Detailed Run Design/Plans

[Superior Chicks]

Does anyone have a detailed plan (including diagram, materials needed, etc) or a link to a run plan?

I know the dimensions we need for our run but I need a little visual and practical help. How to build this thing?

We've done it before, but with chicken wire. This run we really want to get right, state of the art! LOL. We already have the metal roofing, left over from our new metal roof on our house. We will use 2x4 welded wire, hardware cloth trenched in along the bottom perimeter. We are building "snow boards" for winter.

ANY help, suggestions, or links appreciated. I have, of course, searched BYC forums as well.

TIA
Ma

 

[patandchickens]

Is it a roofed run that you're looking for?

If so, what you need are SHED plans. Like livestock-shelter or firewood-storage type shed. Look online. Your state extension service may have some, also some generic plans are available thru the Canada Plan Service (use google) and at least two state ag universities -- your googling should turn this up.

You may need a building permit btw (although in some otherwise permit-happy jurisdictions, structures below a certain minimum size are exempt).

Make sure you have considered snow and wind load, and you will probably want to add diagonal bracing since plans generally assume you will be adding solid walls and without them (with just wire mesh) you will need additional bracing so the whole thing doesn't 'parallelogram out' and go flat.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, working on a 6x14' roofed shed at the moment, waiting for calm weather to put the roofing on

 

[Superior Chicks]

Thank you sooooooooooo much Pat!

Our run (shed ?) is going to be roofed with metal roofing. It is the diagonal bracing we are having a difficult time with, just as you said!

How is your roofed shed going? Do you have any pictures? Our shed is to be 8'x16', just about the same size as yours.

I would love to hear how yours turns out, and see pics if you have any to share.

Thanks again Pat.

Ma

 

[Omran]

The only thing I think you need to change in your plan is the wire,2"x4" welded wire has a very big gaps, a larg opposom can squize himself easely in it, I know tha the 1"x1" is way more expensive but it is a peace of mind.

I know how to buildit but I am not that good with the computer to make a drwaing, basicly I am more of a construction man, than a geek. any way check out my run below and tell me what you think.

Omran.

 

[Superior Chicks]

OMG!

That's it! Exactly!

What do you charge for shipping?

That is exaxtly what we want to build. Thank you for the pics! We will be studing them. Any further advice offered will be appreciated Omran.

Ma

 

[mackenziesmomma]

ok, I want to do this too! I am subscribing to the thread in hopes of some details...

 

[JHaller]

Omran, how high is your run? I need to build more covered run space, too, but I want to the birds to be able to fly and chase each other, as they would in the yard.

Looks good!

Judith

 

[patandchickens]

Remember that Omran's design is built for KY snowloads -- along the lake in WI you are almost certainly going to need a lot stronger construction, especially if you want such little slope on your roof.

I don't have a current picture of mine (and it's snowing right now, so it will have to wait

) but here is a pic of the posts and beams, before I put the purlins up.

Note that this is a slightly odd design, as it has the beams running shortwise and 2x6's on edge as the purlins. The posts are p/t 4x4s but are effectively built up to 4x7s because I ran the thingies that prop the beam up all the way down to the ground, for strength and also to give a flat surface to attach the fencing to.

However the more usual design is with beams along the long edges, 2xsomethign rafters, and 2x4 purlins (flatwise) to nail the roofing into. What I'm doing is from an older Canada Plan Series plan, modified for dimensions etc, just because I've built sheds the other way and was curious to try it this way

I'm serious about snow load... especially with a flattish roof, you can get into real problems that way real fast, and personally I believe that given the work and expense it takes to build the thing in the first place, it is HEAVILY worth slightly OVERbuilding it. (And you know, there will come a day eventually when you have 2' of wet snow and then an inch of rain...)

Diagonal bracing you don't need plans for. Just, you know, do it

Use 2x6 lumber, across a reasonably wide span (i.e. not just cutesy little 2' long corner braces). And stick 'em in wherever necessary/convenient, such that no matter which way or from what side the structure was pushed, there'd be diagonal braces resisting it. The braces *can* be mortised in, but normal people just nail 'em on good with blunted 4" spiral nails, possibly predrilling a very fine half-depth pilot hole first to discourage the wood from splitting.

If you want to see examples of diagonal bracing, go find a book on building decks, and look at where they are talking about TALL decks, like on 8-15' high posts. They will show you various diagonal bracing schemes.

(e.t.a - here is a pic of my big horse shed, as an example of one common diagonal-bracing scheme (although if it weren't protected from our worst winds by the barn, and if I were less of a lazybutt, it could use more diagonal bracing, especially on the short sides).

Basically look at the diagonal things up towards the top. That is one good general-purpose scheme you could use for your run.)

Good luck, have fun, respect the weight of snow

,

Pat

 

[thedeacon]

Orman, great coop and run. However, I would have left the far 1/2 end with no roof. They will get more natural sun, I covered mine with chicken netting

 

[Superior Chicks]

Ah yes Pat, thanks for the extra info. We are planning for the worst case senario as far as weather situations go for us here.

We have switched wire now to 1/2" x 1/2" black vinyl coated 16 gauge hardware cloth. The run to be 9'x12'. (6' in height.) Posts every 3 feet. The slope will be much greater than Omran's, in fact much like yours Pat. And complete with removeable snow boards for winter, on 3 sides. Grey metal roofing.

We find your photos VERY helpful, and also your details, thank you so much!

Yes, raising chickens in this climate can be challenging---but the rewards are even greater, especially if you love chickens the way I do. It will be worth every cent.

Let me know your thoughts on our plan so far.

Ma