Run is finally done!

[frizzleman74]

Went from this...

to this...isn't spring/ summer such a more beautiful time of year!

we're putting corrugated roofing panels on top of part of the run to help minimize shovling snow in the winter and allowing the chickens to go out in the rain

I don't know what to do for the roosts yet or how to secure them, any ideas?

and their sand box..

and here are my 2 girls and my rooster (who needs a new home) roosters are not tolerable in my neighborhood. But i have 12 more babies coming from mypetchicken in the 2nd week in september, im excited!!!!

 

[cat1994]

Looks great I’m sure your chickens love it

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
My run isn't as big as yours (very nice by the way, contrats!) but I had fun using large pieces of logs (cut for firewood), a length of dead aspen tree cut to the height of my run and some branches and 1 1/2" dowel pieces from a wine racking system to make some roosts that my 10 week-old pullets seem to enjoy.

This first one is sort of looking down at the lower roosts, which run from one piece of log to the next and then higher from the log to the aspen tree. I used a special bit for my drill that bore 1 1/2" holes into the logs for the roosts to fit into. You can see my pullets perched on top of the logs as well as on the roosts themselves.

In this photo you can see the higher roost that runs from the aspen tree to the side of the run. One of my Jersey Giants is up on the high roost.

Here's a look at the whole run set-up, although you can't get a very good look at the roosts. They do very much seem to enjoy hanging out on top of those log pieces, often 3 or 4 snuggled together for an afternoon siesta. When we have to take out another big tree, I think I'll cut some taller, wider pieces for the extended run I hope to build next year.

 

[Hopefulloflove]

How nice and it looks like they are loving it. I am not sure about securing roosts..I was just wondering how I would do that when we get ours done! Looks great!!

 

[frizzleman74]

Thanks, and you have wonderful settup, thanks for the ides about the roosts!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
By the way, regarding securing the roosts, on the end that was near the outside fencing, I took a piece of scrap 2"X4" and cut a 1 1/2" hole about 1/2 of the way through it and secured it with a few screws into the corner where the upright and horizontal framing pieces of the run's framing came together and made the hole in the aspen that supported the other end of the roost the same height.

If you do this, be sure that you are using hardware cloth or have some other protection on the outside that will keep out the paws of a raccoon. I've read horror stories about chickens being grabbed through the chicken wire and having whatever the raccoon could grab and pull through eaten.

 

[teach1rusl]

Looks great! You have a perfect place to add a simple roost - right there in the middle between your two center (vertical) posts - just screw or nail a 2x4 right across

 

[frizzleman74]

yes that was exactly what i was thinking but i was trying to user branches for the outdoor run just because it look more natural and wild, i have 2x4's in the coop but im not sure how to nail the branches into the posts without splitting the wood

 

[Wyogirl]

Quote:
LOL if you were closer I would take that rooster, am looking for a Silkie rooster!!
Your set up is great
Ayda