Predator Proof Way to Secure Chicken Tunnels to My Run

[melannjur]

My chicken run is wood frame covered in hardware cloth, I will be constructing chicken tunnels of the same materials. I am stumped on how to securely attach the tunnel to the run. Any ideas?

 

[aart]

How big are the tunnels?
Are they permanent or portable?
Pics of your run and the path of the tunnels would help here.

 

[melannjur]

How big are the tunnels?
Are they permanent or portable?
Pics of your run and the path of the tunnels would help here.

I am going to build tunnels. I was going to frame them with 1x2s and cover in hardware cloth (similar to this picture)

. I will get a pic of the run shortly.

 

[avjudge]

My chicken run is wood frame covered in hardware cloth, I will be constructing chicken tunnels of the same materials. I am stumped on how to securely attach the tunnel to the run. Any ideas?

For my chicken tunnel where I had openings in the run and coop hardware cloth I framed the openings with wood – sandwiched the edge of the hardware cloth between two pieces. The side of my chicken tunnel likewise had framed openings. I just screwed went through one frame into the other. I’ll try to get a picture that shows it later. Though my tunnel is mostly a wooden structure so it may not be as easy with the hoop structure

 

[perkolator]

For permanently attached I'd use galvanized fence wire and weave the fencing together.

For a removable chunnel I'd likely go with the suggested wood door frames on the fencing, and either use screws or bolts + wing nuts/t-nuts + wing bolts for something you can install/remove by hand. Make a plate/fence that fills the door opening when chunnel not installed.

 

[avjudge]

Here are some pictures of my setup. The first is from inside the tractor/coop, the second shows the end of the chunnel, with tractor/coop to the right. I cut a 12” square out of the hardware cloth at the back of the coop and framed it in 1x3s. You can see a side view of the frame in the second picture. The run that is parallel to the coop (not really visible, but that is what the blue tarp is thrown over) was built with a similar opening at its back. My husband holds the tunnel in position against the frame while I put several long screws through from inside the coop and the run.

My chunnel is mostly wood (all odds &ends), but if yours is wire it would have a frame similar to what I have on the coop and the two would just be screwed framed to frame.

As @perkolator suggested, I do have plans if I ever take this apart to cut a 13–14” square of plywood to screw over the opening.