Safe and Cost-Effective Run?

[TheEggcellentChick]

We are getting ready to build our first coop, and pricing out the materials, the cost of hardware cloth is astronomical at the places that’s still have any in stock! We are only getting 4 hens, but we will likely end up with 8 by next year, so the outdoor run will be 8x8 (the girls will free range during the day when we are home).

What we are thinking of doing is doing a 12 inch skirt of chicken wire, 3 feet of 1/2 in hardware cloth (19 gauge) and then 3 feet of 2x4 in welded wire to get to six feet. We will cover the top of the coop with chicken wire in the areas that don’t have a roof.

Does this sound sufficient, or do we need to have hardware cloth on all sides of the run and have hardware cloth skirt? Are there better solutions out there to save money? We live in a rural area near water, so we have everything from raccoons to weasels most likely.

Thank you for your help!!

 

[Alaskan]

Eck... well.. .

You can go way less expensive.... but...

Weasels, nasty critters that both climb and can squeeze through tiny holes. Also, they will hunt the entire time that they are awake.

If you want 100% weasel proof you have to have solid walls, roof, or hardware cloth.

I have never been able to find free hardware cloth... but roofing, wood, screws, and other kinds of wire I have been adle to find from the free pages on craigslist and Facebook, as well as in the construction trash area of my local dump.

 

[TheEggcellentChick]

Eck... well.. .

You can go way less expensive.... but...

Weasels, nasty critters that both climb and can squeeze through tiny holes. Also, they will hunt the entire time that they are awake.

If you want 100% weasel proof you have to have solid walls, roof, or hardware cloth.

I have never been able to find free hardware cloth... but roofing, wood, screws, and other kinds of wire I have been adle to find from the free pages on craigslist and Facebook, as well as in the construction trash area of my local dump.

Thank you! I figured this would be the answer I think we will bite the bullet and do hardware cloth around the run and then a galvanized metal lath skirt.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your idea isn't bad but I'd consider layering some of the materials at least (like 3' hardware cloth over 6' welded wire, and 20-24" for the apron), if you go that route. If weasels are a big problem in your area then you'll need a lot more hardware cloth, as weasels can squeeze into pretty small openings such as your 2x4 welded wire.

Also if you really are thinking of 8 birds total, this run will be small for the number of birds overall, and definitely too small during integration which will make it difficult to add more birds. So I know it might not be in the budget but I'd suggest building around 100 sq ft minimum OR building in such a way that you can easily add on and increase the space in a year from now before you consider adding more birds.