tall....

So I was guessing a bit small.

 

[h c hennery]

We used 4' hardware cloth to make a 1'x1' tunnel -- our hens can pass each other in it. We have a Buff Orpington, a Barred Rock, and a Red Star (sex link).

Here's a video of their first few minutes, figuring it out (

).

One thing we learned -- these tunnels absolutely would not bend or curve . . . hence the 90 degree angles.

 

[paneubert]

Cool. After the wife got wind of my plan for 45 feet of tunnel along our fence, she vetoed the idea. Haha. But I think I got her to agree with a run that is actually adjacent to the coop. So maybe no need for a tunnel at all. Other plus is the area outside the coop is under a big cherry tree and I think if I want to make a roof then that tree will work as a great center tent pole for my netting. Area is about 15 by 25 feet, so a nice size!

 

[aart]

Other plus is the area outside the coop is under a big cherry tree and I think if I want to make a roof then that tree will work as a great center tent pole for my netting.

Weeeellll.....maybe.
I would think that the cherry tree would attract copious birds, which could bring pests and poops(internal parasites)...wait, what kind of cherry? Either way detritus from tree maybe clog netting depending on what kind of netting.

Sorry, still thinking of chunnels
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/23934492/?q=chunnels&t=post&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1

 

[paneubert]

Yeah, I had written myself a flow of consciousness type of note in my planning document that said just about the same thing. "Having a net roof is gonna suck when the trees drop their leaves". The cherry trees are more ornamental and don't produce almost any fruit, but there are still lots of birds around. But that is the case no matter where I stick the run. Covering it with anything that would actually keep small birds out (hardware cloth) would mean I would have to reduce the footprint of the run by a lot. And the falling leaves would clog it up as you said. So I am somewhat trading bio-security for size. Since my coop is about 50 SF and I only plan to have maybe 4 or 5 chickens, I am going for a run that will contain the chickens, but not be anywhere near predator proof since I can always keep them "cooped" up when we are not hanging out in the yard with them. Plan to go high with the walls to minimize escaping chickens, but probably not net the top at all. If I do net it, I am not sure what I would do....probably something like 2 by 2 inch netting so at least most of the small leaves and sticks would fall thru. Plus side is my wife would make me take down anything that looked bad. So even if I do net it, the net will come down if I can't keep it clean.