i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[tlcmurphy]

@tlcmurphy i dunno why, but i feel like i saw you post a pic once where you had a chicken tunnel. am i wrong or was that you?

I do have a “Chunnel” about 18 feet long to connect their coop by the back deck to their extended run at the side of the house.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Here’s the end of it where it connects to the run, just 1X1 lumber and 2 layers of chicken wire. About 24” in all directions

 

[pollipazzi]

how do you find it? any good? i was thinking about it, but i am wondering if it would compromise the safety of the run if i mess with it. i could tunnel them somehow to the greenhouse maybe.
but also! how do you manage tunnel poop? and if one just decides to stay in the middle of the tunnel?

 

[pollipazzi]

Here’s the end of it where it connects to the run, just 1X1 lumber and 2 layers of chicken wire. About 24” in all directions
View attachment 4250551View attachment 4250552

i posted to soon! lol! i see how you have it connected. but is there a pop door for it if you need to close it off?

 

[pollipazzi]

also. thank you for the pics (visual learner )

 

[tlcmurphy]

how do you find it? any good? i was thinking about it, but i am wondering if it would compromise the safety of the run if i mess with it. i could tunnel them somehow to the greenhouse maybe.
but also! how do you manage tunnel poop? and if one just decides to stay in the middle of the tunnel?

It would be better if my husband had used the hardware cloth I requested for sure . We have a heavy sliding door at the end that attaches to the coop we close off each night so they are secure. The run is also secure if we close the small pop door at that end (I stomped my feet until hubby wrapped the run in HWC after the fact).

We’ve never had anyone stay in the run or Chunnel overnight. We do not handle the issue, it just decomposes. It was SUPER fun the time one of them laid an egg in the middle though, had to roll it to the end with a stick to fish it out

 

[tlcmurphy]

Here’s a pic of where it attaches to the coop end (and how the knuckleheads use it when they free range). Ignore my tiny coop, I’ve only got 4 girls.

 

[pollipazzi]

It would be better if my husband had used the hardware cloth I requested for sure . We have a heavy sliding door at the end that attaches to the coop we close off each night so they are secure. The run is also secure if we close the small pop door at that end (I stomped my feet until hubby wrapped the run in HWC after the fact).

We’ve never had anyone stay in the run or Chunnel overnight. We do not handle the issue, it just decomposes. It was SUPER fun the time one of them laid an egg in the middle though, had to roll it to the end with a stick to fish it out

i didn't even think about egg laying! i did think of the middle of the tunnel because when my son was little, he decided to park himself in the middle of one of those kid tunnel things... you know... with the slides and stuff they can climb in? and i had to go in and fetch him out.
yes. i am still a little resentful of that after all this time.

i'll have to think on this because it would have to be temporary. and i would have to figure out how to close up the greenhouse door if the tunnel went there.
all summer, i just used clothes pegs and put bird net across the door so the chickens wouldn't eat my tomatoes, but the tomatoes could get air.
that worked just fine for that.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I never answered your question- Yes, I love the Chunnel because otherwise I’d need to put them in the run by hand each day (no thanks). Also, that run is only about 5’ wide but it’s 24’ long!

 

[pollipazzi]

I never answered your question- Yes, I love the Chunnel because otherwise I’d need to put them in the run by hand each day (no thanks). Also, that run is only about 5’ wide but it’s 24’ long!

that's a lot of room for 4 chickens!
and i wouldn't judge anyone for having a small coop! lol! look at mine. but they're really only sleeping and laying eggs in there. whatever works.