Free Range... need a run?

[bantymum]

Hi, Mine freerange between 6am and 7pm, they have a covered run mainly for use as a nursery run when chicks are around. I used 4 ft wire and did it the hard way by joining it together to make 8ft height and also joined the top with another strip of 4ft mesh for the roof.

It was a pain to do with lots of scratches and cuts to my index fingers, but it was a labour of love and peace of mind!!
Let us know what you end up with !

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

We range in flock size from 6-12 hens. our run is 4ft wide by 8ft long by 4ft high. It's really too short, 'cause you have to duck down to get anyone out of it, but space is OK for the chickens, since they free-range most of the day, everyday.

Our run is ONLY chicken wire on a frame. Chicken wire will keep flying critters out: hawks and stuff. And at night, we shut the door to the coop itself so they are safe from 'coons and other sneaky, strong predators. A similar size run could be useful for your flock FarmerMac, if there is a day you want to keep them contained, 'cause you want to dust them, separate some, train them to lay in the coop, put leg bands on them, etc., but still want them to enjoy 'open air' while you're doing that.

 

[FarmerMack]

I thank everyone for clarification on this.

small it is as I think chickens should roam free when/where possible.

 

[TransplantedTexan]

I really wanted to completly free range my birds in the beginning. I would let them have run of about 5 acres.
They started out sticking close to the coop. Gradually they began to roam about three of my 5 acres. About two of those acres has really tall thick field grass, and they stayed out of there, I guess it's to thick for them to maneuver through. Then the farmer who leases the 80 acre field across the street picked all the cabbage he had growing in it. After that I could not stop the birds from leaving my yard, and going into that field to eat the old cabbage leaves laying around, and all the bugs eating the cabbage leaves.
The "street" they have to cross to get there is a two lane 55mph country Highway. Three times I came home to a dead bird in the road. Also the roosters started to get a little aggressive with the wife and daughter. At that point I saw the benifits of having a run, and made one. It's 11'x15', and I have 21 birds, so it's a hair shy of the 8 sqaure foot per bird rule. I think I am done free ranging for the fall/winter, and maybe I will do it again in the spring. It is nice to have the option.