so i whent to tractor supply today

[bagendhens]

for the first time EVER!

great place, the one close is relitvly small but great prices, they beat out agway which is our only other real agricultural option so *yay*

didnt come home with any chicks because chick days dont start untill the end of the month *takes deep breath* i was a little worried after hearing everyones stories that i was oging to have to come home and set up the brooder well early lol...

priced up all the basic stuff we need chick feeder/waterer and food...
and also priced up cost of the items well need to get for the coop as the time comes, shavings, layer feed larger feeders ect...

and while we were there i spotted a BARGAIN!

ive been pricing up the stuff to do the run, we want a 10 x 10 (twice the size we need for 5 but we dont use that back corner anyway and bigger is always better) and its going to cost us over $250 for fence posts and 1x2 fencing...that doesnt include any extra wire fencing for the "roof" of the run...

but TSC have the petsafe chainlink runs...they have a 2 in 1 convertable, can be 10 x 10 or 5 x 15 for 199 with a mail in rebate for another $40!
wed still need some chickenwire to bolster the bottom 1/2 of the run and will need to put an apron around it and of course wire for the roof...BUT itll still come out alot cheaper than trying to build it from scratch.
so now ive just got to talk my dad into the plusses of this option.

the coop itself will actually be about the same height as the chainlink, so im thinking i can just bolt the run frame to the coop and simply leave the chainlink off the section that will be attached to the coop where the pop door is (would rather not take bolt cutters to chainlink lol)...
or if im feeling REALY ambitious on digging out the hill between the coop and the shed its being built next to we easily have a full 20 ft (the coop will be 8ft the existing shed is 12ft) i could simply not use the side pannels on the side were itll be bolted to the shed and coop and add those 2 pannels to make it even bigger...
id probably need a few additional chainlink acessories to do it...but i could give the girls a HUGE run doing that...

but yeah...great place!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
First time? Congrats on your discovery. I assure you it will not be your LAST visit to TSC!!!!

 

[Barred Rocker]

I was just there today, came away with 2 bags of scratch grain and purina layena, some wire for my new brooder and a lime green waterer and feeder for the chickies due this weekend.

 

[flgardengirl]

Sounds like you had fun. Another place to look for fencing is craigslist. Yesterday, I got a 18x24 chainlink dog kennel with two gates for 125 we also had to take it down ourselves but it was worth it because it is in very good shape.

 

[bagendhens]

nice deal flgardengirl!!!

i emailed one on craiglist this afternoon its a 12 x 12 run for $150 but we'll see.
we dont get much on our craigslist and when we do its either more expensive than buying new, completly destoryed or gets snatched up super quick lol.

im getting so excited now...

now the chicks ahve been ordered its "real"...
i spent last year making plans only to have it pushed off...
this time...its REAL

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
My sister is starting with chickens this spring & needs a kennel for a run. I was at our TSC the other day & saw the Petsafe 2 & 1 kennel and it had the rebate tag on it, but I forgot to look to see when the rebate runs out. Can you tell me when the rebate expires? She wanted to buy the 10 by 10 panel one they have for sale for $249, but has no way to haul it home. I suggested that the boxed one would work & be easier to take home. Thanks for your help.

 

[Mom2Munchkins]

I bought a 12x12 kennel just yesterday off Cl for $50!!! WooHoo!

I hope all you TSC customers are using the $5 off $25 purchase coupon every time you go!!

(BTW, I am the Coupon QUEEN)

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Depends on where you live and when you are looking to score a kennel off craigslist. I've seen them between free and $500. $160 after rebate is not a bad deal if it's a good kennel.


TSC is another place I'm not allowed to go without a chaperone or with a credit card.

 

[bagendhens]

rebate is good untill august of this year (8/2010)
plus tsc are having their chick days sales, go to their website theres a coupon for $10 off purchase over $100...
so we whent to pick it up yesterday.

ITS HEAVY, everythings included, the chainlink and the bag of hardware are where most of the weight is.
we put the bottom pipes togehter in an "odd" shape yesterday so we could dig out the hill so itll sit flat.

because of the way the kit and pipes are you can get away with chanigng the shape somewhat so dont feel restricted to a 5 x 15 or a 10 x 10.
ours is going to be behind the coop and shed so were going to use metal plumbers supports to bolt one upright to the coop, one upright to the shed and used the extra poles to increase the size, since one side of the run will be the coop and shed we will actually have a run of 10 x 15 doing it this way...
for a grand total of...

$149 (plus tax) which is less than the only chainlink run i could find in my area on craigslist by about $100

the whole set up is a little loose as your putting it togehter, the connections arnt tight so i can imagine its going to be fun and games getting everything to stay in place while were building it...
But once the chainlinks on and under pressure (stretched) i can imagine this to be quite a strong run, its defintaly not heavy dute like the preassembled pannels, but with the addition of chickenwire to form an anti racoon hand anti dig barrier and a roof, it looks like its going to make a good stable run.

as a side note though the gate is narrow, only about 24 inches wide, so if your going to be wanting to get a wheel barrow into the run its definatly not going to happen with this set up.
me and dad have already agreed that itll be our job to occasionally shovel out the run itslef as the "fertilizer" starts to build, shouldnt be too big a deal if we dont let it pile up with poop...but still something to be aware of.

 

[Cindy in PA]

bagendhens, Thanks! I will let my sister know. I actually have a similar kennel, but it is only 7 1/2 by 13. We got it already together for $25 bucks and then just cut out a hole next to the coop. We did have to repair al ot of ties, but for $25 dollars it couldn't be beat. It was originally for our dogs, but we never left them outside, so it went to the chickens! This would be as cheap for my sister as a welded wire fence and I think they could make it work. Thanks again.