chicken Run with no roof?

[bayareapilot]

That is a good point; I didn't even think about the fact that if it rains the chickens will be congregating in the coop. Sounds like having some portion of the run covered has some other benefits. Here in San Francisco, worrying about them needing shade (it doesn't get very hot in S.F.) although they will have some. I had been thinking more about keeping the floor of the run relatively dry to make for easy cleaning.



Quote:
...and give them somewhere to gather when it's raining so that they'll get out of the coop (and reduce the poop load in there). Even in PA I'll bet the extra shade will be appreciated...being down here in south Alabama I'm planning for excess shade as the summers can be killers. I would pay close attention to building it for your snow load. Down here that's kind of an unknown thing, but from time to time we get a freak snow that brings down a few carports, etc.,....but still folks down here don't take snow too seriously, I would think that in your area it's very serious.

As for your netting on the rest of the run, I've seen photos of runs with net/wire over the top that have had heavy snows on them. It seems the snow easily builds up into a solid mass on the netting and can cause it to collapse. You might want to eyeball it over the summer and see if it needs some extra support under it... maybe some heavy wire strung between the horizontal supports?....some pre-cut 2x4 "seasonal" supports to be placed under the framework for a few months, etc.,.

Best wishes and congrats on getting some cover coming!
Ed

 

[Koricory]

Use shadecloth in the sunny months and roll it back when it's snow season.
Just tack it down so it doesn't blow away.
Shadecloth is sold at most garden stores.

I like to use a small feeder inside and the main one outside to promote them to go explore. I use extra garbage can lids to cover my feeder and protect it from rain. Feeder handle pokes through a slit in the lid so i could hang it ( solves ant problems) used metal HVAC duct tape to seal the slit, used spray paint to match the lid so it didn't look tacky. (by extra garbage can lids i mean my neighbors lids! i kid!)

Another thing about ants, i bought some bug spray/killer/deterrent and spray a little around the base of the 55 gallon drums i store feed in to prevent ants, i also put a dab of vasoline on the wire holding up my feeders and spray that once every few months or so and it keeps the ants out.

I've known people to use a string wraped or tied around an item coated in vasoline to keep ants out but to be sure i use the bug spray and as little as possible.

 

[FowlPlay208]

Old thread, I know, but I'm gathering info to start a coop for 2-3 hens at a new home we bought in the 'burbs. I'm a n00b, but I want the best for the girls. Pets are family!

The house came with a large homemade (and nicely done) dog run. I don't have the dimensions but I know the wood/wire fence is about eye level for me, and I'm 5'8". There's no roof but there are 3 pines that offer full protection over it, and shade until the sun is more toward the west in the late afternoon. I can't imagine the floor area gets very wet with rain or snow with the dense coverage from the trees. It doesn't rain often here and the climate is dry. The floor is made up of a relatively thick layer of smooth rounded pea gravel. It's not rough/jagged and, with very little moisture getting to the floor, drainage is not a problem. I don't particularly want to replace it with sand.

To protect them especially at night, I would want to build a coop with a fully enclosed caged section where they can roam a little but have extra protection from predators like birds of prey and badgers.

QUESTION: Should I worry about hens attempting to fly out of the enclosed run with as high as it is? How can I prevent that without putting a net over the whole run? A net would collect pine cones, but I'll consider netting with a sturdy center post to 'tent' it if necessary.

QUESTION: Does this setup sound like a decent one for urban chickens (for those who keep chickens and aren't on a farm or rural property)? Any other advice or suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[imnukensc]

I'd put some kind of netting/fencing over it. Chickens can fly better than most give them credit for. As far as pine cones/needles/leaves, you can use a leaf blower to get most of that off. That's what I plan on doing.

 

[saysfaa]

Whether they can fly out depends on what breed they are and how wide the run is... bantams and probably some of the lighter standard size breeds could fly out over that height if the run is wide enough for them - they can't take off straight up, of course, the lighter and more active they are, the shorter approach they would need. The heaviest, least active couldn't get over it no matter how much approach they have. If you aren't sure if yours can or if you just don't want to risk it, you can clip the flight feathers on one wing. You will need to reclip each time they molt.

Yes, as long as you realize the chain link won't stop most of predators you are likely to have. Your coop/secure run thing will work if the predators come only at night (they are more likely to come at night but it is certainly not a for sure thing) .... and if you are never late closing them in.

I suggest checking out Prince T Woods' fresh air poultry houses for a coop design. One example (of a larger one than you will need) that has a nice write up on how to scale to larger or smaller size is https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/woods-colony-house-portable.1104954/ I'm working on a design for the 6x10 size to Woods' universal scale for between 4 (if they are kept inside most of the time) and 15 (if they are kept in only to roost). That size of Woods' design is too small and short for humans to work in it comfortably - so I'm thinking of hinging the roof sections and maybe counter weighting them even if I use light weight roofing like ondura or corrugated polycarbonate.

 

[SoCalChicky01]

Literally just locked myself in the chicken run and had to wait for help. #chickenNewbie

 

[saysfaa]

??

 

[rosemarythyme]

QUESTION: Should I worry about hens attempting to fly out of the enclosed run with as high as it is? How can I prevent that without putting a net over the whole run? A net would collect pine cones, but I'll consider netting with a sturdy center post to 'tent' it if necessary.

QUESTION: Does this setup sound like a decent one for urban chickens (for those who keep chickens and aren't on a farm or rural property)? Any other advice or suggestions?

There is no right answer whether or not you should roof your run. A lot of it depends on climate and predators.

I think your set up should work with some modifications as it sounds similar to mine. My run is a chain-link double dog run with a hardware cloth skirt, one half 6' tall the other half 4', with no roof. The coop is fully enclosed in the 6' tall side. It does rain a lot here but drainage is decent. We do have aerial predators but the run is under a large willow tree which provides some cover.

Can chickens fly over the fence? Yes, mine have a couple of times, but they aren't usually inclined to leave so I have not clipped their wings. If you have some escape artists or are really concerned about them going over the fence (and landing on a neighbor's dog) you can try clipping one wing.

 

[FowlPlay208]

Yes, as long as you realize the chain link won't stop most of predators you are likely to have. Your coop/secure run thing will work if the predators come only at night (they are more likely to come at night but it is certainly not a for sure thing) .... and if you are never late closing them in.

In my case, the enclosed (non-roofed) run is made up of 4x4s and 2x4s and what's called "welded wire" fencing. I will probably put a hardware cloth skirt around the bottom portions of the fencing. Surrounding THAT is a 5.5-ft wooden privacy fence for our back yard. We've never had a predator inside our yard in the day or night, but birds of prey exist in abundance out here, and someone spotted a badger (unusually) walking across a crosswalk on the main road somewhat near us. They're mostly nocturnal and pretty rare in the neighborhoods.

I guess, because of the 3 pine trees above and surrounding the run, it would be somewhat difficult to manage a roof unless it's not tall enough for me to stand comfortably in.

 

[Flock In Texas]

My next project is an 8X12 portable yard. I will make it with 3 sides and mate it to the side of my 4X8 tractor. I am upgrading the tractor wheels and I will use the smaller wheels for the lightweight yard. To keep weight down, I will use a tarp and maybe some welded wire fencing as the roof. My feed and watering will still be done beneath the tractor in the 4X8 covered area. I piped in a feeder and I hang a 5 gallon bucket waterer under there. The yard will be minimum security for daytime use only. I plan welded wire and chicken wire to keep my dogs honest. At night they are inside the raised tractor with trap door closed, with welded wire and hardware cloth securing the lower grazing area. I'll do pictures after I build it. To move it all, I disconnect the yard from the tractor, move them both individually, and reconnect the two. I will have 128 s.f. of yard and 32 s.f. is already covered as well as as much tarp as I want to use over the yard.

The tractor is only 32 s.f., but it has 2 levels and 21 feet of roosts above. Nesting buckets, water, food, swing, and isolated nursery for the upcoming chicks are on the lower level. I'm going to try to fit 10 chickens total. My 4 big birds and 6 chicks.