Enclosure Ideas

[Psycho_Twi]

Hi everyone,

I have a small coop and 3 birds that I am starting off with (already having a good time with it), but I wanted to ask about making large runs. Below is an image of what I have so far, a tiny coop/run with a fenced in spot (Tractor Supply special). I plan on building a much larger coop with completely fenced in run elsewhere in the backyard to put a bunch of RIRs in, but I would like to have an open area where I could keep a few friendly bantams and whatnot in, just chickens for fun, really.

I know I need to get at top net in somehow, but what all have people tried to do to make a large enclosure to let the flock into during the day when they can still be supervised? I will still keep a similar size coop, maybe a little bigger. Also since this spot is still kind of urban I will be putting in a top net in case there are any Houdinis in the flock.

 

[cavemanrich]

To make a good, secure run.... You will have to get some HEAVY DUTY MATERIALS. Chicken wire is not secure,,,,, only keeps chickens in. If that is all you are concerned with, as far as security, then it is fine.
Where you live the predators possible are numerous. You of course know best as to which are in your area.
The predator risks are mainly at night. If you build a secure coop, and lock it well each night, then less secure run will do.
I would suggest you check out this thread which contains many pictures of coops and their runs, for ideas for your future build.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here.596294/
Ask anything you are not sure of. There are soo many peeps here willing to help with ideas/experience/knowledge.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[jthornton]

My first run looked like that and a dog knocked it over and killed all my chickens... I see a chain link fence in the background, is that your fence or your neighbors?

JT

 

[Psycho_Twi]

The fence outside the chicken wire is mine too. There are multiple layers to the yard. I know that if I wanted to keep the chickens in the big run a lot I would need to have it very, very secure. I plan on doing that for the coop/run I will be building. I was mostly curious about cheap/mildly effective ways to have a big open run that is only focused on keeping the chickens in, not really anything else out. I have people at the house quite often, and letting the chickens into the run will be something to do with supervision.

 

[Sueby]

I am in the process of putting up a 'supervised only' run for my girls. It's made of green safety fence strung on the green t posts & covered with bird netting. I have a secure coop & run but I want something bigger where then can go for a couple hours a day before sunset & on the weekends. Our biggest issue is hawks so it will be covered, but not secure enough for when I'm not there.

 

[paintedChix]

Can do temporary pens or tractors of many different styles. "Chunnels" work as well. You could do a "chunnel" to your movable tractor and teach them how to go into the tractor when you want to use it and then how to leave it, go thru the chunnel again back to their coop for night lock up.

Last summer, I even used 2x4" wire - 48" tall w/ feed bags attached to the bottoms to keep the chicks in that were able to get out. The smaller pens were just rounds and easy to move about. They were covered with xtra bed sheets that I rescued from the dumpster at work. When chicks grew & I made the pens larger - harder to keep up and move and then the chicks started figuring out how to fly out of them, too. I didn't have any losses to predators from April thru September - when I dismantled them for the two hurricanes that came through. I haven't put those back together yet... and may not be able to this year as we've had some predators show up (coyote, hawks & ??). Will be using that wire to build heavier duty tractors can move about.

I also had 3 rabbit cages that I flipped over on the ground so that larger openings were below, attached to puppy Xpens. Last summer I only covered the pens in those sheets. I did have a major loss (all 10 RIR bantams) after the hurricanes - not sure what got them, though. So when I restarted using the pens again - I put a top of 2x4" wire on it. No problems since then... we shall see how that goes.

Two pics of them -



and a photo album of all the different things we've done. A continuing work in progress, LOL...

Coops, Cattle Panels, DLM & Sheds