covering a large run

[Christine21656]

DBF and I are planning on building a new coop. We now have 17 chickies, and 7 adults, and he thinks our first coop is ugly

We have a huge garden, I haven't measured it yet, but it's somewhere around 100' x 100'. It was way too much for me to keep up with last year, and while I was cleaning out the coop this spring, I of how much easier it would be to just throw the old bedding into the garden

SOOOO the plan is, to put the coop on one of the edges of the garden, divide the garden into 2 sections, and rotate which one the chickens are in. One year, have them on one side and the garden on the other, clean out the coop and rotate. I saw it on here once, but I don't have the link right now. So my question is, HOW do I cover that much space?? I was trying to look for pics, but couldn't find any! I might be able to surround the run in 8' chain link (DBF's Dad has some)... so I was thinking of putting 4x4's for fence posts and making some sort of trusses and put 2x3 wire on top. Would that work? Right now, our whole run is chain link, including the top. Or would a pvc top be sturdy enough? We get lots of snow, so I don't think aviary netting would work. Any ideas??

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Unless you plan on spending a fortune, you won't be able to cover a half acre.

 

[galanie]

100x100 isn't a half acre but it might be close to a quarter acre. In any event, PVC won't be sturdy enough unless you have a lot of supports. It also degrades in the sunlight after a few years and gets brittle. I like your fence post idea the best.

I use PVC frames with netting to surround my garden and even use the same but with chicken wire for a run but mine are temporary and not meant to be a permanent thing.

 

[iasc300]

You can get Poultry netting online in 100'x16' rolls for $69. Thats what I had to do because I have a large run as well. I just put 4x4 post every 12' with 2x4 supports inbetween for stability

 

[maysorum]

This might be a silly question, but how do you affix 2"x4" utility fence to wooden posts? I know for hardware cloth you use washers and screws that are larger than the mesh size.

 

[iasc300]

Quote:
I dont know about "Utility Fence" but we just used 2x4 boards and used joist hangers to attatch them to the 4x4 post with 3" nails

 

[msudawgs56]

If you are asking how you affix the 2"x4" fence to your posts, you simply buy "fencing staples/tacks" and hammer them in. Very easy. These are "nails" shaped like a "U". Here is a few picks of the types out there: http://fasteners.hardwarestore.com/18-67-staples-bulk-fence.aspx

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Quote:
My run is only 15 x 22 but I used this u shaped nail to get the wire on my wooden post frame with no difficulty. My top is only the netting though because I have no snow. Good luck. This sounds like a great project.

 

[Christine21656]

Thanks for all the replies! I think the fence post idea would work the best from what you guys are saying

I can't use the netting, because 1. the snow would totally destroy it, and 2. a neighbor had a hawk fly right through his chicken wire he had covering his run, and fly back out the same hole with a chicken. So, chicken wire is out, too

Darn hawks.

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

OMG THE HAWK FLEW THREW WIRE?!? I have em nesting in the barnyard....and vultures all around too. I made my top like this: every 24 inches all around the top perimeter I hammered in a 16 penny nail. I strung wire between opposing side to make a grid. I lay poultry netting on top of the grid and at every intersection of wire I used MORE wire to tie them all together. I havent had trouble yet but those hawk babies have not yet fledged. Great.