Elevated garden bed over chicken run

[australorpia]

I currently have a run that is 2' wide, 25' long and 3' high. Due to limited gardening space (used to garden the area of the current run), I was thinking of building an elevated raised bed or a couple of them attached together to gain some space back. Any ideas pr precautions to watch out for? Has anyone taken up such project?

 

[3KillerBs]

The structure would need to be EXCEEDINGLY strong to bear the weight of wet soil without collapsing.

Where, in general, are you? In my climate I have no luck with any form of container garden due to needing to water multiple times a day in mid-summer but people in cooler, damper climates may see considerable success with them.

 

[australorpia]

The structure would need to be EXCEEDINGLY strong to bear the weight of wet soil without collapsing.

Where, in general, are you? In my climate I have no luck with any form of container garden due to needing to water multiple times a day in mid-summer but people in cooler, damper climates may see considerable success with them.

Northern Illinois.
I was thinking 4x4 support legs with 2x6 tub. All lumber.
The attached photo is what i was thinking.

 

[3KillerBs]

Northern Illinois.
I was thinking 4x4 support legs with 2x6 tub. All lumber.
The attached photo is what i was thinking.

That looks pretty solid.

 

[australorpia]

That looks pretty solid.

In the photo is overkill, and i will probably do 3 pairs of legs instead of 4.

 

[3KillerBs]

In the photo is overkill, and i will probably do 3 pairs of legs instead of 4.

My family is known for over-engineering.

My husband's brother was an airport engineer and my father figured that anything not built to last 100 years was a temporary make-do.

 

[australorpia]

My family is known for over-engineering.

My husband's brother was an airport engineer and my father figured that anything not built to last 100 years was a temporary make-do.

Your family sounds German... lol

 

[3KillerBs]

Your family sounds German... lol

Yep.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I currently have a run that is 2' wide, 25' long and 3' high. Due to limited gardening space (used to garden the area of the current run), I was thinking of building an elevated raised bed or a couple of them attached together to gain some space back. Any ideas pr precautions to watch out for? Has anyone taken up such project?

The run is 2' wide? Or is that a typo? I'm trying to imagine how this would work in such a narrow space.

The raised beds you posted look fantastic. Don't see why it wouldn't work as long as the chickens are kept excluded from accessing the beds and tearing out your plants. Obviously you will need to steer clear of chemical fertilizers and overwatering as that will drip onto the area below that the chickens would be accessing.

 

[aart]

Think about water leaking out into the run, might make for some big stink.

The run is 2' wide?

wondered about this too.....and how the keeper would access the run if/when needed.