Tunnel or passage?

[jennyf]

I'm totally new at this and appreciate any ideas! We have six three week old pullets and are working on coop. Ideally need to connect a coop on one side of a 4 ft chain link fence (will be reinforced with hardware cloth) to a run on the other side of the chain link fence. Unless we build a very tall coop, I'm thinking it's likely that they will need to in some way go up and over and down via a chicken tunnel (or ramp in a tunnel). Am I expecting too much or would they figure it out? Trying to avoid actually cutting a hole in the chain link. Thanks!!

 

[ksguy]

In my limited experience, I've found that although chickens are quite simple-minded, that can at times play to your advantage - particularly with food. Once the tunnel bridge is built, bait it with some sort of treat in a trail from the coop to the run. They might take a little bit to decide the tunnel isn't some diabolical contraption that's going to attack and kill them but eventually they'll get it.

Make sure it's wide enough that two full grown birds can walk past each other.

 

[RoxBox615]

We have the same problem and are thinking about a bridge/tunnel idea as well. I would love to see your pictures if you decide to build it!

 

[jennyf]

Thanks so much, had not thought about it needing to be two lanes! It will probably be something fairly unsightly but I will see what we come up with!

 

[ksguy]

Check this out for some inspiration! YouTube has literally everything! Looks like the floor is hardware cloth so poop can fall through - keeping you from having to clean the high-up part.

 

[beautifulpirate]

There is also the option of building a tunnel that allows your chickens to pass under the fence. It would likely cost a lot less in materials. Literally build a box out of Pressure treated wood that has two ends open. Dig down under your fence, place the tunnel and re-bury. You might use stones or more lumber to create a berm to retain additional soil from falling near the openings. This chicken moat garden shows something similar.

 

[whydonttheywrit]

Has anyone ever tried having chickens pass under a sidewalk, we have used up all the space we have on one side of our sidewalk in the backyard and would like to give them a tunnel around the garden, but we have to have them pass over a 3 foot wide sidewalk somehow first. I was thinking or building a bridge after watching the youtube video above, but would prefer to go under the sidewalk if the chickens would use the tunnel to get to their additional space beyond the sidewalk?