New Chicken Run.

[Chris Hobson]

There it is, a newly constructed home for our little flock of five hens. This is a bought one, in the past I have built them myself out of timber. It comes with a sheet of tarpaulin that you can use to roof over one half of the run but in the past I found these to be a problem if it gets windy. Instead there is a little wooden hut that we call the bus shelter. The sleeping and egg laying hut is the green one roughly in the centre of the picture. Because our area has had some cases of avian flu, the wire netting has to completely enclose it like an aviary so that wild birds can't get in. After I moved them in, the hens were a bit dim at bed time, all packed into the corner gazing at the spot where the green hut used to be. I had to usher them towards the new location and eventually they all went in except one who I had to catch and bundle through the door. The advantage of this pen is that it can be moved around. I'm planning on growing a few veggies this year and chickens are excellent for clearing the ground in preparation for this.

 

[Dishevelled]

Very nice. Is it pinned down? I'd worry about foxes otherwise.

 

[trophywench]

Very nice. Is it pinned down? I'd worry about foxes otherwise.

and pine martens!

 

[Chris Hobson]

The green hut is very secure. We don't get foxes during the day, I think because there are so many dogs around.

 

[barrym]

Very nice. Is it pinned down? I'd worry about foxes otherwise.

I think you’d need to do more than pin it down. I’ve seen a situation where wire fence was concreted in and the foxes burrowed under and had a killing spree. IIRC the guy eventually buried the fence down about two feet. Can’t remember how successful it was but I know he doesn’t have chicken or geese now. Some things in nature you just can’t fight against.

 

[Chris Hobson]

In some large hen barns foxes have been known to have been pecked to death. Some kinds of chickens are more aggressive than others. I don't know whether there are specific breeds but if there are it would seem to be a good idea to have some among your flock.

 

[silver minion]

We installed a large chicken run last spring. 8m by 3m. Here is a photo taken inside. We have a tarp on half of which gives shelter from the rain and sun. It's very heavy so can't be lifted. We also have old decking boards on the outside edges.
No grass left as our hens are also confined now.
Looks like yours is the same brand as ours. We also plan to turn it into a brassica bed when we can move the hens to a new location. The run is too large to be picked up.
I think your chickens will love it.