The temporary coop and run is done. I used my daughter's Little Tikes Playhouse for the coop and the old snap together baby gates for the run. The playhouse windows and door windows were covered with hardware cloth and spring loaded hook and eyes were used for the shutters. My husband did not approve of just attaching the hardware cloth with screws and washers so all it has expanding anchors. That was a real pain to do but nothing will be able to get through those windows! The door has a latch closure with a locking caribiner. A piece of used plywood was attached for the floor of the coop. The baby gates were connected and then zip tied together to make a two baby gate high run. Connected baby gates were used for the roof too. The roof pieces were zip tied to the side pieces. I screwed the baby gate run to the sides of the playhouse. Then I added with hubby's help the wood frame for the door. He was very unhappy because it wasn't square. Look this is a baby gate run - nothing is square. I attached hardware cloth to the front peak of the baby gates and attached the bottom of the peak hardware cloth to the top door frame. I also attached hardware cloth to the back peak and screwed it into the coop roof. Any holes or gaps were covered with hardware cloth. The gate was quite a challenge. It was a used gate that was warped but I managed to make it work. It has a locking spring loaded hook and eye on both the top and bottom. There is a gate latch in the middle of the gate - one of those with a string so you can get in or out. The run measures about 5 ft x 5 ft. I would have made it bigger but I ran out of baby gates. Oh yes, I laid rocks around the outside of the run and coop. The coop is secure and I lock the chicks in at night. The temporary run is not as secure as I would like (no buried hardware cloth) but it is temporary until we get the real predator proof run built.
The coop and run:
Inside of coop:
Daughter approves:
Chickens approve:
Roof peaks enclosed by hardware cloth:
The coop and run:
Inside of coop:
Daughter approves:
Chickens approve:
Roof peaks enclosed by hardware cloth:
