It worked, Chicken Run Fence Survives!

[darkmatter]

Last year I enlarged my Chicken Run about 10 times the area I started with. I had some problems with the original fence by fastening the fencing on each post-----this did not allow the fence to flex very much and the chicken wire tore easily. So, the new design I incorporated flexibility in the fence. I welded a 3 foot section of rebar extension to my T-posts with an eyelet on the top of the rebar. I buried plastic coated fencing 6 inches deep and extending 12 inches above ground. The corner posts were heavy wood posts set in concrete, made of Osage-orange trees. (Will not rot for a hundred years). I ran #9 galvanized wire from corner post to corner post through the rebar eyelets. I hung the chicken wire from the #9 galvanized wire by rings (like a shower curtain) and connected the fencing with those “J” hooks that you can get in the farm store that are used for building rabbit cages. (Comes with a special pliers for cinching them) The chicken wire is not attached to the posts---just to the #9 wire and the buried plastic coated wire. (Plastic coated for corrosion control and buried to prevent varmint “dig under”)
Last weekend a storm came through and a tree blasted by lightening fell on my new Chicken Run fence. (Horrors). The rebar bent and the fence accordion down. After I cut up the tree for firewood—(waste not, want not)—I bent the rebar back by hand and the fence sprung back into shape only a little stretched out, a little tightening of the #9 wire and adjusted the chicken wire made it good as new. Sometimes my genius surprises myself. See my BYC page for how I built my Chicken Run fence pictures. NOTE: I also join end sections of 100 foot Chicken wire by weaving a piece of the #9 wire through a overlapping section---like basting a quilt. The J-hooks are used to join the 3 foot wide sections of the chicken wire to make 6 foot wide sections.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Nice run!

I'm intrigued about the juniper in the nest boxes. That's the first I've heard of it, but it makes sense. Thanks for sharing.

 

[kev_n_jena]

Nice Setup. We're in Illinois also and getting ready to convert a 12 x 16 shed for chickens. We're thinking about doing a covered run 16 x 30. One question I have for you is, how do you water in the winter? Does your water freeze every day December and January or does your compost keep it thawed?

Kev n Jena

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
In the winter I use one of those low height rubber tubs set on concrete blocks in the Coop, the composting of the deep litter and the chicken’s body heat will keep the Coop 15 to 20 degrees warmer then outside. When the tub does freeze, I simply set it outside inverted and stomp it to knock the ice out, then refill-------So yes, I do carry water to the chickens on a more or less daily basis during the coldest part of the winter. But I'm down to the Chicken Coop twice a day minimum to let them out and close them up; I usually feed them in the morning and close them up at night. I use an old handled jug with a cap to carry a couple gallons at a time easily. In the summer time, I dip water out of the rain-bucket, but it sometimes rains enough that the rain-bucket overflow will keep that same rubber tub filled with water for weeks at a time without having to refill the waterer. It did this summer.

 

[BWKatz]

I really like ur setup But what is the purpose of double layer of bricks. I'm thinking of building straight on slabs of stone that we have on a rise in our yard. Any opinion?

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Purpose of double layer of bricks?---------------because I had them free from salvage and a double layer made a stronger foundation with less chance of a straight through hole in the foundation caused by varmints or my lousy mortar technique.