Movable chicken coop run skirting?

[Country chicken lady 2024]

Hi, so I am building a temporary movable chicken run that will marry up to the movable coop (very well built and predator proof).

This is what I have so far. I have 1 side and some to find some scrap hardware cloth to cover with and add some side support boards. It’s light weight (1x2) and 6x8ft.

***SO, my question is if I do chicken wire on top (and tarp over it) and do chicken wire skirting (that will be not attached but staked to the ground lining the perimeter of the run) this should be fine?***

Laying Chickens will be in coop at night, but we do have all the predators!

The laying chickens will be in this when I am growing meat birds in the bullet proof tractor for a few months of the year, so this run I am building is a temporary home for a few months of the year.

 

[21hens-incharge]

What kind of beefing up? I already have spent $400 on a wheel lift kit for the heavy bullet proof tractor I built, really can’t spend another $400 for this one if it gets heavier. And yes I’ve tried to build a wheel system and it doesn’t work for me so that isn’t an option

I would add cross boards so the tarp top will have support and not sag when it rains. It also needs more vertical support on the sides in the middle at the very least.

I don’t have anything solid for the top. Plan like I mentioned is chicken wire and cover it with a tarp because of the horrendous Texas sun.

Sides are all hardwire cloth.

The corners are 2x2 and the plan for the upright supports will be 1x4.

On the short sides is where I will have a human door and then the other end the entry into the coop from the run so the ends will have extra support because of the doors.

For The long sides I could add a middle horizontal bar in addition to the vertical bars

You don't mention the dimensions or how many layers will be in it.
The 2x2's are hard to make sturdy as framing especially with just wire between them.
Try dragging it around a few times to see how/if it twists.

I can tell you for certain my medium size dog would be through the wire in seconds. My big dogs even faster.

 

[SourRoses]

We often use 2x4 "no climb" fence wire for the runs / yards.
It's a better gauge of wire, so it's good against dogs. Daytime predators are different than night time predators. I don't worry about daytime racoons because the chickens can see them and get away from the fence. Hardware Cloth, IMO, is for the coop. The coop should have the quality skirting on all sides, while the run should work in tandem with the chickens good sense... size is a good way to work "with" because it allows them to get away and choose their area, or to filter back into the coop easier. I try to avoid making any features with feeders / waterers / other clutter inside the run which would be difficult for chickens to pass on all sides. To test, after chickens are installed, just go out and act like you're going to catch them, see where birds get hung up. Shift things around until they can easily flow around objects. Just my two cents.

 

[21hens-incharge]

My 2 cents...

Temporary should be just as bullet proof as permanent especially knowing there are predators around.

I would do serious beefing up of the framing. Any predator apron that is properly pinned down should be very difficult to pull pins up. I use the 12" long narrow crown edging pins for mine even in my hard clay soil.

 

[Shadrach]

I just can't see what you are building being strong enough to withstand say a determined large dog for example.

 

[Loving my girls]

Sorry but I agree with 21hens-incharge
Just because it’s temporary it doesn’t mean that the predators are going to keep away. Probably the opposite as they will be curious.
On the other hand I can see your point of view and the cost for something temporary can easily spiral.
I do think, however, that chicken wire, despite its name, is just not strong enough for hens. Do you have any heavy duty wood or sheet metal you can get your hands on ? Temporarily ?
Also what is the thickness of the uprights ? They look like they could easily snap ? It may just be the photo ?
Good luck

 

[Loving my girls]

I don’t have anything solid for the top. Plan like I mentioned is chicken wire and cover it with a tarp because of the horrendous Texas sun.

Sides are all hardwire cloth.

The corners are 2x2 and the plan for the upright supports will be 1x4.

On the short sides is where I will have a human door and then the other end the entry into the coop from the run so the ends will have extra support because of the doors.

For The long sides I could add a middle horizontal bar.

Yeah I think that would be good, it would be a good idea, if possible, to put it near to the house or where there is some human movement at best can I go against a wall so it gets support and shelter from one side.

 

[Loving my girls]

Depending on how hard the girls are on the ground, especially in the summer drought, depends on how close the run can be to the house.

Another plan could be is to have them follow the meat birds in the electric poultry netting in their run, to scratch their poops in (while I raise meat birds) and then then the time I don’t raise the meat, I might use the poultry netting to be their perimeter fencing (it’s just so ugly haha, it’s hard to look at it for the few months when I raise meat).

Terrific idea, I love electric fences although when my husband put one around the run on our last house the lights in the village lights dimmed when it went on … decided against it then

 

[perkolator]

^this. As-is I'd guess that frame will twist quite easily and maybe break based on how I see it constructed.

If you're planning to add a tarp or roof for shade over this, that thing looks light enough to get tossed in the wind like a pop up tent, unless you're staking it down well.

I made a rabbit tractor and that thing is heavy for how small it is, because I built it to be predator proof and withstand the forces and flex it would see when wheeling it over uneven terrain. If I ever made a tractor again, I'd 100% use a trailer as the base so it has a sturdy platform and is more easily pulled with a vehicle/mower.

As for anti-dig skirting on a tractor, I'd use hinged flaps made of welded wire that just get flipped up when relocating. I didn't do that, I just meshed over the bottom as it wasn't very big.

 

[Country chicken lady 2024]

My 2 cents...

Temporary should be just as bullet proof as permanent especially knowing there are predators around.

I would do serious beefing up of the framing. Any predator apron that is properly pinned down should be very difficult to pull pins up. I use the 12" long narrow crown edging pins for mine even in my hard clay soil.

What kind of beefing up? I already have spent $400 on a wheel lift kit for the heavy bullet proof tractor I built, really can’t spend another $400 for this one if it gets heavier. And yes I’ve tried to build a wheel system and it doesn’t work for me so that isn’t an option