Kikiriki
Songster
Don't forget that they will be stuck in there in bad weather... If it is not protected from snowfall in the run, they will not have anywhere to go outside or move around.
I don't have snow, but we get days of rain here when the chickens don't want to go outside. I like that my set up allows them to choose to be indoors or not, and that I can restrict them from the run when I need to, or lock them out when I need to.
I have board on board privacy fence, and I saved the picket fence that we took down. I used the privacy fence as on wall, then used four x four posts as the outside corners and put up the picket fence all around. Wire encloses the whole thing (8x10). I used another 4x4 to create support for a people door. I made a lockable little pop door for access to the run. The roof is plywood on wire, covered with a tarp. (it does not slope, and that was a mistake)
Inside the structure is their safe coop, which is only large enough to sleep in. The nest box hangs on an inner wall. (I should have hung it outside for egg collection, and open to the inside for them to access. It has a sloped roof and a wire bottom which makes for cleaner eggs. (They were getting too sandy from the sand that came off the birds [from dust bathing] when it had a solid bottom)
I wish I had just made a big coop to start with. Just a big roost bar inside a very safe enclosure. But I like that the openness gives fresh air, especially in summer, and that the tarp provides shade, wind, and rain protection.
The entrance is the first picture.
Nest box in the second
Third picture shows from the side, the run goes to the corner of the yard and fence,
Then last picture shows the last leg of the run. I had to add bird net for the hawks, so it is all now covered. I used PVC pipe I had on hand to support the net...ugly but it works.
I don't have snow, but we get days of rain here when the chickens don't want to go outside. I like that my set up allows them to choose to be indoors or not, and that I can restrict them from the run when I need to, or lock them out when I need to.
I have board on board privacy fence, and I saved the picket fence that we took down. I used the privacy fence as on wall, then used four x four posts as the outside corners and put up the picket fence all around. Wire encloses the whole thing (8x10). I used another 4x4 to create support for a people door. I made a lockable little pop door for access to the run. The roof is plywood on wire, covered with a tarp. (it does not slope, and that was a mistake)
Inside the structure is their safe coop, which is only large enough to sleep in. The nest box hangs on an inner wall. (I should have hung it outside for egg collection, and open to the inside for them to access. It has a sloped roof and a wire bottom which makes for cleaner eggs. (They were getting too sandy from the sand that came off the birds [from dust bathing] when it had a solid bottom)
I wish I had just made a big coop to start with. Just a big roost bar inside a very safe enclosure. But I like that the openness gives fresh air, especially in summer, and that the tarp provides shade, wind, and rain protection.
The entrance is the first picture.
Nest box in the second
Third picture shows from the side, the run goes to the corner of the yard and fence,
Then last picture shows the last leg of the run. I had to add bird net for the hawks, so it is all now covered. I used PVC pipe I had on hand to support the net...ugly but it works.
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