make a run last

[mendozer]

I'm going to be moving into a new home so I need to build a new coop. I'm trying to figure how many square feet of run (to be an attached run) is needed for 4 chickens and have it last.

I will be making a sliding door from the coop to the run and maybe let them into the run every 3rd day or so so make it last. I had a coop and run setup before and if they had free access that grass turned to nothing very quickly. I also don't really mind keeping them in a coop as it is (it'll be plenty spacious) as I toss in mowed clippings and they get top quality food anyways.

Just wondering.

 

[123RedBeard]

I'd say a minimum of 100 square feet per bird, more is better - So a 10' X 10' square, or 5' X 20' ... However ... interestingly the above 10X10 would only need 40 feet of wire, while the 5X20 would require 50 feet of wire, same square feet!

So for your four chickens ... that would be a 20' square run ... if you bought a 100' roll of wire, you could make it 25' square ... and they would have an extra 125 square feet to share, or if you only wanted 400 square feet, (or only had space for 400 sq ft) you could use the whole 100' roll in a 10' X 40" run ...

Double the length of wire, quadrupole the space!

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I'd just make the run big enough that they can't strip all the vegetation, or make 2 runs, and alternate the use of them. But, if space is at a premium, and you don't have enough room to do that, you could make a run of what ever size will work for you (no less than 40 s.f. for 4 birds) bigger of course being better! When they strip the grass, start putting your grass clippings in the run. Add the litter you remove from the coop, as well as any yard debris, especially leaves. They'll spend hours digging through this stuff. It'll keep them well entertained, the soil in that area will be healthy instead of the compacted moon scapes that we all have seen in chicken yards. The soil will be full of healthful insects and worms for your chicken's dining pleasure, and they will produce an incredible amount of deep black compost for your gardens in a very short time. As far as run design goes: If you want it to be predator proof, and have the money to do so: 1/2" hardware cloth throughout, including a skirt buried below ground all the way around (you can just run the skirt under the sod if you want to), and the top covered over with hardware cloth as well. Raccoons and dogs/foxes/coyotes etc. can tear through chicken wire. Weasels can easily squeeze through chicken wire. Your other option is to use chicken wire or larger ga. welded wire, shut them in every night, and hope for the best. It depends on your budget and your risk tolerance. There is no single right or wrong approach here. If you have a big yard, an other option would be electronet or a nice sized chicken tractor.

 

[Blooie]

Sometimes when Lazy Gardener responds to a post all I can do is sit here at my computer nodding my head. Yep, to everything she said!

 

[mendozer]

I already know to use hardware cloth (this will be coop #4) and all the space requirements. What I'm needing to know is how often to cycle them on and off the run?

I don't have the space for a large run to keep them on all the time.

1 day on, 3 days off? what is a good rate if it's 100 sf of grass to prevent it from dying?

 

[123RedBeard]

Yeah, I think every fourth day would give the grass a chance to grow, especially since you get frequent rains ...

Or ... you could give them just a couple of hours at the end of every day ...

 

[donrae]

Have you looked into the grazing frames (aka salad bars)? It would be a good compromise between giving your birds room to roam and having fresh greens available.

 

[mendozer]

I tried that at my last house. It was quickly devoured beyond help.

the other issue is I don't want them roaming because our stupid little pug eats anything including chicken poop. I guess I could try building it better. Then let them into an attached run with these things in there.

 

[aart]

It's going to depend on what is growing there and how much 'abuse' it can take.
You'll have to experiment with timing...and it will probably change throughout the seasons of the year.

 

[enola]

Be sure to make the gate/door wide enough to get your mower in the run, unless of course you are just going to weed whack ever so often.

I just watched my neighbors build a dog yard (to keep their dogs home after one of them went to the pound two times) thathat is probably 100X200 feet. Most of their yard.....

Two weeks later they were out there doubling the width of the gate opening, so they could get the mower in the pen to mow.