triangular shaped chicken run pros and cons

[floridagramps]

I am building my first chicken coop and chicken run this month. My thinking is to construct a triangular shaped chicken run using pressure treated 2x4s. Build triangular frames and notch them to support horizontal 2x4s that are 16 feet long. Bottom half will have hardware mesh and the top half will be shingled w a ridge vent. Frame one end in plywood w 5' access door and the other end attaches to chicken coop

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

You're talking about an "A" frame style.

No reason it won't work, but you won't have a lot of headspace on the sides, and water will drain into the run if the sides aren't fully covered.

A metal roof would require less framing and cutting, as well as being able to space your frames farther apart.
You wouldn't need horizontal 2 x 4's for the roof section at all if you run the metal horizontally

 

[ll]

I found this cute A frame run photo:

good luck!

 

[claudicles]

A frame Pros: Cheaper as far as materials are concerned.

Cons: - Slightly trickier to make. have to get the angles right when cutting the timber.
- less head room and less flight space or potential roosting space for the chickens.

 

[Charon]

i see these and think the pyramids. maybe the egyptians were making big chicken coops.

 

[oldchickenlady]

Here is my first 10x10 run. PT wood layed flat with 90 degree flat metal connecters from Home Depot, already have holes drilled for nails or screws. Drilled holes in the 2x4's for the pvc to fit into. Here is the start...

I used a 2x4 brace on the back wall with a ridge pole made from a 1x4 I found in the top of my garage...actually it was some sort of crown molding about 1x4. I put the pvc pipes in the holes and screwed through the pvc (drilled pilot holes first with very small bit) and into the ridge pole. I braced the door frame and the back 2x4 with pieces of scrap 2x4 about 2 1/2' long. Here is what it ended up looking like...

You can see the 2x4 in the back braced on each side. The pvc pipe I just stuck together with the connector pieces, didn't even glue it...couldn't get the can of pvc glue open. I made it just over my head, about 5'6", because I was trying to conserve wire. I used 1x2 welded wire over the whole thing and ran it out about 18" on the ground to deter anything from digging in. Staked the wire down with tent stakes from Walmart. I only made the first one 10x10 because that was about as big a space I had on my property that was flat! Later I moved it, then moved it again to where I wanted to build my coop. Here of pics of all my progress...
Hope it helps! I have been very pleased with this hoop design...

Here it all is attached and in it's final resting place...

2 of the pics are of my pop door inside and outside. I rigged up a latch I could open from outside the pen, but never used it. The beauty of this run is when it is covered with a tarp they still have a dry place to go, and no hawks or other birds of prey can get them. Mine free ranged all day, but if the weather was bad they could stay inside and still have dry food. I used clear plastic to put on the sides for wind, snow, rain protection in the winter. Being clear (ish) gave them more light than completely covering it in tarp. I made a 12x20 here in AR. I didn't use a wooden ridge pole here, just more pvc, and it is not nearly as sturdy, so I am going to redo that part soon. Hope this helps...