All of us would love to have a huge run where our hens are protected from predators and they can't get away. Imagine my surprise when I first found out that chicken can indeed fly, but I digress. I was faced with an issue the area that I really wanted to use for a run is the area between my two detached garages. That space is 14' X 20'. Worse it's 10' high plus. When I started looking at hardware cloth, that was going to be a huge expense. I looked at wire fence. I didn't want to mess with chicken wire.
I'd rather spend my money on building a better coop than on the run. Of course, the best idea would be to allow them to free range all the time but my neighbors wouldn't like that too much. Walking around in Home Depot, I saw a pergola that people put over their patio and the idea hit me. I purchased some 16' treated 2' X 4' and I put 5 pallets together on each line. This solved my top area issue, even if I'd used hardware cloth, I'd have needed the lumber, so the cost is really negligible.
The particular pallets that I used are 40" X 40" wing pallets meaning that they only have boards on one side and overhang the runners. They are perfect. Best of all, FREE. Just a suggestion if anyone has a large area and can't come up with an idea of for the rooftop. The back wall I used reclaimed cinder blocks for the bottom part, and lumber from the cull lumber bin at Home Depot for the back wall. I'll still run some welded wire fence across the 3' X 14' area at the top of the back.
I'd rather spend my money on building a better coop than on the run. Of course, the best idea would be to allow them to free range all the time but my neighbors wouldn't like that too much. Walking around in Home Depot, I saw a pergola that people put over their patio and the idea hit me. I purchased some 16' treated 2' X 4' and I put 5 pallets together on each line. This solved my top area issue, even if I'd used hardware cloth, I'd have needed the lumber, so the cost is really negligible.
The particular pallets that I used are 40" X 40" wing pallets meaning that they only have boards on one side and overhang the runners. They are perfect. Best of all, FREE. Just a suggestion if anyone has a large area and can't come up with an idea of for the rooftop. The back wall I used reclaimed cinder blocks for the bottom part, and lumber from the cull lumber bin at Home Depot for the back wall. I'll still run some welded wire fence across the 3' X 14' area at the top of the back.
