New run with Old growth

[DenverDawg]

Getting rid of my chicken tractor and going with an enclosed run. Buried a roll of 2' wire 1' down and filled it with the numerous rocks that are in the glacial sill of my property. Putting up a 5' livestock fence around that since we have large predators where we live in the Cascade Mtns. I think it may get aviary netting over the top when done but I have time to think about it and read suggestions here. The stump is old growth cedar that has a 26' circumference with multiple entry spots for a fun place to hang out. I cut some steps into it so i can Easter egg hunt more successfully. The little coop itself is not in there yet but the girls get that too once they officially move in.
Let me know what you guys think,

 

[Mickey Lou 04]

Neat idea!

 

[PheasantsFirst]

Looks like a good pen. Only problem might be that the chickens might jump over the fence from on top of the stump.

 

[DenverDawg]

Yeah, that is why I pushed those post in the center of the stump. I think it will wind up with a lid of some sort so they get somewhere to go when the rains start.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Nice saw!

OK yes I love the run too!

You are going to love not having them in a tractor. Tractors are such a maintenance issue and they don't like to be confined too well.

I bought the heavy knotted netting from Mypetchicken.com, rated at 80 lb breaking strength for snow...but I have found that it is very good to distribute the weight of it through weaving a rope in and out across it and have the weight bearing on the rope, attaching the rope to posts with wire. I haven't seen snow with this netting yet. Don't put netting on your fence (hang the netting from the POSTS, not the fencing or it will pull your fencing over in snow).

That old stump is picturesque!

 

[DenverDawg]

Thanks!

 

[Alaskan]

I too love the stump. And totally follow what the poster above said about the top netting!

One option is to put a horizontal board from the top of one post to the top of the next. Then you can attach the net to those boards.

I am all for an umbrella kind of roof over the stump. It would just make a cool hangout spot for the chickens.

Being in the Cascades, you might want to make sure some of that run is snow free to maximize the area the chickens have once the snow comes. I also really like a place for food and water that is not in the coop proper.

 

[hdmax]

Getting rid of my chicken tractor and going with an enclosed run. Buried a roll of 2' wire 1' down and filled it with the numerous rocks that are in the glacial sill of my property. Putting up a 5' livestock fence around that since we have large predators where we live in the Cascade Mtns. I think it may get aviary netting over the top when done but I have time to think about it and read suggestions here. The stump is old growth cedar that has a 26' circumference with multiple entry spots for a fun place to hang out. I cut some steps into it so i can Easter egg hunt more successfully. The little coop itself is not in there yet but the girls get that too once they officially move in.
Let me know what you guys think,

I like the tree stump, but the post look to be tomato stakes, that a predator with much size will go through with ease. And the fence allows many predators to reach through to the chickens. Just trying to give a little help on fencing.

 

[jetdog]

Beautiful shorthair I'm sure he will "Point" out any flaws when the birds are in there.

 

[DenverDawg]

Thanks for the input. The stakes are 3" treated so I don't know if that is a tomato stake. I feel pretty good about the wire fencing as it will have an electric wire and then horses surrounding that (the e-wire is as much to keep the horses out as predators). Security is my number one priority so I appreciate the input.

I love my boy! He is a good boy (GCh, ICh, SH) who loves his chickens, horses and koi. It's his sister who is my main predator threat!