Keeping them in

[lazy gardener]

Folks teased me for building such an 'elaborate run'...
..but the second day my new flock was let out into the run I saw this:

Aart, I LOVE your run! Was the bent conduit part of a recycled portable garage project, or did you purchase for that purpose? Tell me, please, pretty please a bit about the construction, and your snow load. What is the white between the conduit and the green fence posts????? I have also had hawks sitting on top of my run.

 

[aart]

Aart, I LOVE your run! Was the bent conduit part of a recycled portable garage project, or did you purchase for that purpose? Tell me, please, pretty please a bit about the construction, and your snow load. What is the white between the conduit and the green fence posts????? I have also had hawks sitting on top of my run.

Bent the rafters myself and made the white couplers.
Details on My Coop page.
Snow load is...
sometimes it sticks and you better get it off before it gets too heavy......haha!

 

[lazy gardener]

That is my issue. The sun room is supported with trusses over an old swing set. Green house tarp over the trusses. Eave edge towards coop supported with conduit. Other eave side, trusses sit on horizontal run support ( 2 x 4). I have to get outside and knock the snow off, several times during a good storm. Every 3 - 4", depending on how heavy the snow. The remainder of the sun room is covered with 2 x 4 welded mesh, supported by conduit spaced about 4' apart, and spanning about 8 - 9'. Snow load falls through there, unless it's very wet/sticky.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I have to keep mine contained because of predators. The trick: chickens love to be busy, so give them toys! Scraps, clippings, leaves, stumps, roosts in the run, etc. You name it they will investigate it and it will keep them occupied. Also, make sure they have a spot for dustbathing. (They will probably take care of that one themselves, though!)

 

[Erin80]

Our yard is surrounded by pine trees....they have just dropped a ton of needles so that is the base of our run which is great! There are a whole bunch more to rake up and throw in there as well.
Thanks for the ideas for making the run more fun for them....right now it is bare since they have always free ranged. Tomorrow I will add lots for them! Today was their last day free ranging.....we harvested our last two roosters today....which was not fun....so now we just have our 9 hens. I didn't want to pen them up in the run until both roosters were gone. Crazy how quickly they re establish themselves after a chicken or two leaves....my separate groups of two silkie hens and two other breeds have now formed a group of 4 together.
Anyway, thanks for all the ideas!!

 

[aart]

we harvested our last two roosters today....which was not fun....so now we just have our 9 hens. I didn't want to pen them up in the run until both roosters were gone.

Good for you, and good call!!
Did some harvest culling myself last week, including the outgoing cock, did the extra cockerels a couple weeks ago. Things are much calmer with only one cock/erel in the run.

 

[Erin80]

Yes it wasn't fun...but just having our young hens now is so much better. The cocks were being ok with them, but even a little bit of chasing and biting was bothering me....not to mention the crowing. We thought about keeping one, but honestly, I started this little hobby for eggs and the experience of having hens....not roosters or babies. Our flock seems more relaxed now, and we are happier too!

 

[Mrs. K]

Funny thing is, once you keep them in for a while, they will hate going out. Chickens hate change, any change!