I 2nd making the runs walk-in. I had "pens" already here on this property when we moved in, so I used them. But OH, MY ACHING BACK!!! It was inevitable - I had to go in to get the eggs laid out on the ground instead of in the NICE nesting boxes (obviously not to my girls!) and to replenish water/feed that was out there instead of in the coop(s). They may have been breeding pens, but wow, I don't know how anyone does that for any length of time. 
We are in the process of ripping out those 4 pens and making hoop coops where they stand. Probably get 3 instead of 4 due to being longer...
I also seem to have a lot more predators here than on previous property. We will be doing hardware cloth instead of chicken wire on bottom 2' and then not sure what above that yet... The previous wire is actually 2"x4" - so it's huge and some of our chickens actually got out. Lost any and all chicks that were hatched by the hens
We are in the process of ripping out those 4 pens and making hoop coops where they stand. Probably get 3 instead of 4 due to being longer...
I also seem to have a lot more predators here than on previous property. We will be doing hardware cloth instead of chicken wire on bottom 2' and then not sure what above that yet... The previous wire is actually 2"x4" - so it's huge and some of our chickens actually got out. Lost any and all chicks that were hatched by the hens
