Would you like to help me design my run? Pictures included...also to do a roof or no?

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Streetview

Streetview

Chirping
5 Years
May 17, 2014
133
4
68
Federal Way, Washington State













Alright, so here is my coop. It maxes out at 4 hens, which of course I got. But, as you can see, not alot of outside room so we want to build an attached run. Funds are low so I have been getting wood off craigslist to


e. I have wood for the bottom part of the frame (its entirely too heavy to be the top part) I don't plan on using any posts to set it in the ground. Our coop isn't set in the ground/sunk by posts and stays put very well and is heavy enough, and using this used decking for the bottom and attaching it to the coop I am not worried about it falling over in the least.

So here are some photos. I am building a pallet short fence around the area, fort style. That will be independent of the run and I will not be attaching to it. It is not as sturdy but keeps my dog out. She does perch a paw on the edge to look over, but doesn't try to jump it, and we dont leave her outside as she is a house dog. Unfortunately she would LOVE to eat the chickens. If she does try to jump we will wire it up with an electric fence for a few weeks and then unplug. Years ago I had a dog who dug under a fence to get out and it only took 1 shock with the fence and we were able to unplug it and she never tried again. Anyways...

So the plan is to come out from the side there, the entire width of the coop but have it be 6 feet tall so we can walk in. I will open the side door to let them out each morning, so the original outside area bottom and the new run would not be connected (as far as being able to run through from one to another, they would have to go through the housing area) I will have a ladder that attaches/detatches for them to go up and down. Will remove it at night when they go in and shut the side. Problem with this is, if I wait too long to shut the side they will sleep in the nest boxes. The other option would be to have access some other way, but I need 6ft access for myself at that side door that opens to clean out the coop. The otherside of the coop does not have a clean out. I can't flip the coop around because of the way the door opens and on the back side where you cant see is the attached nest boxes and egg retreival. Anyways so here is kind of what I am thinking....

So we are going 8.5 feet long, 4 feet wide (same width as coop) with a door in the corner (see my wonderful paint design)

My struggles are, with the roof on the coop, how I build around that where I am attaching. Also the ground slopes down at the coop so my plan was to use some cinder blocks on each side (see design again)

So, any red flags? Ideas to do it differently? Here are some assorted photos of the area, wood, design and such.
 
vehve said:
If you can afford to get cattle panels, I thought this looked pretty cool and could easily be made prettier looking.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/compost-included-deep-litter-hoop-coop

It would make it a bit wider though, about 8 feet. But it would be a quick and easy build, no need to tear apart those pallets. And easy to make bigger if (when) the need arises.
Click to expand...
That is a very interesting idea. I struggle right now with keeping the pallets sunk. I am using green bars that are used for welded wire fencing when I can. When I started it, I couldn't afford to do posts/concrete so I kinda just went with what I could. There are these dang tree roots in the way from me digging deeper to 'bury' the first part of the pallet in some parts so I used those bear tree art parts on either side to help steady them. Don't get me wrong, they are steady enough without that stuff to stand up, but if the dog repeatedly jumped on the side, without the bears and the green rod's she could probably break through if she tried hard enough.
 
Streetview said:
That is a very interesting idea. I struggle right now with keeping the pallets sunk. I am using green bars that are used for welded wire fencing when I can. When I started it, I couldn't afford to do posts/concrete so I kinda just went with what I could. There are these dang tree roots in the way from me digging deeper to 'bury' the first part of the pallet in some parts so I used those bear tree art parts on either side to help steady them. Don't get me wrong, they are steady enough without that stuff to stand up, but if the dog repeatedly jumped on the side, without the bears and the green rod's she could probably break through if she tried hard enough. 
Click to expand...
Keep checking craigslist for dog kennel panels they are easy to set up and easy to expand if needed, they are tall enough to walk in, if they keep a dog in they will keep a dog out.
 
Well haven't been able to find any dog fencing that I could transport in my outback but I did get more 3 ft welded wire, and since this will be a daytime only run I am going to use that and possibly reinforce with hardware mesh in the future.

Anyways, here is my progress. Reclaimed wood for the base, got some corner brackets to help with stability, went and spent $20 on the light/new wood framing and have been breaking down pallets and am going to use them on the sides and then window/wire for the top half. I am doing this on my own because my husband works construction and the last thing he wants to do when he gets home is do more! haha. He may help me with the wire though!



 
At this point it would be good to consider putting down some sort of predator protection. You could put hardware cloth on the bottom of the run, or if you prefer to go with the apron approach you can do it later. Looks good so far
smile.png
 
I thought about doing a slope, we get more rain than anything. If I sloped it I was afraid I would create a indent in the ground (from the water run off) that would possibly get too much water in their run that is under their coop, so I decided to do it flat. The ground is sloped so the water could pool and run. We do get snow, but this is under some big pine trees where, even when it rains, it takes hours for any water to show up under them. So I think its ok to be flat, but we shall see. I hope I am not wrong haha
 

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