Moveable chicken run

[Iluveggers]

Hi. I currently have 24 chickens at the family farm down the road. It’s a joint venture, with a few of us pitching in & taking turns to get egg sales going.

I am going to add 4-6 chickens on my own property next summer. The village has been granting variances if neighbors on bordering sides grant permission to the person getting chickens, & my neighbors are fine with it. The farm at the other end of the road is not in the village & is zoned agriculture so that’s why I originally started chickens there & they again are a joint hobby.

I have 2 dogs who patrol our yard through the day. I am trying to figure out a way to rotate the area these chickens are out on. I am thinking of getting something like this item as a run.

https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Poul...run&qid=1633870116&sprefix=chicken+run&sr=8-9

I am going to put hardware cloth and highly protect the coop since the dogs are inside in the evening, but the dogs will be out all day to keep anything out during daylight. We have fox & hawks as our two main threats.

I would love to rotate the run by picking it up and move it every few days to give the girls access to fresh grass. It is lightweight enough for 2 people to move. I am wondering if there would be some way to connect a moveable/flexible tunnel to the coop door made out of wire and attach the other end to the run, and just rotate it. Something like this but made out of wire:

https://www.amazon.com/Tunnel-Toddl...child=1&keywords=tunnel&qid=1633870933&sr=8-4

I would like to give the birds access to the whole yard but the dogs have never been around chickens so I would not trust them. Removing the dogs from the yard for periods of time would be an option but also opens us up to hawk attacks.

Thoughts? Does this make sense? Other ideas? I have until June to figure this out so I am putting out feelers way in advance.

 

[MadGardener]

That looks like it would be a pain to move. Have you considered electric netting? I haven't been keeping chickens very long but it is serving me well so far.

 

[3KillerBs]

A run big enough for 6 chickens -- 8x8 being the easiest build -- is going to be pretty heavy unless you build it so lightly that it might not adequately keep out dogs.

Shrinking it to a manageable size and rotating the location will take care of the sanitation component of the guidelines for space, but it won't take care of the social components of that need.

I second the electric netting suggestion. I bought the 48" kit from Premier 1 and am very happy with it. It's easy to set up and easy to move.

I have the solar charger but couldn't recommend it for someone in a northern location where you will have short winter days and snow on the panel.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Electric netting seems made for what you are trying to do. I also have and recoomend the Premier 48inch. I have the solar charger, it has been going strong for 2 years

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thanks! I’ll look into electric fencing. I’d assume it doesn’t protect against hawks though, right? Any suggestions on that?

I haven't found any "deterrents" other than a covered run that will really discourage a hungry hawk. So far, they are the only predator that routinely strikes here. Luckily they only seasonally pass through my woods, and seemingly don't really live here. I still lose a few birds every year to hawks though. I kind of look at it as the price for letting them have access to lots of grass instead of just a covered run.

 

[MadGardener]

Bird netting across the top - possibly as a series of regularly spaced posts in a grid, netting across the whole thing, then temporary electric stretched between posts to establish their "run" for that day or week. That common in 9 post designs - the outer is a permanent wall, and two inner, movable sections extending from the center post to the mid wall post make a square, allowing rotational grazing.

Something stationary would make setting up much easier. I find mowing the fence line to be extremely helpful in holding charge in my (solar) set up. Having at least part of that fence line stay visible would avoid some frustration.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I put in various hawk-shelter covers in my pen -- pallets on blocks, chunks of metal roofing leaned on supports, etc.

I accept the fact that I will eventually lose birds to them but it's a trade-off.

I also do this. I shoulda mentioned that!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Only question I still have is how does the electric fence keep the chickens in?

I recommend the 4 foot, not 3 foot fence. The fence being soft helps because the chickens can't fly up onto it, then over. I do have the occasional escapee, but usually it is my leghorns. The bigger breeds you mentioned should do pretty well.

To put your DH at ease, I used this fence to rotate my meat birds last year in my yard. 15 of them. LOTS of poop, but with prudent rotation the grass the next year was 100% back to normal. If you wanna keep the birds in a small space without decimating the grass, I think this is the way to do it. Especially if you are only keeping 4 to 6 birds. I can completely take down and put back up the fence in about 40 minutes. It is a great solution for temporary, mobile fencing! Also, if it is close to the house, plug in chargers are even more affordable than the solar ones. Just some things to consider.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/c/poultry-supplies/electric-netting-kits

 

[MadGardener]

Tossing some seed after rotating will be helpful. After moving, I rake a bit and mow. Wait for some rain and toss out a forage mix of grasses and clover. It's made for quick recovery and is clearing out some of the less useful/desirable weeds. Just be careful not to let the chickens near coated seeds.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thanks! I’ll look into electric fencing. I’d assume it doesn’t protect against hawks though, right? Any suggestions on that?

Bird netting across the top - possibly as a series of regularly spaced posts in a grid, netting across the whole thing, then temporary electric stretched between posts to establish their "run" for that day or week. That common in 9 post designs - the outer is a permanent wall, and two inner, movable sections extending from the center post to the mid wall post make a square, allowing rotational grazing.