Chicken Run Build

Steve and I have been thinking about building a chicken run because of our insane coyote problem. On that note - I was standing on the front lawn yesterday when a coyote ran out from one of the paddocks to grab a chicken pecking around in the round about! Like 10 feet from me! Insane.

Okay back to the run we decided to do 24 feet by 8 feet since we will need quite a large area with the new chicks growing like weeds! We went into scugog lumber in port perry to get some help with the designs and whatever lumber we needed. The guy there was very helpful and drew out a plan with us. We couldn't get the wire we wanted, hardware wire that has half inch by half inch square holes. We had to order that from port perry feed and pick it up. Which ended up being fine cause we didn't start the run until the following weekend. We being Steve and his Dad while Steve's mum and I supervised from the patio chairs :D 

The two wall sections are 12 feet long by 4 feet high and divided at the 6 foot mark for support. 

You build 4 of those and merge two together to build each wall. 

Then you build the 8 feet long by 4 feet tall end sections with a support at the 4 foot mark. And start connecting everything to make the walls. At each corner you have a 4X4 post that is also 4 feet high. We bought 8 foot 4X4s and just cut them in half.

They also put a board diagonally at each end piece for added support. The door was put in between one of the 6 foot areas on the long walls. They also put boards along the bottom to sandwich in the wire and make it more secure from predators.

Here is some chicks enjoying the safety of their new play pen!