run construction question

[happymorrows]

The coop is almost done, now it's on to the run. My husband went out in the woods and cut down a bunch of pine poles (we have a huge stand that is just packed with them). They are 10-16 feet tall. My neighbor raised the concern that we will have to replace them every year as they rot. Anyone used green pine poles before? How long did they last? I figure free poles may be worth replacing every couple years, though my husband may disagree . Also, how far apart are your poles? Thanks!

 

[Omran]

Quote:
I think he is right, you need something like cedar posts or you might have to trat your pine posts with some chemicals.

 

[midget_farms]

You can buy the copper chemical they treat lumber with at Lowes. Paint it onto the poles after you strip off the bark. Otherwise pine will melt away just like your pine shavings on the floor of the coop.

You can try sealing them with roofing tar or painting the poles before you use them - but if you have the choice oak is better & cedar is best.

 

[NonnasBabies]

You can also use landscape timbers!! $1.97 each!!

Missi

 

[happymorrows]

How tall are the landscape timbers? Are they available at Lowe's? I would like to be able to stand up in the run, but that isn't absolutley neccessary. I think I have been convinced not to use the pine poles, as long as I can find a fairly inexpensive alternative.

 

[Qi Chicken]

I also want to know about landscape timbers. We want to bury some and have it tall enough for my 6 ft husband to walk in. I'm not sure my 6 ft husband WANTS to walk into the chicken run but whatever.

What type of wood did you use for the board that goes around the bottom? How far apart are the landscape timbers??

We built a delux brooder tonight out of a washing machine box and a piece of plexiglass!! Tomorrow or the next day!!

 

[patandchickens]

Oh yes, do NOT use pine for run posts. And remember it is not at *all* trivial to replace them -- you have to detach the wire fencing everywhere, then pull the posts (getting all the rotted bits out of the bottom of the hole, then set the new posts in the old holes which will not work as well as it did the first time b/c it'll be much harder to get the post firmly set, then reattach all the wire so it is still snug, which it won't be because the posts will be in slighly different positions). You do NOT wanna do that

And there is nothing you can paint on to them that will seriously extend their lifespan. There is a reason that pressure-treated wood is PRESSURE treated. Just surface treating will not do the trick. Even old-timey farmer 'recipes' for treating posts involved SOAKING the posts in nasty chemicals for months.

I would strongly suggest biting the bullet and buying pressure-treated 4x4s, or at least decent-diameter cedar fenceposts (nothing smaller than 4" diam.).

How far apart to set the posts depends on how your run will be constructed; if you will have both top and bottom horizontal wooden supports, in addition to the posts themselves, you can go a bit further than if you didn't. As a generic recommendation (remembering that the exact details of your planned run may change this...), I would say 5 ft is the most sensible spacing, you can go to 6' if it is mathematically necessary but beyond that gets a bit iffy, especially if you are not experienced at pulling wire tight and/or are not using a top rail.

Make sure to set the posts deep enough in the ground, at *least* 2.5' and preferably deeper, and tamp the fill dirt *very hard* every 4-6" as you refill the hole around the post.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat