chicken yard

[rockycreeker]

Planning a backyard chicken yard. Have a 30ft by 40ft area to work with. I have 3 silkies and a Rhode Island Red & a Barred Plymouth Rock. Planning on getting more silkies. Does anyone have some advice on building yard?!

 

[iwiw60]

It really depends on whether you are going to free-range or build a run. Can you post pics of your coop and surrounding area(s)?

 

[skcroteau]

Hi this is my first post here. The town we live in just approved zoning for up to six chickens all hens no roosters. I have similar questions about a chicken yard but mainly revolving around run construction. I have an 8x11 area with fence posts already set but I'm unsure about what wire to use. 2x4" wire is economical compared to hardware cloth but I question the size of the open spaces. The run is strictly for day time use and I will cover due to hawks. I can go slowly and use hardware cloth as we won't have chickens until spring or do I just spend $60 on galvanized wire and will that be fine?

 

[iwiw60]

Hi this is my first post here. The town we live in just approved zoning for up to six chickens all hens no roosters. I have similar questions about a chicken yard but mainly revolving around run construction. I have an 8x11 area with fence posts already set but I'm unsure about what wire to use. 2x4" wire is economical compared to hardware cloth but I question the size of the open spaces. The run is strictly for day time use and I will cover due to hawks. I can go slowly and use hardware cloth as we won't have chickens until spring or do I just spend $60 on galvanized wire and will that be fine?

Please don't waste your time OR money on plain old chicken wire...it is totally useless! While the cost up-front is more than chicken wire, in the long run it's more than worth it. Predators, especially digging predators such as raccoon, weasel, fox, etc., will tear through that stuff like it was butter...not worth the heartache of losing birds.

This is what a raccoon did to chicken wire...busted right through it.

Here's the link to my gallery page showing my coop and run that I built...might give you some ideas:

Pictures of My Coop & Run
https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/6818345/pictures-of-my-coop-run/

I'm not an advocate of "free-ranging" just because some believe "oh, they should be free!" ... not. If you're willing to lose birds on occasion then free-ranging is for you, but not me...I have too much time and money to lose even one of my precious girls. If you choose to build a "run" then I think with the space you have you could adapt a run very similar to mine. My girls are very very happy!

Either way you go, I wish you all the best!

 

[skcroteau]

Thanks for the input. I think I know which way go.

 

[yellowchicks]

See this link for my long responses on the chicken run design considerations.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/936761/run-heights#post_14339999

 

[AceGottaChicken]

Hey I'm new here. Not sure if I'm in the right place. I've got 3 silkies and I need to conduct a portable chicken run and coop. I live on a thoroughbred horse race track backside and move with the horses when the season is up in that state so it must be movable and do as little damage as possible to the ground. They are allowed as pets, but I want to know if I can build them something sturdy and safe but also be able to take it down and pack it up small enough to fit in a car. I was thinking chicken wire held up by wooden poles and some sort of light roofing? There's cats around here....

 

[ECBW]

Lost all of my silkies to hawks while free ranging. Not sure how feasible it would be for you to cover 30x40 area with overhead cover, but it would be imperative for the silkies.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Because of the size i would recommend taking a portion, maybe 10x10 and covering it with a permanent roof. Not having one was my biggest regret, but I'll remedy that next spring. Otherwise, it depends on your predator load. Mine's just covered with a chicken wire, but hardware cloth will deter most small and large predators.

 

[AceGottaChicken]

Update. I'm thinking a igloo dog house and puppy fencing with hardware cloth on the bottom to stop any digging, plywood planks Gavin out like barb wire would to stop cats jumping. (It's a trick I learned with my pet cats lol)