Considering enlarging run area

[bobbieschicks]

I'm thinking about making the run area bigger as it seems sort of confined to me. My chicks aren't free ranged - I could do some of that in the late afternoons with supervision. But we have too many hawks and dogs loose to let them run about all day unwatched. We do have a 4' fence with welded wire on it that surrounds our backyard. However I doubt the fence will matter much to the leghorns as they seem to fly without problems.

I'd like to add to the run but I don't know what to do - it's already pretty well wired up. I have 1/2" hardware cloth at the lower 3' with 2x4 welded wire at the upper portion and over the top I have a mix of welded and hardware cloth. So how can I add to the run without undoing all that wiring?

Suggestions? Should I leave it alone and build something else nearby for an extra run area? The overall dimensions are 11x15 for the run, but part of the run includes the 5x10 coop for overhead shade. We're thinking of having 10 hens.

Here's a pic of the run.

 

[stcroixusvi]

We are going to enlarge ours as well. A friend of ours doubled the size of hers and just put a pop door in between the two areas.

 

[Alethea]

You've done a good job and I agree you need more space for ten chickens. Would it work to build an adjacent section, then cut out the wire in between?

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

We're all thinking alike. Make one adjoining and cut the wire so they have access to the new run. If you did it next to a post you could toe-nail a frame to attach the wire to it.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Great ideas - I especially like the pop door between the two run areas concept that way I could separate out groups if I needed to. I'm thinking about doing it off the back side of the coop and running it in almost an L shape around the existing run.

 

[djennings]

I have a 8 x 16 run now and I am adding a 16 x 16 run now. I just added to the 16 foot section that way I only had 3 sides to do. I cut out of their old run a 2 x 2 out of the wire and presto they go into the bigger run.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Quote:
did you add a door for you to get into the extra run area? I'm wondering if I will need to do that as well.

 

[GardenWeasel]

I just added a new 30x30 run built around the existing run in kind of an L shape. Take into account that if there is no shade they will not use all parts of it. Ask me how I know. I left the existing Fort Knox run intact and let them out the people door when I am home. They can still go out in the protected run if I can not supervise and I feel they are double protected. Fencing is expensive so plan very carefully.

 

[djennings]

I will be making just a really cheap door, will not have to worry about predators because it will be put on the already existing run that goes into the bigger run. I will probably make it out of 1 x 4 picket fence boards and just add wire over the whole thing.

 

[Ole rooster]

Alethea has the right idea to my way of thinking. Just build an addition, finish it off but frame up a door of whatever kind you want to have. Cut the wire to the door and you're done. I like the idea of the separate runs just as an absolutely secure area for them to be out if you're not home. That way if you wanted you would have an extra section say where a brooder coop could go and be separate from the other.