Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

OK….This run is an experiment, with DH imposing some realistic constraints and agreeing it is hair-brained and insisting it is not what he would prefer to do! Originally my idea was to make a lightweight two-part removable roof on the big 9x12 ft wire cage run (an Omlet Walk-In Run), keeping it modular and moveable in two halves, using it in the trial winter spot now and then moving it to the established summer spot. I planned to do it by myself, so I planned small - small pieces of wood easy to handle, lightweight roofing, metal brackets connecting things with screws, lots of concrete blocks & strapping “staking” it down. The run held up under snow and wind with tarps and tie-downs to concrete blocks last year, so I was thinking along those same lines, keeping the cage exterior to the roofing assembly so that I could tarp the sides, but with a better, sturdier ceiling. I really wanted eaves.

DH offered help, a good thing, which I gladly accepted. He has accommodated my ideas as much as possible but wanted it much more rugged and beefy. Since some materials were already ordered and here, I supplemented per his requests, and thus the FrankenRun was born. My planned shed roof has way more angle than the cage roof had, and is a huge sail. He has experience in construction and went to school for engineering (we built most of our house), a good thing. The result is that it’s obviously not going to be terribly modular or going anywhere without a lot of complicated disassembly. It’s a 3-D puzzle. So it is now the permanent winter run and we’ll see how it holds up and the site works. Hopefully we’ll build the summer run properly and from scratch next year (DH prayers would be answered).

A couple of days ago. Roofing partially on, bracing also only partial, nothing remotely square yet, some blocks there temporarily so it doesn't blow away. Angle bracing staked to the ground, ratchet strapping purlin & rafters to block piles planned. There's been no wind until today thankfully.
View attachment 3284187View attachment 3284189
View attachment 3284193View attachment 3284194

Pictures illustrating 3-D insanity. Wire run mesh ceiling not up yet here in the middle, bracing & placement not final. It was a crazy idea I will admit. Especially as the wire run is far from square and everything has to be adjusted three times, and then again later too.


View attachment 3284197
I couldn't get pics of the chicken inspectors today, but they made a thorough tour in the late afternoon early evening, and appeared to approve.

@Ponypoor — this picture of Mr. Pompeii is really nice, I love it. Calendar-worthy!

You call your “FrankenRun” is portable? That doesn’t look portable to me.

 

[featherhead007]

He’s been better lately.

The thing about my little buddy Jaffar, is that he prefers the company of his seven ladies, and doesn’t have time for me anymore.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes awesome presentation

Thanks.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you very much for posting this! Math is not my forte the pictures and explication are very helpful

I'm glad you found it useful.

 

[Ponypoor]

OK….This run is an experiment, with DH imposing some realistic constraints and agreeing it is hair-brained and insisting it is not what he would prefer to do! Originally my idea was to make a lightweight two-part removable roof on the big 9x12 ft wire cage run (an Omlet Walk-In Run), keeping it modular and moveable in two halves, using it in the trial winter spot now and then moving it to the established summer spot. I planned to do it by myself, so I planned small - small pieces of wood easy to handle, lightweight roofing, metal brackets connecting things with screws, lots of concrete blocks & strapping “staking” it down. The run held up under snow and wind with tarps and tie-downs to concrete blocks last year, so I was thinking along those same lines, keeping the cage exterior to the roofing assembly so that I could tarp the sides, but with a better, sturdier ceiling. I really wanted eaves.

DH offered help, a good thing, which I gladly accepted. He has accommodated my ideas as much as possible but wanted it much more rugged and beefy. Since some materials were already ordered and here, I supplemented per his requests, and thus the FrankenRun was born. My planned shed roof has way more angle than the cage roof had, and is a huge sail. He has experience in construction and went to school for engineering (we built most of our house), a good thing. The result is that it’s obviously not going to be terribly modular or going anywhere without a lot of complicated disassembly. It’s a 3-D puzzle. So it is now the permanent winter run and we’ll see how it holds up and the site works. Hopefully we’ll build the summer run properly and from scratch next year (DH prayers would be answered).

A couple of days ago. Roofing partially on, bracing also only partial, nothing remotely square yet, some blocks there temporarily so it doesn't blow away. Angle bracing staked to the ground, ratchet strapping purlin & rafters to block piles planned. There's been no wind until today thankfully.
View attachment 3284187View attachment 3284189
View attachment 3284193View attachment 3284194

Pictures illustrating 3-D insanity. Wire run mesh ceiling not up yet here in the middle, bracing & placement not final. It was a crazy idea I will admit. Especially as the wire run is far from square and everything has to be adjusted three times, and then again later too.


View attachment 3284197
I couldn't get pics of the chicken inspectors today, but they made a thorough tour in the late afternoon early evening, and appeared to approve.

@Ponypoor — this picture of Mr. Pompeii is really nice, I love it. Calendar-worthy!

Wow it looks amazing! What is that wire mesh? Looks good and sturdy! I love the clear panels on the roof

 

[Ponypoor]

The thing about my little buddy Jaffar, is that he prefers the company of his seven ladies, and doesn’t have time for me anymore.

Sorry to hear that… I feel like that with my silkies, these days all they want to do is be broody and sit on eggs (golf balls)…

 

[BY Bob]

Sorry to hear that… I feel like that with my silkies, these days all they want to do is be broody and sit on eggs (golf balls)…

 

[ChicoryBlue]

OK got one Arlo camera going! It’s in the little run. Got this motion-activated clip, makes me laugh. Butters is drinking water when Hazel goes into the run and notices the camera. It has a red light that comes on? She keeps checking behind her, like a double-take….. Butters too!

 

[BY Bob]

OK got one Arlo camera going! It’s in the little run. Got this motion-activated clip, makes me laugh. Butters is drinking water when Hazel goes into the run and notices the camera. It has a red light that comes on? She keeps checking behind her, like a double-take….. Butters too!

That's great! Yes there is a light that comes on when the camera is on. You can't see it but the chickens can. It is picked up by the camera's night vision.

You can see the light on the camera in the nest box in the distance.

 

[bgmathteach]

OK….This run is an experiment, with DH imposing some realistic constraints and agreeing it is hair-brained and insisting it is not what he would prefer to do! Originally my idea was to make a lightweight two-part removable roof on the big 9x12 ft wire cage run (an Omlet Walk-In Run), keeping it modular and moveable in two halves, using it in the trial winter spot now and then moving it to the established summer spot. I planned to do it by myself, so I planned small - small pieces of wood easy to handle, lightweight roofing, metal brackets connecting things with screws, lots of concrete blocks & strapping “staking” it down. The run held up under snow and wind with tarps and tie-downs to concrete blocks last year, so I was thinking along those same lines, keeping the cage exterior to the roofing assembly so that I could tarp the sides, but with a better, sturdier ceiling. I really wanted eaves.

DH offered help, a good thing, which I gladly accepted. He has accommodated my ideas as much as possible but wanted it much more rugged and beefy. Since some materials were already ordered and here, I supplemented per his requests, and thus the FrankenRun was born. My planned shed roof has way more angle than the cage roof had, and is a huge sail. He has experience in construction and went to school for engineering (we built most of our house), a good thing. The result is that it’s obviously not going to be terribly modular or going anywhere without a lot of complicated disassembly. It’s a 3-D puzzle. So it is now the permanent winter run and we’ll see how it holds up and the site works. Hopefully we’ll build the summer run properly and from scratch next year (DH prayers would be answered).

A couple of days ago. Roofing partially on, bracing also only partial, nothing remotely square yet, some blocks there temporarily so it doesn't blow away. Angle bracing staked to the ground, ratchet strapping purlin & rafters to block piles planned. There's been no wind until today thankfully.
View attachment 3284187View attachment 3284189
View attachment 3284193View attachment 3284194

Pictures illustrating 3-D insanity. Wire run mesh ceiling not up yet here in the middle, bracing & placement not final. It was a crazy idea I will admit. Especially as the wire run is far from square and everything has to be adjusted three times, and then again later too.


View attachment 3284197
I couldn't get pics of the chicken inspectors today, but they made a thorough tour in the late afternoon early evening, and appeared to approve.

@Ponypoor — this picture of Mr. Pompeii is really nice, I love it. Calendar-worthy!

Do you loan out DH???? While it definitely isn't modular, it is looking WONDERFUL!

I am quite sure your chooks will be very happy with it. Maybe, instead of moving the whole thing to the 'summer run' area, DH will make a truly modular run with a roof for that space...that can be 'packed up/folded up for the winter?????

I made a relatively small modular run...but it was meant to be moved daily, as it was for chicks old enough to be outside in the heat of the day, but needed the brooder plate early eve through late morning....so they went out into the 'run' for a few hours each day. It was only 5.5' X ~ 5', and 3' high. I'm not sure how to make a truly modular run of the size you are thinking where the 'pieces' are easily disconnected and movable. Mine consisted of 2 'wall panels' 5.5 feet long with 2.5' piece hinged on either end, and one roof panel that hinged in the middle to 'fold up'. I put 2 sets of eye screw in each end of both uprights, and one in the center of opposite edges of the roof panel. set it up as a rectangle, with 4' rebar running through eye screws. It worked really well for what I used it for, and folded up very nicely to store away....and I've also used it as a small extension on my mobile coop, too.