Need coop expansion ideas! (pictures)

[philhyde]

Hi everyone,

We'd like to extend a run from our coop so our hens can have an expanded and enclosed area.

In the pictures below, we'd like to utilize the space to the left of the coop, and include the area to the left of the garage.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[vegaschik99]

clear it out and build an "L" shaped run Looks like it would be pretty simple or you could even move your coop and just do a straight run to the left of the garage....looks to be a perfect way to utilize that space.

 

[chookchick]

Okay so here is what I would do--
Enclose the ENTIRE structure that is your coop, so you have lots of room for chickies! Slide the coop to the left end of garage. Then take out the cute little fence on the end and the chain link fence (i'm assuming that chain link is on property line). Sink 8' 4 by 4's in as replacement posts for both fences (final height 6'), and put welded wire around. Put a door at the end facing the camera. You can probably get away with plastic mesh on top (maybe even open) if they are locked in coop at night.

Sounds like a lot of work, but your chooks will love it! Build the run first--then you can put them in it while you are doing coop mods.

 

[Namble]

What ^he^ said sounds like a winner.

 

[philhyde]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I am still thinking about building an L shaped run, and I would really live to utilize the space on the left of the garage. The chain link fence isn't mine, so I can't remove it. Also, the white picket fence matches the rest of the fence around my property, so I don't want to remove it. Rather, I'd build in front of it.

 

[chickenshagg]

The L-shaped idea sounds good but I would be concerned about that tree that is growing through the fence on your side. Most predatures can climd trees so you would have to fence around it and cover the run with some kind of wire fencing or a roof if that is what you desire. That being said you will have to attach and support the fence roof to the side of your garage or at least up to the side of it. Good luck!

 

[philhyde]

Yeah, I forgot to mention that we close them in the coop at night. So this is really a day area.

 

[philhyde]

This weekend I finally got around to completing most of the coop run/expansion. It's not finished yet, but I just had to share.

Basically, I built the vertical posts using the method described here. Using some leftover gates, I framed in the rest.

View from above. The poultry wire is "sewn" to the top of the fence.

Feedback welcome!

 

[gsim]

Quote:
That will not keep any predator out. Use 6 ft tall welded wire set on ground and attached to fence. Then add 24" tall run of 1/2" hardware cloth mesh to keep coons from reaching thru to dismember the chooks. Then add another setion of the welded wire to the top and attach to bldg under gutters so that no predator can climb in.

 

[philhyde]

Quote:
It's not intended to keep predators out. It's a day run. They are locked in the roost at night.