Chicken set up

[suzannesparks]

Locked in the coop and run when it looks like this.
View attachment 2705852
Daytime access to pen surrounded by electrified poultry netting when it looks like this.
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Wow that’s a big area. How much poultry netting?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Free range unsupervised during Spring, Summer, and Autumn. I have rooster to help warn of predators. I have lots of trees and perennials they stay under for shade. They do scratch around the roots of the perennials, eat the bugs, and weeds.
In the winter, they stay in the coop/run.

 

[DobieLover]

Wow that’s a big area. How much poultry netting?

Three nets at 164' each. Some folds back on itself. I am going to be moving the old coop out of the line... some day.
And after installing a retaining wall around the garage, the line will move again so I'll use up the slack.
This is an aerial image of the approximate pen size.
Yellow is the netting.
Red are gates.
White is the coop and blue is the run.
This is an old image. My house and property were still under heavy construction. I've got a ways to go yet.

 

[Chuckie chicken]

The door from the coop to the run is always open. I usually go out around 9:00 - 9:30 once everyone is done laying and let them out of the run for the day. We have 12 unfenced acres.

I'm usually in and out of the house, outside, or in the shop, but if not, I'll go out 3 or 4 times throughout the day to see how the girls are. They wander from 9:00am until bedtime at about 8:30pm. I used to search until I found all 8, now when I go out I'll count what I can see, almost never all 8, lol, but if they're calm and happy I know one or two are just off somewhere and not likely eaten. I have one that is an intrepid explorer who often enlists an accomplice.

So far, they have only visited the vegetable garden a couple of times over the two months they've been here. The most thorough visit was last week, the evening after my wife did most of the planting! I sent her out to scold them and laughed uncontrollably from the house as she picked one up, moved it a couple of feet, then picked up another while the first went right back in! Luckily, they have enough near the coop and run to keep them occupied. However, we have discovered that if we are inside and they hear our neighbors outside, the adventurous ones will travel the 200 yards across our property to visit! Our neighbors are older, but very active, and years ago had 300 laying hens, so they love the company. They are very gracious about chickens in their gardens and don't care at all!

All of that to say, they free range all day with periodic check ups, lol.

Some pics...

Coop / run on the right, shop in the middle, veggie garden on the left around the pergola-ish thing. To the right of the coop is about an acre of evergreens that the girls roam, our compost pile is along the edge just past the trees in the foreground.

The girls hang out around the compost pile quite a bit, scratching, napping, and dust bathing.

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Coop / run on the left, big rock in the middle, compost pile to the right.

I built this frame 10 years before I ever dreamed I'd have chickens. A wheelbarrow goes underneath, sifter goes on top of the wood where the chickens are perched, and I shovel compost onto the screen and then sift it into the wheelbarrow. As soon as I saw it, I figured they'd like it so I moved it to a nice shady spot beside the pile.

 

[nicolekathryn]

Coop and run most of the time with some supervised free range time.

 

[3KillerBs]

I built this frame 10 years before I ever dreamed I'd have chickens. A wheelbarrow goes underneath, sifter goes on top of the wood where the chickens are perched, and I shovel compost onto the screen and then sift it into the wheelbarrow. As soon as I saw it, I figured they'd like it so I moved it to a nice shady spot beside the pile.

How did you attach round wood to round wood so securely? I have some wooden poles that I want to use for various in-coop structures since they're good, but not *structural* good but I don't know how best to secure them.

 

[Chuckie chicken]

I don't remember, lol. Looking.... BTW, did I use the word "securely"?

How did you attach round wood to round wood so securely? I have some wooden poles that I want to use for various in-coop structures since they're good, but not *structural* good but I don't know how best to secure them.

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't remember, lol. Looking.... BTW, did I use the word "securely"?

Well, it's lasted for 10 years ....

 

[Chuckie chicken]

How did you attach round wood to round wood so securely? I have some wooden poles that I want to use for various in-coop structures since they're good, but not *structural* good but I don't know how best to secure them.

It's held together by #8 deck screws and hope. And two 5/16" carriage bolts. I staggered a couple of the braces, maybe that's my secret?

You can see the bolts where the legs cross at the top.

Here's the screen I use on it. I didn't even know what hardware cloth was then.

Sorry, this probably won't help you much...

Oops, I must've forgot to hit post.

 

[3KillerBs]

It's held together by #8 deck screws and hope. And two 5/16" carriage bolts. I staggered a couple of the braces, maybe that's my secret?

You can see the bolts where the legs cross at the top.

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Here's the screen I use on it. I didn't even know what hardware cloth was then.
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Sorry, this probably won't help you much...

Oops, I must've forgot to hit post.

It's at least an inspiration to consider.