Thoughts on this setup? Any experience here?

[Aunt Angus]

I really think it depends on the chickens.
My chickens roamed far and wide. I couldn't see them from the house, they crossed the road and were nearly hit twice (that I saw) and would parade right down the middle of the road and march up the hill.
On vacation in DE we drove past a lovely flock of SLW scratching around the yard. On the way back to the house we drove past a dead SLW laying at the side of the road.

I too think the dome is cool but would never spend that kind of money on it. I have about $2500 into my entire setup including coop (converted shed), a 28x12 run with 16x4 annex off the back solid roofed predator proof run attached (built from scratch), three lengths of 164' x 42" high poultry netting that enclose 1/3 acre of well planted grounds, 10,000-volt charger, fence posts, gates, chicken supplies... everything. I have housed up to 30 birds. In the 3 years they've been in this setup, I've only lost one young pullet to a hawk. The grass is green and they are happy and that makes me happy and therefore worth every penny.

I've seen pics of your setup (unless I'm getting you mixed up with someone else,). It's fantastic!

 

[coach723]

I would spend the money on something more predator proof myself. That looks more like something to keep things from flying out, most chickens don't do that much flying, if any, depending on the breed. Having lost birds to predators, my money would be spent keeping them out. Anything other than a hawk is going to go right through it.

 

[K0k0shka]

Biggest potential problems: it’s not predator-proof (beyond aerial), it likely won’t hold up to snow (if you get snow), and it would be really hard to repair, should anything happen to the top sections (does a ladder that tall even exist? Would you need a crane?)

 

[Mamatomany123]

I don't think it's very big or predator proof. Especially for the price. We built a 50x35 (1750 sq ft) run not including the space underneath the coop and I have 24 hens in there and probably won't get anymore as it's starting to seem crowded. Like mentioned above, you will have to figure out how to repair it if there's any teats up top,will need to add hardware cloth for ground predators, and have to add a coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have to echo what everyone else is saying about predator-proofing. You'd at least need to add multiple hotwires to keep out everything other than hawks.

My 100 feet of electric poultry netting provides 625 square feet of run for a lot less money.

 

[LoveMyGurls]

I really think it depends on the chickens.
My chickens roamed far and wide. I couldn't see them from the house, they crossed the road and were nearly hit twice (that I saw) and would parade right down the middle of the road and march up the hill.
On vacation in DE we drove past a lovely flock of SLW scratching around the yard. On the way back to the house we drove past a dead SLW laying at the side of the road.

I too think the dome is cool but would never spend that kind of money on it, especially because it's just the start. You'd still need to invest in predator proofing it.

I have about $2500 into my entire setup including coop (converted shed), a 28x12 run with 16x4 annex off the back solid roofed predator proof run attached (built from scratch), three lengths of 164' x 42" high poultry netting that enclose 1/3 acre of well planted grounds, 10,000-volt charger, fence posts, gates, chicken supplies... everything. I have housed up to 30 birds. In the 3 years they've been in this setup, I've only lost one young pullet to a hawk. The grass is green and they are happy and that makes me happy and therefore worth every penny.

That's really interesting. I wonder if you have to keep them in a pen first? I've always marvelled at these chickens that just go to a certain line and never cross. Been there for years as well. Mind you, I was talking to one of my friends and he said one of them got knocked down. so I might be talking out of my rear end.