Chain Link Dog Kennel Runs

[BlueLagoonRabbitry]

I am looking for ideas on how to use some chain link dog kennels for runs and how to build a chicken coop fast cheap and easy thanks.

 

[Jay13]

It has been my experience that unless you can get someone on craigslist or a friend to give you one, chain link dog kennels aren't really that cheap. Also, as my german shepherds have proven several times, they are also NOT dog proof.

To make our coop, we bought a metal building from Lowes, and I have seen here where people have used old playhouses ect to build theirs. Right now building materials are pretty expensive (for me anyway) so you might consider building with reclaimed materials. I don't remember who, but someone was building an extension to their coop using pallets, very awesome.

 

[BlueLagoonRabbitry]

Well i have found one for 60 and one for 50

 

[TexasVet]

My whole chicken yard is made of dog kennel panels. Works great! And because they're separate panels, you can easily reconfigure the yard any time you want to.

But here's the trick... get the stand-alone panels that join at the corners. The cheaper ones where you build a frame and then wrap a single roll of chainlink around it are junk. The frame pulls apart over time, and if you want to add onto it or move it, it's a real pain.

Just my two cents!

Kathy in Texas

PS: I surrounded my coop with fencing, but you could also place it just outside (and up against) the fence and cut a small hole for them to get inside the coop.

 

[Anny]

my chicken run is made up 6x6ft dog run panels. I even put one on the top to keep out hawks.

You can see my coop in my coop page.

 

[CovenantCreek]

I was looking at the dog runs at TSC last night. They had some chain link panels that connected at the corners, as well as welded wire with 2"x4" openings that connected at the corners. I think the least expensive of those was $250 for a 5'x10'.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

We use them too, and place 2 inch chicken wire over the tops. They work great. But like everyone has already said they are a bit exspensive, if youre having to go buy them new.

 

[whudson]

I bought the do-it-yourself kennel for $180 at Lowes.
It was very simple to assemble.

It's 7.5 X 13 and I put deer netting over the top (very cheap).

I butted it up against the coop, and unwound some of the fencing where the coop door is.
That way I can put the fencing back the way it was later if I want, instead of cutting a hole that isn't repairable.

 

[emandmikey]

We use a 7x13' dog kennel (it was panels) and dog house that we got from craigslist fairly cheaply. We also got some loose chain-link and wired it over the top, so the whole thing is fenced in. We have some smaller bantams, and I was afraid they would get out of the chain link, so we also put a roll of hardware cloth around it up to 18" or so. That keeps the chickens in and everything else out - so far at least! I think it was a great deal, but only because we got a good deal on the fence panels. You can see pictures on my personal blog.

 

[Chirpy]

All dog kennels are not created equal. My dogs have literally ripped through the chain link kennels that I have (I have used two different strengths of wire too) so just keep that in mind if you have any larger predators in your area (including raccoons and dogs). Raccoons can easily reach through chain link, grab and pull out a chicken so I would suggest that if you chose to use it you wrap hardware cloth or 1" chicken wire around the bottom two feet and bury it into the ground 15 to 18 inches.

Have fun!