I really need some help!

[Chicken0Boy]

I have 6 chickens right now and I am getting 4 more. My only 6 are staying in a 6x6 coop with a 5x10 run. (heres the link to the run)
http://www.tractorsupply.com/doc-bob-reg-professional-kennel-5-ft-w-x-10-ft-l-x-6-ft-h-3606033
I already have 1 of the cages and I am going to buy another one for my 4 new chickens. They will all use the same coop, I was just going to combine them together! Wouldn't that make a 20x10 run? This is really hard to explain.

I got 20x10 by moving the gates east and just adding 3 more pannels to each side. That is plenty of room for 10 chickens isn't it? They will free range too. I also wanted to know if there were any plants I could go ahead and start to grow before I add the extra run space?
I understand this is hard to follow (well, for me atleast), but if you don't get something please ask. I really need to know!

Oh, and what should I cover the top of my run with? After reading this read post #5 for a good summary of what I am asking!

Thanks for all of you helping me on my chicken adventure!

 

[7L Farm]

You need a bigger coop for ten chickens. My coop is 8X10 with 11 chickens & I feel its to small. Crowded chickens get bad habits. Bigger is better. I just finished building my second coop which is 330 sq foot three sided coop which will house 25 RIR"S. This will be adequate space for 25 chickens. I'll probably build more coops & from now on I'm building big. I now free range more because of feather pecking. Even though I free range more your still gonna have times where they will need to be locked up .

 

[Chicken0Boy]

So, I have like a porch on the front of my coop! I will probably build the exspansion on it. Many thanks!

Any body else with ideas/advice/pics/help?

 

[Talihofarms]

The top of your coop should be poulrty netting. 1" is good.
You can find smaller sections on E Bay.
sides should be 1" or smaller galv. poultry wire.

If you, or someone you know is a decent carpenter, you can build a more cost effective coup with p. treated lumber.


We run a hot wire at 4,12,24 " around the coup.

Keeps the 4 legged variety at a safe distance.



just my .02

 

[Chicken0Boy]

We barely have any predators, the sides of the coop are 2x4 galvanized wire, so I am not to worried about the sides. My main questions are...

1. What kind of plants can i put in the run for the chickens to eat? (i can put wire around them, so the chickens do devour them)

2. If I buy 2 of these 5x10 cages, can I make it into 10x20 run? (I would not put any pannels on the top) http://www.tractorsupply.com/doc-bob-re …

3. What type of material do/should I put on the top of the run?

 

[Ridgerunner]

1. What kind of plants can i put in the run for the chickens to eat? (i can put wire around them, so the chickens do devour them)

If you free range, you don't have to do this. But if you want to, I'd suggest taking a 2" x 4" and make a small square or rectangle. Cover that with hardware cloth or just chicken wire so they cannot get to the roots of the plants. Just set that over grass. They will eat what their beaks can reach but will not be able to pull it out by the roots. One possible disadvantage. They will probably perch on top and poop in it a lot if they are confined ot the run a lot. It might get so much poop in it that the grass dies out. But then it might not.

2. If I buy 2 of these 5x10 cages, can I make it into 10x20 run? (I would not put any pannels on the top) http://www.tractorsupply.com/doc-bob-re …

It sure looks like it to me.

3. What type of material do/should I put on the top of the run?

What is your purpose in covering the run? If it is to keep the chickens in, try deer netting. It is fairly inexpensive and will keep them from flying out. It will turn brittle over time and will need to be replaced eventually. It will not keep predators out.

If it is to keep predators out, I'd suggest some of that 2"x4" welded wire fencing. You can get it in 5 foot widths and stretch it over your top. I'd suggest J-clips or hog rings to connect the two 5' widths so you can have a fairly solid top piece. You can probably use the J-clips and definitely the hog rings to attach this to the top of your fencing. Somebody at Tractor Supply can show you both these if you are not familiar with them. Or you can use wire to tie the fencing together and attach it to the top of your fencing.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Quote:
Thank you for taking all the time to write that down for me. I am moslty wanting to keep predators out. So, If I buy 2x4 welded wire in 5 feet width, I will be able to attach it to the top with J-Clips or Hog Rings? I also just thought about shade! They will definatly need it bacuase it stays 90+ degrees in the summmer here. What could I do besides just putting a tarp over the half the run? (I want it to look nice)

Also, with the plant thingy... I just wanted them to have something to do when they can't free range.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

You might consider a hardware cloth barrier along the bottom to keep raccoons from pulling chickens through the wire or critters from digging under the fence.

I put out a live trap to minimize the predators close to my chicken run. I also put a poultry net over the top. (Both on my Chicken Products page)

I doubt you will be able to keep any plants alive in the run unless they hate eating the plant. Try throwing produce in there instead. I also recently read about somebody who raises wheat grass in trays and places a tray in the coop daily.

I have started sprouting to give my chickens winter greens .

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Chicken.Lytle :

You might consider a hardware cloth barrier along the bottom to keep raccoons from pulling chickens through the wire or critters from digging under the fence.

I put out a live trap to minimize the predators close to my chicken run. I also put a poultry net over the top. (Both on my Chicken Products page)

I doubt you will be able to keep any plants alive in the run unless they hate eating the plant. Try throwing produce in there instead. I also recently read about somebody who raises wheat grass in trays and places a tray in the coop daily.

I have started sprouting to give my chickens winter greens .

So for the top I could use poultry netting or deer netting?​

 

[Ridgerunner]

Looking at that railing on top, wire is probably the best way to attach the fence covering to the top of your run. Hog rings and J-clips work if it is wire to wire (though you have to watch the size of the wire with J-clips). With that railing, they would not work. They's still work fine to attach the two 5' pieces together, but so will wire.

Not sure what I would do for shade on that. If it is solid, I'd want it sloped enough for water to run off instead of set up there, cause it to sag, and maybe break. I don't know how you woud slope that. Maybe some type of porous shade cloth? It would be nice to have something up there to keep the run dry but the slope becomes a problem. As far as shade, consider putting something on the sunny side as well. A top only gives shade when the sun is overhead. There are plenty of times it is not overhead.