Movable chicken coop run skirting?

[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

 

[Loving my girls]

can I do chicken wire apron or does it need to be hardwire cloth?

I personally don’t like chicken wire. It’s too thin and breaks really easily. I’m not familiar with hardware cloth here in France but, after googling it, it does look stronger than chicken wire. It does depend on your budget of course but i would just go for the strongest you can afford.
You can only do your best, just remember long pegs are essential or the bad guys will just pull it up. We put a whole load of soil ontop of the apron too, so they break their nails when they try to get in

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Country chicken lady 2024]

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.

Good idea on trying to catch them and see where they get caught!

 

[Country chicken lady 2024]

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.



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.

Here are some updated pics, I could add a horizontal bar on the long sides but it seems decently sturdy and mild weight.

Bottom base is 1x3. Corners are 2x2. The vertical and ceiling are 1x3 I believe, but may be 2x3 (really thick stuff from Lowe’s). The part with the gate is 2 layers of chicken wire set to overlap so the holes are layered over with non holes to make holes smaller and then there is a screen mesh on the backside so they would have to rip through the chicken wire and then the mesh to break in.

The side with the fence posts-the hole is where it will marry up to the coop.

It’s all hardwire besides the top, which is chicken wire with cross boards and a tarp.

 

[Country chicken lady 2024]

^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.

I added corner braces on the bottom of the run to help with integrity.

How would I stake it down with the hardwire sides?

Where would I get welded wire that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?

 

[paintedChix]

You could use paracord run to any of a number of stake types. Run the paracord around the lower corners. Maybe in such a way as to strengthen the corners. You'd have to pull the stakes daily if you plan to move it.

How are you attaching the temp run to the other coop/run tractor? I didnt see the pictures of it. Maybe you'd only need to stake front 2 corners, if necessary.

I don't feel that chicken wire would be strong enough for any type of apron. As to cost, TSC here in NC is the best place to get 2x4" welded wire in 100' rolls. Amazon is best place to get 1/2" HWC. Attaching it to the bottom or base of the tractor like it's hinged, you can pin it down while in position. Raise it, pin to run tractor w/ the pins while you move it.

Edit to add - I hate poultry netting - more due to my terrain & i havent mastered moving it. But if you have it & are already using it, it is another layer of protection.