Chicken coop, run and free-range space

Kash

My flock number request has been submitted, so now I am ready to start developing their living space.

I have a pre-fabricated coop with a built in run - the run is approximately 7' x 3' with the actual coop covering part of the run - hopefully you can see that here:

I've read that you need to stop predators tunneling under the run - is there a preferred way to do that? The area it will be going in basically a small field - we call it the vegetable garden, but there are no vegetables in it

I thought the run was a little small for every day use, and as it will be in a fenced in area, approximately 40' x 43', I'm hoping it will be ok to let them out in that during the day - I work from home. However the fence is only waist high, so not exactly predator proof. We do have two big dogs (and a cat). Am I naive in thinking that they might deter predators during the day?

Finally, what do you use in the run, as in on the ground? I've seen people mention sand, wood chips, newspaper - is there anything that suits our drizzly climate more than another?

Actually, now that I think of it, what else do you have in your runs? Dust baths? Would feeders and waterers be kept inside the run, or the coop or the free-ranging areas (or all of the above?) I haven't looked into the feeding/watering side of things at all yet, so am clueless.

aonb

how many hens are you planning on keeping in it?
7'x3' is really tiny - even 2 or 3 hens would scratch that to bare earth in a couple of days.
MUCH better to let them free range during the day, the put them in the run before dusk.
You have to decide based on whether you have foxes in your area, whether its worth the risk to let them free range. I wouldnt depend on dogs to keep foxes away 100% although they might be a good deterrent.
A waist high fence certainly wouldnt keep a fox out.
Ive always gone with the policy, that better a happy free ranging hen with a risk of being taken by a fox, than one who is cooped up in a small run...

In that little run I would keep their feed hopper - under the coop bit, to keep it dry. NB! If they are free ranging, you should close the gate to the run, so that crows etc dont go in there and eat their feed. Or when you let them out to free range, remove their feed, so that you can leave the gate open so they can get back in!

In the little run I would also put a tyre with sand/earth in, for their dust bath - again under the coop bit so it stays dry. Whoops, Ive just looked at the photo again, and the whole area is covered - nice! Looks like a nice set-up, if you are only going to keep them in there in the a.m before they lay, and in the evening before they go to bed.

You dont need to put anything on the ground in the run if you are letting them out to free range during the day really. If you can move the set-up periodically that would be ideal.

If you want to protect the edges of the run from predators, you would need to either surround it with flagstones (like patio flagstones) to prevent a fox digging, or else sink some sort of wire about 1 foot down all around. Again, if you dont have foxes in your area, you can have a think about this

Since your whole run is covered, you can put your feed into containers rather than hoppers if you prefer (save money) as it wont be getting rained on. Have more than one food container or water container, as if there is some bullying going on, a bullied hen can go to another container to feed/drink

Kash

aonb wrote: »

how many hens are you planning on keeping in it?

3-4. Yes, I thought it would be too small too. I plan to build a portable run that I can move around as needs be, for the days when i wouldn't be at home.

aonb wrote: »

You have to decide based on whether you have foxes in your area, whether its worth the risk to let them free range.

Are there areas without foxes?! I've never seen one in the garden, but I have seen them when we're out for walks. We're halfway up a mountain in Clare, so we've a whole host of wildlife round about. But I agree, free-range with risk is better than confined and safe, so that's my preferred option.


Feed hopper/containers - check
Water containers - check
Dust bath tyre - check

aonb wrote: »

If you want to protect the edges of the run from predators, you would need to either surround it with flagstones (like patio flagstones)

Gosh, that's really a choice between expense and hard work! The 'vegetable patch' never actually became a vegetable patch precisely because it is so hard to dig We don't have any flagstones, though I do have tiles (a mix of roof and ceramic wall tiles) - i wonder would they do?

aonb

you could 'slice' into the ground with a spade, push a tile/slate into the spade cut - all the way around the run - might be enough of a deterrent for a digging fox??? Or even two rows of tiles a few inches like this:

xxxxxxx (run - wire?)

---

(row of tiles dug into the ground)

---

(second row of tiles dug into the ground)

In approx 15 years of keeping poultry, Ive never had a fox attack the run/coop - one hen was attacked by a fox when free ranging - not killed, we scared it off. There is a stud about 1/4 mile from me, where there is a huge sand bank, where foxes have always raised their litters... maybe Ive just been lucky - there is a perimetre of sheepwire around our entire property - might be a deterrant, although I saw a fox cross one of the lawns at the front of the house yesterday a.m! We've got dogs, the fox might avoid us because of that...

Bunnyslippers

If I were you I'd get a piece of galvanised mesh and make the bottom of the run part out of that, the one with small holes to prevent rats and mice burrowing in as well as the larger furry creatures. Also means you can pick the run up and move onto fresh grass, that way on days where you know you won't be home in time to lock them in you know you can leave them shut in the run and nothing will eat them and they can still graze.
As for fencing or roaming loose, I use the electric pig netting for my chooks, I bought 2 packs and stuck them together to make a very decent sized run which suits my 28 chooks, 6 ducks and 4 geese. I have another for turkeys in the autumn and it keeps them in too. I don't bother electrifying it as it is such a faff and shorts out on the tiniest blade of grass, but I've found the metre high stuff is enough to keep the chooks where you want them and where you can keep an eye on them, also stops them going broody in the bushes!, but it is enough of a deterrent for foxes as the chickens can see them coming, there's no element of surprise, it keeps the chooks out in the open where they're safer, I never put it near the hedges or too near trees. The only time I loose the odd chicken to the fox is if one gets out and is too stupid to fly back in at roosting time before we shut them in, and we have a lot of foxes too as we live up a mountain, we also have mink and martens and so far the fence has put them off!:)

Smallhold

Using electric fencing for ours...four strand first starting about 6 inches off the ground...so far so good...only have a normal net inside the electric fence then about 1.2m high to let them roam around and keep them some way contained...in a large area though...lock them away in their run once it gets dusk/dark..they normally head for the hills themselves anyway! Bloody hens are hard work but kinds of interesting / addictive...didn't realise they crap so much...and would be spending my days trying to keep them alive / wondering what might have eaten them today! Have buzzards to contend with now too! No wonder they look so nervous all the time!! Any else having to train them to roost and what the nest box is / isnt for!?

aonb

On the topic of hens roosting and using a nest box....
Some hens do, some hens dont :P

Seriously though, Ive got a few coops set up with nest boxes and roosting bars. Some of the hens will cram themselves into the nest boxes, and never use the roost bars. They will poo in the nest boxes too. Some of the hens ignore the nest boxes for laying, and will lay on the floor of the coop.

To encourage them to use the roost bars, make sure they are the right dimension bars, that they have rounded edges - i.e. not square/sharp.

I always smear the two ends of my roost bars in vaseline, in case there are red mite/mites in the coop - the vaseline will prevent the mites from getting at the roosting hens

If you go out to the coop, and remove any hens who are sleeping in the nest boxes, put them on the roost bars, every night for a few nights, you might break the habit, and get them to roost...

Smallhold

Yup we close off the boxes at night 2 out of 3 hens now trained to use the roost...nearly there and two just started laying and using the boxes so all good!! Nice and clean!

DBB

Smallhold wrote: »

Have buzzards to contend with now too! No wonder they look so nervous all the time!!

Although a bird of prey flying overhead will cause the hens to run for cover, you don't have much to fear from buzzards. They're unlikely to try their hand with adult hens.

Base price

DBB wrote: »

Although a bird of prey flying overhead will cause the hens to run for cover, you don't have much to fear from buzzards. They're unlikely to try their hand with adult hens.

Often seen a buzzard sitting on a pole next to the hen/pig runs very early on a Summer's morning. I assumed they were hunting for mice/rats. I had hens with young chicks in some of the runs and never lost any to buzzards/magpies or rats.
Personally I think that a buzzards reputation is maligned and are considered as vicious stalking raptors that strike from above - not so.

DBB

Base price wrote: »

Personally I think that a buzzards reputation is maligned and are considered as vicious stalking raptors that strike from above - not so.

We've a nesting pair very nearby, they don't seem to even cast a glance at the hens and chicks. Love to see them about.
Similarly, they don't seem to cause problems for gun clubs around pheasant pens.
If anything, they're helping us all by keeping the rat population in check.
Beautiful birds, i love how they almost become part of the post they're sitting on

aonb

We've had a pair of nesting buzzards for the past 3 years, and this year there is a second pair Im in/out with the binoculars all day, and trying to get some photos. Breathtaking birds. Never had a problem with them worrying the hens - and there are quite a few hen keepers around here...

El Kabong!

If you put mesh on the run, you can make at right angle at ground level, and run it out along the ground for about a foot. Animals will try to dig under the run at the edge and just hit the mesh, they won't start a foot back.

Perhaps....

rangler1

We have a coop like yours, never have any trouble with vermin crawling under,
but thr run isn't big enough so we move it to fresh area every three or four days.
We've wheels set up like this, very simple to do.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pawhut-Chicken-Coop-Pet-Farm-House-Poultry-Backyard-Run-Nest-Box-W-Wheels-/371061647415

Danzy

I put a 18 inch of Galvinize sheet around the edges, works so far.

Danzy

That is one superb looking coop though.