Getting started

[Michael OShay]

Thanks Michael, I'm good to go! Now if I can just get someone who will build the run without making me wait forever! I want it now! It's like pulling hens' teeth!!

You're welcome.

 

[xcop]

Hi Michael! Well I found someone to make the run. He (Vic) wondered why the concern about the wire though. He figures that ordinary chicken wire will suffice for the run during the day as the flock will be indoors at night when predators are active. He does agree about the hardware cloth around the coop under the roof and around the bottom. He also sees the wisdom in putting it around the run perimeter. He doesn't see the need for a roof for the run as he figures they will just go inside the coop for shade when they feel the need. However, he is not a chicken expert and admits it. He does recall a friend who had a weasel go into the coop under the roof and was skinny enough to do it. He is a pig farmer who can build anything and is retired. Tell me, there is no way ospreys can penetrate chicken wire...can small hawks? There are plenty around here. We are now debating the size of the run. He thinks I want to go too big, but I see that as a plus and that way you don't have to rebuild if you want to go bigger. Also, should a roost be round (a pole) or can a 2 by 4 do the trick? What is the most comfortable for them? Vic also believes I should insulate the coop for winter...it is only pine boards and nothing else. We could put insulation inside and cover with plastic. I would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Michael OShay]

Hi Michael! Well I found someone to make the run. He (Vic) wondered why the concern about the wire though. He figures that ordinary chicken wire will suffice for the run during the day as the flock will be indoors at night when predators are active. He does agree about the hardware cloth around the coop under the roof and around the bottom. He also sees the wisdom in putting it around the run perimeter. He doesn't see the need for a roof for the run as he figures they will just go inside the coop for shade when they feel the need. However, he is not a chicken expert and admits it. He does recall a friend who had a weasel go into the coop under the roof and was skinny enough to do it. He is a pig farmer who can build anything and is retired. Tell me, there is no way ospreys can penetrate chicken wire...can small hawks? There are plenty around here. We are now debating the size of the run. He thinks I want to go too big, but I see that as a plus and that way you don't have to rebuild if you want to go bigger. Also, should a roost be round (a pole) or can a 2 by 4 do the trick? What is the most comfortable for them? Vic also believes I should insulate the coop for winter...it is only pine boards and nothing else. We could put insulation inside and cover with plastic. I would appreciate your thoughts.

I would strongly recommend going with the hardware cloth rather than the chicken wire. While most predators do hunt at night, there are always a chance of some bold predator hunting in the day, and even domestic animals like dogs can tear through chicken wire. Also if you have snakes in the area, they can squeeze through the chicken wire mesh. I would put a roof over the run to keep the rain out. It's amazing how fast chickens can turn wet ground into a mud wallow. Bigger is always better with runs. That way you not only make certain the chickens are not overcrowded, but as you said, you can increase the size of your flock later if you decide to. You should use 2X4s on the roost (wide side up) rather than round poles. Chickens don't roost by gripping the roost with their feet like many other birds do. They spread their feet out flat on the roost and then set their bodies down on top of their feet to keep them warm. I would not personally insulate the coop, and definitely do not line the coop with plastic which will hold moisture in. Feathers are wonderful insulators and moisture is a far greater danger than cold. Just make sure that the coop is draft free, dry, and has good ventilation to keep moisture from building up. BYC has a good article on coop ventilation at https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop. Good luck in getting your coop built. )

 

[xcop]

Thanks again! Vic is very concerned about their health during the winter so I will pass your advice on. No plastic! Hardware cloth is definitely more expensive than chicken wire, but sounds well worth it. He is coming over Thursday to start...or at least plot it out. I am sure I will be back with more questions...hope you don't mind! You have saved me hours of research!

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks again! Vic is very concerned about their health during the winter so I will pass your advice on. No plastic! Hardware cloth is definitely more expensive than chicken wire, but sounds well worth it. He is coming over Thursday to start...or at least plot it out. I am sure I will be back with more questions...hope you don't mind! You have saved me hours of research!

You're welcome. And feel free to ask questions any time. If I don't know the answer, maybe I can point you in the right direction to find it.

 

[xcop]

The problem I envision with hardware cloth is that it will be hard to see the flock, won't it? The wire is so dense! If you placed it around the base of the run and up the sides a foot or so, and then had chicken wire from there to the roof, would that not keep predators out? I hope I got your advice straight. You are suggesting I place hardware cloth on the floor of the run as well? Would that not impede them from grazing or hurt their feet?

 

[xcop]

Also what kind of hardware cloth would be appropriate? How big should the holes be?

 

[Michael OShay]

The problem I envision with hardware cloth is that it will be hard to see the flock, won't it? The wire is so dense! If you placed it around the base of the run and up the sides a foot or so, and then had chicken wire from there to the roof, would that not keep predators out? I hope I got your advice straight. You are suggesting I place hardware cloth on the floor of the run as well? Would that not impede them from grazing or hurt their feet?

Also what kind of hardware cloth would be appropriate? How big should the holes be?

If you use 1/2" hardware cloth, you can see the flock just fine through it. Using chicken wire anywhere will not keep the predators out. A lot of BYC members (including myself many years ago) can attest to that to their own sorrow. A number of predators have no problem climbing up to reach the chicken wire. Chicken wire is good for keeping chickens in, not for keeping predators out. Chickens are actually able to walk on hardware cloth without hurting their feet, however you should put a layer of coarse sand (3-4") or fine, smooth pea gravel over the hardware cloth that covers the bottom of the coop/run so the chickens are walking on the sand and not on the hardware cloth. All of my coop/runs have always had hardware cloth stretched across the ground under them covered with a layer of coarse sand or fine pea gravel. If you don't to go to the added expense of hardware cloth completely across the floor of the coop/run, you can always just lay it around the outer perimeter attached to the coop/run and cover it with dirt or rocks.

 

[xcop]

Thanks Michael. As it turns out the local country store has a sale on hardware cloth starting tomorrow. I will be buying it first thing and will get the half inch. I promise - no chicken wire. My builder, Vic, started this morning. A neighbour who is a farmer dropped by and was stunned at the size of it. But then, he doesn't view chickens as anything but future meals. He told me nightmarish stories about weasels and views them as the most insidious predators. I am still tackling the coop and almost have it empty of all that crap. I am having a hell of a time finding sand though. There will be new windows installed as per your advice and it will be impenetrable by the time we're done. This is so exciting!

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks Michael. As it turns out the local country store has a sale on hardware cloth starting tomorrow. I will be buying it first thing and will get the half inch. I promise - no chicken wire. My builder, Vic, started this morning. A neighbour who is a farmer dropped by and was stunned at the size of it. But then, he doesn't view chickens as anything but future meals. He told me nightmarish stories about weasels and views them as the most insidious predators. I am still tackling the coop and almost have it empty of all that crap. I am having a hell of a time finding sand though. There will be new windows installed as per your advice and it will be impenetrable by the time we're done. This is so exciting!

Thanks for posting the pics. It's always preferable to go bigger than you need rather than too small, and the size will give you plenty of room for adding to your flock later on if you choose to do so. Your neighbor is right about the weasels, which is another reason to avoid chicken wire. Weasels can sqeeze through the openings in the mesh, and in one evening, a single weasel can wipe out your entire flock. As TwoCrows, one of our moderators, always says, "built your coop/run like Fort Knox." )