free floating run in Minnesota?

[sgtmom52]

I am in PA and we get a good bit of freezing weather each winter. We built both of our runs "floating", by making 4' wide frames (to fit the width of the wire) and screwing them together. Each frame is built to fit the slope of the land. We do have a wire skirt on the outside bottom, wire on top of the small run and aviary netting on the larger one. The tops are supported by cross boards and some support posts on dek blocks. Digging post holes was out of the question due to the extremely rocky ground we have.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Ditto to what most have said here. That just seems like crazy overkill to go more than 1/3 of the total post height, especially if you plan to 'crete them.
I can't comment on how well the coop stays put yet, cuz I'm not done (

), but my chicken run is a modified dog run I built 4 years ago. I used 8' farm fence posts (Those greenish rounds posts, about 5" diam), buried 'em about 2 1/2 feet, and I only 'creted the two posts holding the gate. The rest are just in the dirt, and it would take a backhoe to move them. The run is 10' X 24' with 2X6's at the top and bottom, and those posts haven't budged.

As for my coop, it's 8x8 and sitting on block over sand and I plan to anchor it with the wire and torpedo type anchors used to tie down swing sets, kennels and the like, just in case we decide to move the kennel in the future.

Oh, and I live about 8 miles from the Canadian border over here in Central Washington, so our frost line is just over 4 ft but even our cabin is only sitting on concrete piers 36" deep, according to WA code.
Good Luck, whatever you decide. And of course, we'll be standing by for pics!

 

[tandpmiller]

In addition I would question the 6' deep recomendations as most post are made 6' or 8' long thus that would leave you with very litlle to work with above ground. Just saying common sense does come into play even when encounter freezing issues that you are combatting.

That just seems like crazy overkill to go more than 1/3 of the total post height, especially if you plan to 'crete them.

Overkill and common sense - yeah there has to be some middle ground. So, quick-crete and about 2' ought to do it, huh? Now we just have to decide if the tree roots are worth the effort.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I've never seen the need to set posts, since it's not a load bearing structure to begin with.

Mine is simple "walls" that sit on the ground.

You could always drill holes and drive in rebar to anchor them, but I haven't even done that.

Once the grass grows up through the skirt, they won't be moving anyway

The coop sits on cinder blocks and 4 X 4's that are anchor bolted to the blocks

 

[chickmchickie]

I live in ely mn and you cant get any colder or more froze then here lol.. and even the dog pens posts are only 2 feet into he ground.. it will be fine..

 

[Urbanchickenranchers]

Here is a pic of how I lagged the post to the box.

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd488/syclops7/chickens/2011-07-10070359.jpg

 

[tandpmiller]

Thanks for the pictures everyone posted - I'm a visual learner

.

Once we get the coop done we can weigh the pros and cons of how to do the run. At least we know now that we don't have to dig to China!

Thanks for all the input. Will post pics when we get that far.

 

[Rustywreck]

Depending upon the design, I wouldn't dig post holes. The main concerns here are keeping the run from collapsing, and perhaps to with stand heavier predators (raccoons).
My chicken's run floats on top of the ground. It has support across the top connecting the sides so digging post holes was not needed to stabilize it.
My turkey pen and garden have 4x4 posts down two feet to give them stability because of the lack of support across the top.
If you do set the posts, do not put concrete in the holes to set the post. Doing so will likely cause the post to push up.
I can't imagine going down to the frost line for what is essentially a fence post.

 

[HenCrazyMom]

I live in Central Minnesota. We have a 8 foot high fence around the garden to keep the deer out with wire underground for the small critters and those posts only go down 18 inches to 2 feet. Our dog kennel run's posts also 18 inches to two feet. We have had both up for 8+years with zero heaving. THe new chicken run will be built the same way---we are leaving many trees in the chicken run for shade but aren't really worried about roots. Best of luck to you!

 

[goldtopper]

Mmmm, love Merrifield! My inlaws have a place on Edward, bout a 1/2 mile up from Clow Stamping.