Help with building our Run ...We'd love your wisdom!!! (see pic)

[Texas Tams]

Good Morning!

Hubby and I have gotten a good start on building our 10X12 coop and finally finished the roof yesterday. We are now contemplating on how to exactly do the run which is going to be on the left side of coop in which the window and chicken door open into it.

We would like something sturdy and long lasting of course, and was thinking of maybe using a 10X10 (6ft tall) dog kennel kit but the problem is the window is taller than 6ft and so we would have to have window open up from the inside which is fine but not what I had in mind but am willing to improvise. I do want the run to be tall enough with a door/gate for me to access for cleanings etc. and also will have the top enclosed to protect from those darned ole chicken hawks!!!

Suggestions are greatly appreciated since we are wavering back and forth of whether to build with wood and hardware cloth (treated wood is so darn expensive right now) or build/;use a chain link kennel type? what to do??...what to do?? PS.....I do have the paint picked out, lol !

 

[Jakoda]

I went with hardware cloth and wood. Reason being I have a double door on the side of the shed I was using and to be able to open those doors it had to be HIGH, plus I wanted to be able to walk inside the run area.

Here's a pic (and I should say my husband built this not me tho I helped LOL)


The run is 12 x 20+, I used Ondura roof panels, since this pic was taken, my shed from the left window to the right was smashed during storm sandy The run had no damage thank goodness, and we salvaged the chicken area by the left window..we are rebuilding this spring

Enjoy your chickens!
Diane

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Remember the dreaded chicken math. With a coop that big you may want a run that's much bigger unless you will be free ranging alot. I think i''ve see 4sq/ft per bird for coop space and 10sq/ft per bird for run space as the recommendations for sizes.

Also if one dimension of the run is the same as the coop then the height of the window don't matter as you don't need to have fencing against the coop itself. The coop forms one side and three kennel panels form the other three sides of the run, just attach the ends of the panels to the coop and you're good to go. If the coop is bigger or smaller then the kennel panels you can just angle them in or out to meet the coop at it's corners. If you are buying a 4 pcs kennel kit then you can just use all 4 pieces to make a bigger run with a pentagon shape instead of a square.

 

[Texas Tams]

Thanks for sharing Diane, glad wicked ole sandy spared your run!