How big of a run for 10-12 chickens?

[PapaChaz]

Quote: go ahead and attach to the frame on the bottom of the run, lay a straight edged board where you want the bend and push it down, or you could do that before you attach it, kneel on the board and bend it from the long side so you're not getting cut on the edges

 

[aart]

Quote:

Can anyone give me some points on bending the HC? Wanted to work on adding the HC around the coop today while the ground is soft from yesterday's showers. That stuff is the devil. Ouch. Even with gloves.

I'm on my phone and can't figure out how to upload progress pics from yesterday. Nothing exciting. We have rain forecasted for the weekend. I'm going to go nuts.

I pre-bent mine...on the garage floor using a very straight 1x4 (knelt on it) and a short flat pry bar to bend it tight to board then tap against board.
But this was just for bending up the edges anywhere from 2-10"...any farther than that would have been a 2 person job.

 

[Finnie]

The ways I’ve found to connect wire is either J-clips (rabbit section of Tractor Supply), hog rings, or use wire to thread them together.

So, after reading this, I've done some researching on these ideas, and I'm wondering which way you think is better. For a big job, it sounds like it would be a lot of tedious work. Then I found these on Amazon, and it sure seems like it would make the job go a lot faster, but with the larger size of the hog rings, the joint between each panel of hardware cloth would be pretty sloppy.
http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-P7DW-Hog-Ring-Pliers/dp/B00I7PCF3K/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y

J- clips would hold the wired together more tightly. Would the difference matter? The problem is, you have to invest in one type of pliers or the other, and both kinds are up in the $20s. I wouldn't really want to start with one kind, not like it, and then buy the other as well.

How far apart would you recommend having each clip?

As for threading wire through 10 feet of HC (or whatever length one was using) that seems like the worst headache of all the methods. Or did you have some kind of trick that made the work go more smoothly? I hate sewing, this seems like the worst kind of sewing job ever! But maybe I am imagining it wrong, and it wouldn't be like that.

(Not trying to hijack the thread. I hope this is still pertinent to TXchick's plans for her HC.) And Ridgerunner sounds like she's done this before, so she would be the right person to ask.

 

[PapaChaz]

So, after reading this, I've done some researching on these ideas, and I'm wondering which way you think is better. For a big job, it sounds like it would be a lot of tedious work. Then I found these on Amazon, and it sure seems like it would make the job go a lot faster, but with the larger size of the hog rings, the joint between each panel of hardware cloth would be pretty sloppy.
http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-P7DW-Hog-Ring-Pliers/dp/B00I7PCF3K/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y

J- clips would hold the wired together more tightly. Would the difference matter? The problem is, you have to invest in one type of pliers or the other, and both kinds are up in the $20s. I wouldn't really want to start with one kind, not like it, and then buy the other as well.

How far apart would you recommend having each clip?

As for threading wire through 10 feet of HC (or whatever length one was using) that seems like the worst headache of all the methods. Or did you have some kind of trick that made the work go more smoothly? I hate sewing, this seems like the worst kind of sewing job ever! But maybe I am imagining it wrong, and it wouldn't be like that.

(Not trying to hijack the thread. I hope this is still pertinent to TXchick's plans for her HC.) And Ridgerunner sounds like she's done this before, so she would be the right person to ask.

if you want a good tight fit, get a roll of electric fence wire, cut pieces a few inches long, stick through from the inside, pull back through and twist together. Electric fence wire is made to be outside obviously, so won't deteriorate too badly. It's much easier to work with than the clips, and all you need is a pair of regular old linemans pliers. You can cut it with those, then after you pull the wire back through, grab both ends of the wire in the pilers and twist it.

I made a hook out of a piece of the wire to use to pull it back through. I've built two coops this way and having done so, there's literally no way I'd worry with jclips or hog rings. I can cinch the wire down for a much tighter hold too. way less expense and not nearly so rough on the hands

 

[aart]

Tried the rabbit cage jclips in 1/2" HC, deemed the hog rings as too big also,
and found them to be a PITA (but I had the cheap pliers) and not necessarily tight enough either.

I just used pieces of wire, cut to length and bent to a 'j' shape to facilitate installation, and twisted them tight.

Another thing I didn't like about the jclips is that they're almost impossible to remove if needed......
.....but then I always use screws instead of nails, pencils instead of pens, for the same reason, so I can fix what I foul up.

 

[TxChick77]

Happy Monday y'all. I'm still pounding away. Couldn't get much done over the weekend because of forecasted rain. Hubby helped put the roof on yesterday. It's not perfect, but it will work.
Today I'm putting up the siding. I've decided to use pine fence slates. They're cheap. Weather resistant..for a few years anyways...and cheap.

This wall has hardware cloth 24" down. I was going to do the same on the shorter walls, but. I'm worried about rain blowing in, as we didn't have much for an overhang on the sides.
This long wall will be my poop board that runs the full length.
I have planned on it being 20" wide. Do you think that will be wide enough?
How high should I raise it off the floor and still be ok with the opening up top?

Trying to keep myself busy and hands out of my bator on top of anxiously awaiting my day old chicks arriving the week of the 27th.

 

[TxChick77]

Thanks for hint. Sounds easy enough.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TxChick77 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can anyone give me some points on bending the HC? Wanted to work on adding the HC around the coop today while the ground is soft from yesterday's showers. That stuff is the devil. Ouch. Even with gloves. I'm on my phone and can't figure out how to upload progress pics from yesterday. Nothing exciting. We have rain forecasted for the weekend. I'm going to go nuts.
I pre-bent mine...on the garage floor using a very straight 1x4 (knelt on it) and a short flat pry bar to bend it tight to board then tap against board. But this was just for bending up the edges anywhere from 2-10"...any farther than that would have been a 2 person job.

 

[TxChick77]

Please ask...because I'm sure I'll have similar questions real soon.

So, after reading this, I've done some researching on these ideas, and I'm wondering which way you think is better.  For a big job, it sounds like it would be a lot of  tedious work.  Then I found these on Amazon, and it sure seems like it would make the job go a lot faster, but with the larger size of the hog rings, the joint between each panel of hardware cloth would be pretty sloppy. 
http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-P7DW-Hog-Ring-Pliers/dp/B00I7PCF3K/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y 

J- clips would hold the wired together more tightly.  Would the difference matter?  The problem is, you have to invest in one type of pliers or the other, and both kinds are up in the $20s.  I wouldn't really want to start with one kind, not like it, and then buy the other as well.

How far apart would you recommend having each clip?

As for threading wire through 10 feet of HC (or whatever length one was using) that seems like the worst headache of all the methods.  Or did you have some kind of trick that made the work go more smoothly?  I hate sewing, this seems like the worst kind of sewing job ever!  But maybe I am imagining it wrong, and it wouldn't be like that.

(Not trying to hijack the thread.  I hope this is still pertinent to TXchick's plans for her HC.)  And Ridgerunner sounds like she's done this before, so she would be the right person to ask.

 

[aart]

Happy Monday y'all. I'm still pounding away. Couldn't get much done over the weekend because of forecasted rain. Hubby helped put the roof on yesterday. It's not perfect, but it will work.
Today I'm putting up the siding. I've decided to use pine fence slates. They're cheap. Weather resistant..for a few years anyways...and cheap.

This wall has hardware cloth 24" down. I was going to do the same on the shorter walls, but. I'm worried about rain blowing in, as we didn't have much for an overhang on the sides.
This long wall will be my poop board that runs the full length.
I have planned on it being 20" wide. Do you think that will be wide enough?
How high should I raise it off the floor and still be ok with the opening up top?

Trying to keep myself busy and hands out of my bator on top of anxiously awaiting my day old chicks arriving the week of the 27th.

I'd go 24" wide poop board roost running down the center 8" above board...has worked great for me poop wise except 12" is too close to wall for roosters tail, sickle feathers get messed up bad rubbing against wall.... but that's only ascetics, no real harm done.

Height: roosts a foot above nest bottoms, nests as low as is comfortable for you to gather eggs.

 

[PapaChaz]

this is looking really nice! I like the big roof overhangs