possible run, if so how ?

[MamaChic21]

http://www.ideas-4-pets.com/giant-bunny-den-wchpl2020-777-p-3905.html
I want to build this but without the coop, only the run and top covered just like this or perphaps with shingles 8x24. Is this possible, if so, I could I do the top this way ?

 

[wannabchick]

Ur so me..Kennel, no wood, no this way, no that way..hehehhehe..I sure wish I could help advise u, just want to wish u luck

And

 

[mcostas]

It looks nice to me, not sure what it would be like without the coop, just a covered run I guess. I am using a 10x10 kennel for mine, it has a tarp top that is working well in my area, you could easily adapt it to make a sturdier roof to hold up to snow though, you might have to put a 4x4 in the middle to brace the pole that the tarp flops over.

Here you can see the wire on the top and around the bottom. The tarp can easily be replaced when they wear out. The wire top is suspended by wires so it doesn't sag.

Here you can see it in context. It is so much easier taking care of this pen than dragging around a chicken tractor! The tarp keeps it relativly dry, I use leaves as bedding for the pen. I sprinkle diatomacious earth every now and then, it stays fresh.

I am using the coop from my chicken tractor, but it's not going to be good enough for all of my new hens, I need plans for a bigger better one. I am allowed 5 hens, I have 6 chicks, one dark brahma hen, and one bantam hen. I don't count the bantam. I did have 4 dark brahams in all but 3 were roosters. I might have to get rid of hens if it seems they are too crowded.

I have thought of raising rabbits as well, my family used to do it.

 

[GeneJordan]

Quote:
You can take the kennel idea and use these fittings to make a sturdy roof.

 

[patandchickens]

Hahahahaha, the manufacturer has taken a popular *chicken coop* design and relabelled it to sell for *rabbits*, that is hysterical!

(What goes around comes around, I guess... since it used to be that people often bought things designed as *rabbit hutches* to repurpose for chickens...)

Being as it is a pretty common coop design, yes, it works fine for chickens

All it is, you know, is a shed (coop) built with WIRE instead of plywood/siding on the sides. If you are going to remove the solid enclosed coop part and make it all wire, you really really ought to add some diagonal bracing otherwise it will tend to collapse parallelogram-style in storms; and you really need to ground-anchor it in some fashion especially if you want to expand it to 8x24'. (You do realize it will not be *moveable* at that dimension, yes?)

But, basically, sure, people do that all the time. Get yourself some shed plans for an 8'-wide shed, expand it lengthwise to 24', build it as per the plans you've got except don't install siding and put hardwarecloth (or whatever) on instead. Add diagonal bracing and anchor it very firmly to the ground, and there ya go.

It won't be real cheap, but it will certainly look nice.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[MamaChic21]

I've got few magazines on how to build a shed but when it comes to the roof, not many pictures were shown that was useful to us. I started doing 8x16 to be portable but soon realized that it won't be secure enough. So we have chosen a nice dry place for them and since it's going to be stable, mine as well be BIGGER

. But hubby said since the back fence is 6' tall, make the run's front 4' going up slightly to 6'. I don't know how that would look ! http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_07121905000P?mv=rr&i_cntr=1297957637159 style playhouse/coop will be delievered sometime next week, I hope

. I also found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=58214 but it's 16x16 and not sure if the tarp will hold all the snow we have had.

I did have 10x10 dog kennel and used a tarp just like the post up there, it did not hold the snow. My hubby is leaving for business trip tomorrow and when he comes back, 10 days later our son will be turing 3. Before then, I would like to finish it by myself. Who knows, maybe I can

WannaBChick; I told you that we're having the same destiny LOL the only difference is your hubby is a carpenter, mine fixs everything with a knife LOL.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Go to the library (or bookstore, or Amazon), there are innumerable books on how to build a shed and many of them have detailed plans and EXCELLENT step-by-step directions/photos of each little bit of the process. Highly recommend. If your library hasn't got anything exactly like that, see about interlibrary loan if you have time, or cough up $15 at a bookstore or Amazon for one of the many books of that type, you won't regret it.

Pat

 

[MamaChic21]

Thx Pat, I will definately do so