...just BUYING a chicken run?

[NCHydrangea]

I know the OP has found their chicken run but thought I’d add what I just did to maybe help others. I have 5 girls in an urban setting, so no free ranging for them. I just finished putting together a 10x20x6 dog kennel. I also bought the canopy to go over half the run because I wanted to try to keep the coop area somewhat dry. My total cost was $440 delivered. It would have been less, but I wasn’t going to rent a trailer to go get it. This was brand new off of Facebook Marketplace.
The panels are each 10’ long. I put it together today, by myself. It would have been easier if I’d had an extra person, but I was able to do it. It’s heat index of 105 degrees here so I did it in pieces but I think I could have put the run together in an hour if I’d worked steadily. Haven’t tackled the canopy yet, but that can wait. I will add a 2’ hardware cloth apron and 2’ up the sides using hog rings. I will fortify the corners, around the door and where 2 panels connect with hardware cloth. I’m going to add aviary netting to the top to hopefully prevent aerial attacks.
Hope this helps.

 

[Maugwa]

"To combat excessive weeds, use low impedance energizers, which are capable of increasing their energy output as fence load increases."

This is a modern (I don't know since when) approach, but for many years fencers were sold to burn, singe, is probably a better word, weeds. Burn sort of brings a flame to mind, but that's not really how they died. Green weeds with moisture in them conduct electricity, if enough, the weed gets hot and dies. At least the part that touched the fence. As it dies it shrivels and is no longer touching. Before it is dry enough to actually burn, it also is too dry to be conductive to the current and is no longer a ground. I remember once getting a larger fencer that was sold as a weed "burner" and it worked great - the one I had before would burn out fuses often, and the ones I've gotten more recently need the weed chopper low impedance circuit thing replaced once in a while. I'd bet the new ones are safer, but I'd like to find a good old school fencer just the same.

(with the magnifying box you can read these descriptions and see that some do burn or singe weeds)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Print-Ad-of-Esco-Electric-Fence-Controllers-Weed-King-Shocker-Shox-Stok/173792550669?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item2876d7df0d:g:WncAAOSw~65cZEvH&enc=AQADAAAB4KX/Kt4E1xf3SDqEdBclaYb0Zsid6jMqqVoNQay1EC1E6iMxV2yQUbR1dBcH21VsWv1xNV1NrqMxgkYYMQuk0Z2c2ARc6MLZr974lkUfn4fb6BfBhT35heTYpXPjgpywUqKRiXIVtyLnISitiJLNKwBTVsc6V0BybYL/LsfXldvjgdvrLk3V35HhzxG1IUjd+K6hVYmWeExnwvAmlK+IE9kZMZauwQAcz+zJubynFJDeGoYOhG+qS/V0zj7bmidPUQC7/96wZbXSHUSkNse3wW9pDT1zl2mXLmzV2F/g//aonSoSFcvfHFWxs/ad6KI/ar5T688BdxelmOvfvAdmuhkAvzVXzKecDmwFOiiBMhb

 

[Ladies-Eight]

We bought a 10 foot square and 6 foot high. Later I purchased another 10 foot by 6 foot dog pen. These have gone together very easily. latter I purchased a coop that had to be put together. I now have all three areas connected together. As soon as I get my chicks integrated I will take down one side to give everyone access to the whole area. We got the dog pens from Tractor Supply.

 

[BreanneRN]

The point is to run a low impedance charger that boosts voltage when the fence load increases due to weeds, not burn them.
This is taken from Zareba:

To combat excessive weeds, use low impedance energizers, which are capable of increasing their energy output as fence load increases. As weeds touch the fence line, drawing voltage and amperage to earth, the low impedance energizer will begin to compensate for the power drain by releasing stored energy (joules). This boost overcomes the voltage loss caused by the weeds, and pushes energy to the rest of fence line. As long as the wire remains in contact with the energizer, the energy can flow past vegetation to keep the fence hot.

Yes, that's the right way to do it! Thanks for that technical assist! I was just trying to explain what someone else meant by "weed burners" in hot wires.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Great to have a husband who will help... And he did pick up something that was probably the best available new... I do have some powder coated fencing coops that came with the chicken houses I purchased on-line... So far, it has been alright. But, here in the San Joaquin Valley we don't see a lot of wet weather. I am older now, and probably should quit worrying about how long things are going to last... A lot of it may outlast me!

Hubby isn't very helpful. LOL! That's why I went ahead and bought the run. I thought, "Wow! He expressed an opinion?! That never happens!" I hoped to encourage it, so I agreed to paying too much for a run I could have built for much less. Hahaha!


It's always good to worry about how long things will last when spending hard-earned money! I honestly hope my run lasts a long time, but I hope you last longer!

 

[BreanneRN]

Hubby isn't very helpful. LOL! That's why I went ahead and bought the run. I thought, "Wow! He expressed an opinion?! That never happens!" I hoped to encourage it, so I agreed to paying too much for a run I could have built for much less. Hahaha!


It's always good to worry about how long things will last when spending hard-earned money! I honestly hope my run lasts a long time, but I hope you last longer!

That is very kind of you! I appreciate that sentiment!

 

[Ghosty]

"To combat excessive weeds, use low impedance energizers, which are capable of increasing their energy output as fence load increases."

This is a modern (I don't know since when) approach, but for many years fencers were sold to burn, singe, is probably a better word, weeds. Burn sort of brings a flame to mind, but that's not really how they died. Green weeds with moisture in them conduct electricity, if enough, the weed gets hot and dies. At least the part that touched the fence. As it dies it shrivels and is no longer touching. Before it is dry enough to actually burn, it also is too dry to be conductive to the current and is no longer a ground. I remember once getting a larger fencer that was sold as a weed "burner" and it worked great - the one I had before would burn out fuses often, and the ones I've gotten more recently need the weed chopper low impedance circuit thing replaced once in a while. I'd bet the new ones are safer, but I'd like to find a good old school fencer just the same.

(with the magnifying box you can read these descriptions and see that some do burn or singe weeds)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Print-Ad-of-Esco-Electric-Fence-Controllers-Weed-King-Shocker-Shox-Stok/173792550669?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item2876d7df0d:g:WncAAOSw~65cZEvH&enc=AQADAAAB4KX/Kt4E1xf3SDqEdBclaYb0Zsid6jMqqVoNQay1EC1E6iMxV2yQUbR1dBcH21VsWv1xNV1NrqMxgkYYMQuk0Z2c2ARc6MLZr974lkUfn4fb6BfBhT35heTYpXPjgpywUqKRiXIVtyLnISitiJLNKwBTVsc6V0BybYL/LsfXldvjgdvrLk3V35HhzxG1IUjd+K6hVYmWeExnwvAmlK+IE9kZMZauwQAcz+zJubynFJDeGoYOhG+qS/V0zj7bmidPUQC7/96wZbXSHUSkNse3wW9pDT1zl2mXLmzV2F/g//aonSoSFcvfHFWxs/ad6KI/ar5T688BdxelmOvfvAdmuhkAvzVXzKecDmwFOiiBMhb

Weed burners are continuous current. It appears they can be a fire hazard given the right circumstances. Premier1 advises against them, as a fire was caused by combining their netting with a continuous current charger. I would probably avoid them and go with a low impedance charger.

I love Last of the Mohicans, the book and movie are both awesome.

 

[Maugwa]

Weed burners are continuous current. It appears they can be a fire hazard given the right circumstances. Premier1 advises against them, as a fire was caused by combining their netting with a continuous current charger. I would probably avoid them and go with a low impedance charger.

I love Last of the Mohicans, the book and movie are both awesome.

I've haven't tried any of that netting yet, I've been meaning to though. That's good to know. I bet those net type could burn. I have in the past used wire electric fence to move cattle around on leased fields of corn stubble. Often having two or three fields fenced at a time, and moving those fences to new fields every couple of weeks through from fall to mid winter. I bought a lot of those low impedance circuit deals (they look like a turn signal blinker, like for a car fuse box) for around $20 a pop, to put in newer fencers - we didn't used to need those. I can't even find an old type weed burner fencer anymore for my wire, but if I ever do, I'll not use it for a net.

 

[Ghosty]

I've haven't tried any of that netting yet, I've been meaning to though. That's good to know. I bet those net type could burn. I have in the past used wire electric fence to move cattle around on leased fields of corn stubble. Often having two or three fields fenced at a time, and moving those fences to new fields every couple of weeks through from fall to mid winter. I bought a lot of those low impedance circuit deals (they look like a turn signal blinker, like for a car fuse box) for around $20 a pop, to put in newer fencers - we didn't used to need those. I can't even find an old type fencer anymore for my wire, but if I ever do, I'll not use it for a net.

With wires well up off the ground, I bet it's fine. You know how companies are where liability is concerned. I was going to go with predator style electric fence (wires close to ground and spaced closely) around my property, but due to two sides being in wooded areas with leaves, and another where I know the grass will be difficult to manage, I decided on woven wire. I may add a woven wire ground apron if my dogs start to dig out. I have started the project and have three property lines cleared. It is just so darn hot here, hard to things done.

 

[KBrammell]

There are great ideas on BYC for building DIY customs coops and runs... but has anyone had good luck with just purchasing a large predator-resistant chicken run? Like something that basically snaps together? ...I am not particularly handy. I have been surprised how difficult it seems to find an easy-to-assemble kit, even if I am willing to spend like $1000! LOL. The enclosed walk-in omlet runs seem like the best bet at first glance, but I am still not overly impressed. Help!

To circle back, I ended up buying the 9’x9’ Omlet run extension kit. It took all day to assemble, but didn’t require too much construction knowledge (*think IKEA*). I was really happy with the results. Just left one of the panels off completely to connect it to the main coop. Will still need to close a small gap at the connection point of the 2 structures.