Chicken run building questions

[Gardengirl 2011]

Good morning everyone! I'm building my chicken run this weekend and I'm a little intimidated by the project. I cut hair, not wood.

Anyhow, here goes.................

Thelma, Louise and Tawonda are ready for the great outdoors and are excited for more room. So I'm thinking of a 6' by 8' run for them. 48 square ft. should be plenty big for that, right?

I know I need a skirt around the run. 2' out from the run is enough, right?

For the skirt, can I use regular chicken wire and run it up the first few feet of the run and then go over it with welded wire? Should I use 1x2 or 1x1? And then can I use regualar chicken wire from about 4' up to the top of the run? Can I use chicken wire for the top (roof)?

Is a 2' human door wide enough or should I make it 3'? The door will be on the 6' side of the run.

I plan on cutting down a holly bush, but since there's no way to dig it out I know it'll continue to come back. Is holly toxic to chickens if they start pecking at the new growth?

Since the run is 8' long, do you think I should set a fence post at the corners AND one in the middle of that area? In other words on the 8' side, set a post for each corner AND one in the middle, or is 8' apart good enough. I'm concerned about the wired in roof area sagging if there's not center area to tack it up. I know the chickens don't need the Taj, but I really want to do this right and have it aesthetically appealing to me too.

I'm thinking that after I set my posts, then that's when I use my 2x4's on the outside of the posts for the top and bottom "frame" work, THEN tack the wire on. Right?

As I said, I cut hair, not wood.

And I tend to overanalize things like this.

I won't be able to check in until after I get home tonight from work, but truly appreciate the guidance.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

In my opinion ( often corrected by those with more experience), if one has the money and time to do it right, this is what works...

The people door should be tall enough and wide enough for you to enter while carrying a scoop shovel of whatever.

The "roof" of the run should have some sort of rafter to support the chicken wire. This keeps it off your head.

The walls of the run need 1/2" hardware cloth aproned out at least 18". You can put sod over it to make mowing easier.

The walls need 1/2" hardware cloth at least 3' up to discourage dogs, coons, possums, and children from messing with your chickens when you aren't looking.

The upper walls of the run should be 2x4 welded wire, not chicken wire. Chicken wire is OK for the top, but will NOT keep out anything that climbs.

Walls should have studs or fence posts every 4 - 6 feet for strength in wind and weather.

Hope this helps!

 

[Sassafras]

I am also in the process of building a run (24' x24'). There are a lot of pictures of pens but not much info on just how to do them! It is a bit big for the 8 chickens i plan on having but I am expecting chicken math to take over.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Minimal, but will usually be enough unless you have foxes or coyotes or diggy dogs around in significant numbers. I would not do less than 2' though.

For the skirt, can I use regular chicken wire and run it up the first few feet of the run and then go over it with welded wire? Should I use 1x2 or 1x1? And then can I use regualar chicken wire from about 4' up to the top of the run? Can I use chicken wire for the top (roof)?

You *can* do whatever you want, it is a free country. Seriously

If you are asking how much of a difference those things make? Welded wire is better for an apron/skirt than chickenwire is, although chickenwire is better than nothing. Unless skunks are an issue, 2x4" mesh is probably minimally-enough, tho smaller than that is better (as long as it is good quality -- the flimsy garden-grade 2x2 or 2x3 would not be my choice for any part of a coop even an apron, personally).

If you use 1x2 then having something smaller-meshed covering the bottom 2-3' is more important than if you use 1x1 wire. Mind it is still each person's choice whether to do that at all, and you can have losses even thru 1x1 if you don't put smaller mesh stuff on the lower parts; but the bigger your fence wire mesh is, the more benefit you get from adding smaller mesh stuff. As for what kind of smaller mesh stuff to use, again, chickenwire is better than nothing but not as good as 1/2" hardwarecloth or even 1/2" chickenwire (smaller holes than the usual stuff); OTOH even just deer netting is better than nothing for this purpose.

Whether to use chickenwire above 4' and for the top is yet another thing that just depends on what you're after. It will only keep out hawks and the most-easily-discouraged of dogs; but it is better than NOT keeping those things out

Be aware that raccoons or heavy snowfalls often collapse chickenwire tops, unless VERY STURDILY supported with a fair amount of rafter-style lumber.

Is a 2' human door wide enough or should I make it 3'? The door will be on the 6' side of the run.

Measure your wheelbarrow's width, add 2", make it that wide

It is EVER so much easier to be able to get a wheelbarrow THRU the gate.

I plan on cutting down a holly bush, but since there's no way to dig it out I know it'll continue to come back. Is holly toxic to chickens if they start pecking at the new growth?

They should be fine, and it won't be coming back for long

Since the run is 8' long, do you think I should set a fence post at the corners AND one in the middle of that area?

It would definitely be stronger and last better without problems as the years go by. I would, myself. OTOH you *can* do an 8' span between fenceposts if you really WANT to, it is not totally-unrealistically long. If you put the middle post at the 5' mark rather than at the 4' mark on the side that you will install the people door to the run, then it can also serve as a gatepost

I'm thinking that after I set my posts, then that's when I use my 2x4's on the outside of the posts for the top and bottom "frame" work, THEN tack the wire on. Right?

Yup, you got it!

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Gardengirl 2011]

Thank you.

 

[spotstealer]

I'll be building a run soon also. I'm going with a variant of a PVC framed green house. Very simple and inexpensive. If you punch a search for "Do it yourself PVC green house, it'll bring up several sites. I'm building an arch type with heavier 1" pvc tubing. I'm building my frame at 8'X12" so I don't have to cut allot of lumber. I bought a heavy duty two sided tarp to keep rain/snow to a minimum and maximize shade. I'll be running chicken wire 36" high around the base and the end wall. I'm making a 2' wide door, about 5' tall on the same end that I'm tying in the coop. Here is what I used: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/publicat/postharv/green/small_greenhouse.pdf
I don't have a threat of predators (coons, possums, 'yotes, otherwise I'd use constuction mesh. Plus my yard is alresy fenced this will be inside the fence.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Quote:
x2