Large Run Plans

[Brahma Chicken5000]

So does it require posts cemented into the ground?

Nope just leveled ground. The front panel had an extra 2x4 under it to level it out with the ground.

 

[Krazyquilts]

So does it require posts cemented into the ground?

Here's some pics of the hardware cloth panels we made. The first three are of one the actual panels we used in the old duck run and disassembled to reuse on the farm:



This smaller pen (below), currently occupied by Ms. Broody and her five chicks, is made of smaller panels and also shows how we made more panels for the top of the run to more completely predator-proof it. At our old house, the lower half of the run was the hardware panels as I've shown and the upper half was heavy-duty bird netting, which was sturdy enough to keep out raccoons on several occasions but I never felt it was really predator proof enough so when we moved here and found out that there are mink and weasels and everything else that likes to eat chicken or duck, I insisted on hardware cloth panel tops for the pens. Good thing I did or the turkeys and stupid guineas would have been constantly getting their feet stuck in the bird netting as they walk around on top of the pens - something we didn't have a problem with when we had only ducks!

I won't make panels that short anymore. Too uncomfortable to try to work in or sit in. I'd think about doing really short ones though, like two feet high, with top panels that lift up.



And here's the new Big Pen which is more like how we'll be building them in the future. Tall, semi-permanent, and sturdy enough that we believe it would hold up to anything short of a bear. (Though thankfully we haven't heard of anyone having bear problems around here!)


When we move the camper and its pens next spring, it should take only two days to disassemble, move, and reassemble everything. Not bad for a coop that currently holds between 30-60 poultry! (Depending on how many turkeys and stupid guineas decide to sleep in the coop vs on top of the coop.)

 

[Chad Brantly]

I just finished a run that would probably be perfect for your needs. It is low cost, BIG, and not permanent.

My run is 14'x60'. I used U-posts along each 60' side spaced 10' apart. Simply drive them in to the ground. Then I slid 1-1/4" flexible PVC pipe over each U-post in an arch. I supported the center of the arch with PVC pipe also over a U-post. The pipe was connected to the flexible pipe using PVC T connections that fit snuggly over the flexible PVC without having to cut it.

Finally, I covered the lower half of the run in hardware cloth from Amazon.com and the top in deer fencing I purchased from deerbusters.com. I used UV resistant cable ties to connect all the wire together and tie it to the frame. The run cost me about $850 total to build. Half of that cost was the hardware cloth. It took me about a day to set the structure and another day to stretch the hardware cloth. If I ever want to move it or remove it completely, all I have to do is lift the PVC off of the U-posts and pull the U-posts out of the ground. The only part that would be more difficult to remove is the gates. I purchased two gates from deerbusters.com and set them in concrete. They were fairly cheap, but you could easily build a gate yourself.

I am in the process of building a new coop that will take the place of the coop in the pictures, so the one you see is not connected to the run. The new one will have a chicken door that opens in the the end of the run. I also plan to lay sod over the apron of hardware cloth at the bottom. I could have buried this, but where I live the ground is not very tenable to digging, so the sod will have to do.

 

[aart]

I just finished a run that would probably be perfect for your needs. It is low cost, BIG, and not permanent.

I wouldn't say that it is low cost, but it sure is impressive!!
Curious what your climate is, please put your location in your profile?

Is the flexible black piping and rigid white piping UV resistant?
Is the gate metal?
Do you have a link to the deer netting you bought?

I don't think you'll need sod to cover apron, grass should grow up thru it come spring. Just make sure it lays flat using landscape staples.

 

[Chad Brantly]

Aart - You are right, it wasn't CHEAP, but it was the cheapest way I could find to make a really large covered run without any scrap material that everyone else here seems to have so readily available. Also, of the $850, $350 of that was for my two gates and another $350 was for the wire itself. If you made your own gates there is really not much cost involved other than the wire.

From what I can tell the black piping shouldn't have any trouble in the sunlight. The white will discolor over time, so I bought some paint designated for "plastics" and plan to spray paint it.

The gate is metal. Here is a link to the one I used:
https://www.deerbusters.com/gates/d...-for-6-deer-fence-direct-burial-installation/

This is the deer fencing I used:
https://www.deerbusters.com/poly-de...-c-flex/7-5-x-100-heavy-duty-c-flex-80-round/

It is mostly to protect from hawks and other winged predators. My new coop is very predator proof, so I wasn't too concerned with making the run 100% predator proof. I'll post some pictures of the coop as soon as it is done. I just have to finish painting it and then move the old coop out of the way.

This is the flexible pipe I used:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ible-coil-pipe-1-1-4-in-x-100-ft?cm_vc=-10005

The 100PSI seemed to be the best for its flexibility and also the 1-1/4" PVC fittings would fit all the way over it allowing me to not have to cut the arch pipes in the middle.

Here are the U-posts that I used:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-...-4-ft-Powder-Coated-Steel-U-Post-Post/4780963

Thanks for the tip on the grass. Maybe I will just get some landscape staples and be patient, but patience is not one of my virtues!

 

[aart]

Thanks for the tip on the grass. Maybe I will just get some landscape staples and be patient. But patience is not one of my virtues!

Thanks for all the excellent info!
You might want to make articles of your builds, they would be most helpful.
Then when folks ask, you can just post a link like this.

Will you add some shade cloth during the summer?
Will help the birds and the pipes.

Well, if you want to mow there, putting sod down might not be a great idea as it will be higher than the surrounding area. If you're that impatient, just start watering and/or throw some new grass seed down.

 

[Kellycbf]

Hoop coop using cow panels.

 

[Chad Brantly]

Aart - Your tractor hoop coop looks awesome. I actually had designed and built my run before I saw any of the hoop coops on here or I probably would have gone that route. I imagine it would have been more expensive, but probably a little sturdier.

I will get an article put together as soon as I get pictures of my finished coop. I've looked in to some of the sunshade cloth and will probably add it next summer when things start heating up. I also have plans to section off part of the run to use as a garden in the spring and summer. We have a hard time growing things here because the deer devour anything we plant, so my run should serve double duty.

 

[Krazyquilts]

I just finished a run that would probably be perfect for your needs. It is low cost, BIG, and not permanent.

My run is 14'x60'. I used U-posts along each 60' side spaced 10' apart. Simply drive them in to the ground. Then I slid 1-1/4" flexible PVC pipe over each U-post in an arch. I supported the center of the arch with PVC pipe also over a U-post. The pipe was connected to the flexible pipe using PVC T connections that fit snuggly over the flexible PVC without having to cut it.

Finally, I covered the lower half of the run in hardware cloth from Amazon.com and the top in deer fencing I purchased from deerbusters.com. I used UV resistant cable ties to connect all the wire together and tie it to the frame. The run cost me about $850 total to build. Half of that cost was the hardware cloth. It took me about a day to set the structure and another day to stretch the hardware cloth. If I ever want to move it or remove it completely, all I have to do is lift the PVC off of the U-posts and pull the U-posts out of the ground. The only part that would be more difficult to remove is the gates. I purchased two gates from deerbusters.com and set them in concrete. They were fairly cheap, but you could easily build a gate yourself.

I am in the process of building a new coop that will take the place of the coop in the pictures, so the one you see is not connected to the run. The new one will have a chicken door that opens in the the end of the run. I also plan to lay sod over the apron of hardware cloth at the bottom. I could have buried this, but where I live the ground is not very tenable to digging, so the sod will have to do.

View attachment 1206762 View attachment 1206763 View attachment 1206764 View attachment 1206765 View attachment 1206766

How much did that cost you? Edited to add: never mind! I should have read the rest of the posts.

 

[Bob123]

Whenever it rains, my chicken yard turns to mud. Anyone have any ideas what would be best to pout down? Wood chips? Hay? Any other ideas?
Thanks,
Bob McCarthy