Fencing Systems: Show Us Your System

[3-little-chooks]

I haven't got a fencing system yet and I need some ideas.

 

[MoonShadows]

Our fencing system is made from 2x4's resting on 4x6's. None of the system is anchored into the ground. It is attached into the coop and the 45 degree angle braces keep it very sturdy. We put a 2' 1x2 welded wire apron on the bottom, then 1x2 welded wire up the first 4' followed by 2x4 welded wire up the rest of the 2.5'. The roof is also 2x4 welded wire.

The entire run is 16 x 10. We first laid the 4x6's out on the ground. Then we built four 8' x 6.5' sections and one 10' x 6.5' for the walls, covered them with the wire and attached them to each other and the 4x6's. The roof was built in 8' x 10' sections, coveted with wire and attached to the walls. The first section of wall coming out from the coop has a 6' x 2.5' wide door.

 

[3-little-chooks]

Wow! looks great,do you know how much it cost to build?

 

[MoonShadows]

Roughly, the lumber and fencing ran about $450 - $500. I didn't keep strict track of costs.

 

[aart]

MoonShadows has one of the premier coop/runs here!

I hope this thread gets lots of contributors as I am in the process of planning my main run. Will have to scavenge a good portion of it tho....saving my pennies for electronetting for future pastures.

 

[MoonShadows]

MoonShadows has one of the premier coop/runs here!

I hope this thread gets lots of contributors as I am in the process of planning my main run. Will have to scavenge a good portion of it tho....saving my pennies for electronetting for future pastures.

Thank you very much, aart! perhaps I should have gone a little cheaper though; I also wanted to get 2 milk goats this year, but had no money left over to build their shed and fence!

 

[Eggsaggerate]

This 11' x 16' run uses the frame of a portable garage covered with 1/2 inch hardware cloth. We rolled lengths of 48" wire up one side, across the top and down the other side. The wire is buried as deep in the ground as possible - approximately 10", using rocks and soil. The wire is attached with zip ties to the frame every 6-8". Mounting ties (zip ties with a hole for a screw) were used to attach the wire to the coop. It has not been through a winter yet so I don't know how the zip ties will stand up to the cold. They ties have a tensile strength of 50 lb so I expect they will keep most creatures out even if they climb up onto the roof. We used three pieces of wire joined together with clothes line to create the end wall.

The tarp is to provide some shade ($6). Eventually, I will build a planting box and grow some type of climbing vegetable like red runner beans against the southern side of the coop to provide shade. The corners are anchored with small auger pegs.

I bought the frame new for $189 CDN. I am planning on selling the cover later in the fall so will recover some of the cost. We used two 50' rolls of 48" x 1/2' hardware cloth. I believe they were around $90 CDN. The 48" wire overlaps about an inch at the side supports. We were short a few feet of wire so I pieced together some scraps left over from another project as I did not want to buy another roll. The zip ties were around $5 for 100. I used 4 packs with some left over. I pack of mounting ties.

A door was built using scraps so I don't know how much it cost to frame but probably two 8" lengths of 1x1 would be enough.

I put the frame together myself in a 2.5 hours. My husband and I assembled it in another couple of hours. The wire took the better part of a day to install. It took us a little while to figure out how to use the zip ties on the roof. The sides were easy as one of us stood inside, the other, outside to push the ties through the wire and around the support frame. For the roof, it is necessary to work from one side only so the zip ties need to be bent at a sharp angle, pushed through the wire and fished around the other wire and support frame. A bit fussy, but once you get the hang of it it goes pretty quick.

I chased wild birds out of it several times the first week or so, but since then they seem to have learned to stay away.



We cut off the ends of the zip ties once they were installed.

 

[thomasboyle]

I have a 15x15 enclosed run off of my coop. I originally built the run with PVC pipe and chicken wire, but that did survive the winter, so the next summer, I tore it all down and built a sturdier run. I wanted to cover it, so I wouldn't be fighting spring mud or shoveling snow in winter. I used 4x4 posts and double 2x6 beams to support the 16' 2x6 rafters. Then I covered the walls with 2"x4" field fence on the outside, and 1/2" hardware wire on the inside. I added a ladder style roosting bar in the middle so they birds can nap safely away from the sides if they choose. Finally, I brought in 3 yards of sand for the run. In the winter, I cover the entire run with heavy duty vinyl shower curtains to keep out the wind and snow. All of this has made taking care of the chickens and ducks so much easier!

 

[MoonShadows]

That is a beauty, Thomas!

 

[CatWhisperer]

I concur, it is gorgeous