DECORATING FRONT OF RUN

[mpoland33]

Hello! We recently had to move the coop and run and the end/front of the run is now facing the house. It's 8' wide and is just 2x4's with hardware wire on the front. The wife would like it looking nicer so she wants to put window boxes on there something..any ideas on how to spruce up the front? She's thought about bushes or pine trees but who knows!

 

[HopeSprings]

Look at native pollinator gardens! Check out your local or state native plant society website for suggestions!

 

[Cryss]

Lets see a picture so we know what we have to work with.
(Blatant push for pictures cuz we luvz em!)

 

[MROO]

Hello! We recently had to move the coop and run and the end/front of the run is now facing the house. It's 8' wide and is just 2x4's with hardware wire on the front. The wife would like it looking nicer so she wants to put window boxes on there something..any ideas on how to spruce up the front? She's thought about bushes or pine trees but who knows!

Pictures, please! Yup, we LOVE pictures! My coop is an old wooden playhouse with a sandbox below it. We're currently planting around it. We've got marigolds, rosemary, artemisia and a few other chicken-friendly plants started around it, but I've got bigger plans ... in all my "spare" time!

You may want to look through the coop pages here on BYC. There are lots of neat ideas in there. Some chickeneers put low fencing (picket or snow-fencing) on the outside to dress up the wire. It looks pretty nice! If you don't like the look of the wire, roller-paint the outside with black paint ... it'll visually disappear!

 

[mpoland33]

 

[mpoland33]

This is the only picture I can find from this end of the run. The only difference now is a support from left to right about 1/2 way up ...just a 2x4

 

[Cryss]

I would start by hanging pretty flowers from the coop overhang. You could even do a hanging pot at the top of each run post. Your runs back wall seems to be open to sunshine. You could grow vine type edibles up the fence taking advantage of the sun and to give a bit of shade to the birds. Grapes? Grow some comfrey just outside the run edge, maybe at the end part. As bits grow close enough the chickens will eat whatever gets close. You can eat it too. You can chop harvest it and it will grow back several times. Paint all the wood pretty colors. Oops exterior paint can inspire some interesting results. Is anyone in the family artistic? Have them paint designs on the coop.
To prevent diggers (fox, rats, snakes, etc.) from entering the run or getting under the coop bury hardware cloth straight down 2ft or make a 2ft apron around everything.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pictures, please! Yup, we LOVE pictures! My coop is an old wooden playhouse with a sandbox below it. We're currently planting around it. We've got marigolds, rosemary, artemisia and a few other chicken-friendly plants started around it, but I've got bigger plans ... in all my "spare" time!

You may want to look through the coop pages here on BYC. There are lots of neat ideas in there. Some chickeneers put low fencing (picket or snow-fencing) on the outside to dress up the wire. It looks pretty nice! If you don't like the look of the wire, roller-paint the outside with black paint ... it'll visually disappear!

What is this "spare" time you speak of.

I like the idea of native polinator plants. Hanging planters on nice hooks will give a pop of color and keep them out of hens reach.

I have 9+' tall lilac bushes. Good for shade for them, bad for being able to see my birds.
Maybe cosmos since they are colorful and airy.....

 

[OhZark Biddies]

What about some picket fencing?

This is what we used:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Greenes-Ac...ket-Garden-Woven-Wire-Rolled-Fencing/50074001

More pics here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/rustic-covered-lean-to-coop-and-run.74040/

 

[aart]

There are several threads on 'decorating'.....but you'll have to dig for them here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/65115084/?q=decorating&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1