Can u give me specific dimensions for run?

[CHIC]

Can someone tell me specific dimensions for about 30 chickens standard.

 

[teach1rusl]

Going by what I've read, that would be 300 sq. feet for the run. That means you could do a 10 x 30, a 15 x 20, an 8 x 38 (this one would let you use 8 foot spans for the width...304'). Really anything that comes up to about 300 sq. feet. Good luck!

 

[CHIC]

Thanks, that sounds really big but it really isn't looking at the dimensions... I hope I have enough space in the spot out there. My henhouse is falling short on space so I am going to have to make up for it in the run

 

[CHIC]

Also, what is the most economical, yet safe way to wire it in? I don't have a whole lot of money, everything I am building the henhouse out of is used and I'm recycling it for free! I want to use a wire that is strong but not too expensive. Any ideas?

 

[Chooksaurus]

Sink 36" hardwire cloth or welded wire 12-18" into the ground and then run the regular chicken wire above that if you want a fairly economical route. The lower wire is kind of costly, but you need the extra protection from digging intruders, otherwise you chance losing the whole investment anyway.

I just used cheap plastic bird netting for the roof of the run, but my girls are locked up at night. I have yet to see a predator that can climb the fence during the day, so I am willing to take that gamble.

 

[CHIC]

Yeah I am also thinking of hooking my dog near the coop, I just don't want him to bother the chickens

 

[cmom]

Your run should be approximately 10 sq.ft. per bird, so for 30 birds you would need 300 sq.ft. (10x30) (15x20) etc. Also it depends on your area how you get your 300 sq.ft. I have one end narrower than the other so I can get the tractors through as I have trees on both sides . Instead of burrying the wire you can lay down the wire approx a foot wide on the outside of your fence and cover it with some dirt. When a critter digs it usually starts digging right next to the fence.

 

[patandchickens]

IMO the cheapest way to do your run fence is to see about scrounging an appropriate length of chainlink (if you know how to install it properly) or 2x4" welded wire -- not any larger mesh than that, though.

Also acquire an equal length of 2-4' wide welded wire mesh that is any size up to 4x4" mesh, to lay on the ground outside the fence (attached to base of fence, and securely pinned or weighted against the ground) as an anti-dig apron. That way you do not need to bury anything and it works just as well.

Then, once you have installed the run fence itself, buy (and you probably *will* have to buy) something 2-3' wide with smaller mesh -- hardwarecloth is ideal, but IMO 1/2" poultry mesh is also pretty good, 1/2" plastic garden netting is adequate, and even 1" regular ol' chickenwire is better than nothing. Run this along the inside of your real fence, on the bottom 2-3', to prevent chickens from poking their heads out and predators from easily poking their legs/snouts in. It does not need to be super strong b/c the main fence wire keeps the predators from actually entering.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[fiddleblue]

I read one of the comments about sinking wire 8 to 12 inches deep in the ground to keep out digging intruders. That seems an enormous amount of work and I wonder, are there really digging intruders that would be active during the day? What type of animal? (I'm wondering if any of them are urban since I live in an urban area).
My entire chicken run total square footage is 354 sq ft and this is for 6 chickens. I want them to have a LOT of room but I am also considering cycling them so that one part of the run is closed for a while, allowing it to regrow, then it opens and the previous part gets closed for regrowth.

 

[billfields]

Dogs are everywhere and active all the time. And they and can certainly dig. I have three basset hounds that pretty much dug up a 30+ year old dogwood tree. Had to put 100 lb rocks around it to stop them. And then they started to dig under the rocks! Never underestimate a determined dog.