I just started out with chickens this spring as well. I went round and round about a coop to buy or build until I finally just built one and I am so glad I did. I spent just $500 on a 4'x8' raised 18" off the ground. Metal roofing and a sliding glass window. I even installed vinyl flooring to keep the wood floor dry. I ran my run around the coop and extended another 10' for a total ground run space of 8'x14'. The coop has a slider door and folding ramp into the run. I can open the door from outside the run with paracord and a carabiner. I have a door with latches and locks to get into the run and can fold up the ramp to further secure the birds at night. The wire I used is basically 1"x1" cage wire all around and it is on the roof. The only covered area is the coop where they go under it and inside the coop. This wire is extremely tough and coated in black pvc so it looks great as well. The end that the coop is on I made 2 swing out doors they open from the middle and the coop is then exposed to 5 1/2 foot opening to clean out all the bedding. As well I put in 6" removable kicker boards to keep the wood shavings in when the doors are opened. So much more attention to detail when you custom build yourself. The run you did looks great however I would re enforce the upper edges where the staples hold the wires in place. A determined raccoon can and will rip right into those areas. They are smart and can see the weak spots to get in from any angle (they climb). This is the reason I used 1x1 cage wire and secured it with Metal roofing screws. The screws have a washer with a rubber washer to make the roofing panels not leak water the same washer grabs the wires and holds them in place. I used 2 screws per screw location mostly at the wire intersections so you grab the vertical and horizontal with 1 fastener making it extremely strong. I have 2 Golden Laced Wyandotte, 2 color pack, 2 Sapphire Gem, 1 California White, 1 Copper Dominant these eight girls are all wonderful pets as you now know chickens are just amazing. You do not need a bin for food scraps just throw them into the run on the ground what they don't eat will attract bugs they will eat and it is great for the soil. Good luck this winter with your flock Peace
Hi Deana, Thank you so much for your feedback! We're glad you found our chicken run video helpful. Using hardware cloth is a great option for added security, and we're glad you liked the slanted roof design as well. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our mailing list for more tips and tricks on raising backyard chickens. Here's the link to sign up: bit.ly/FreeWeeklyGardeningTips
I love the barred rocks! Great setup. Honestly I wouldn't even worry about the nesting boxes. I have 16 chickens currently, with 9 boxes, and they only use like 2 of them, lol.
This is a great idea. I've been trying to find an easy chicken coop to build. I plan to get chickens in spring but want a safe place for them to roam around when we're not home. Thank you for sharing.
Careful with that lock!! I locked my self in ! Had to have my wife let me out lol. I could of broke out but would of caused me more money. Nice coop. Mine is similar but I used the poly roof. Hopefully it holds up. In NJ so winters could get ugly fingers crossed. I have 40 degree pitch. I bought 2 ez-coops and built another one. Started with 16 now I got 28. Fox got 3 when I free ranged them so I had 31
Thank you! Please visit the Organic Backyard Gardening website at www.organicbackyardgardening.com for more helpful growing guides and upcoming gardening planning services organicbackyardgardening.com/PlanMyGarden. Don’t forget to please ring the bell (next to subscribe) to get immediate real-time video notifications of new videos!
Does the hardware cloth bother the chickens? Don't they like to scratch and dig normally? You would think they would get frustrated by running into the hardware cloth just a few inches down. (I have never had chickens, so please feel free to correct me if I'm totally wrong).
Really great design. Looks good. I can speak from personal experience that the welded wire will not keep out the skunks and opossums cause they're small enough to fit through but they probably won't mess with the chickens they'll just eat feed and eggs
Thank you for sharing. I have a question about the wood framing on the ground. Is there anything you can put down under the wood to protect it from sitting in the dirt for it's life time? I would think that would be your weak point and would rot faster than the rest of the run design.
Yes you could build a boarder with concrete or pavers so the wood is not contacting the soil. However if it’s pressure treated, it will last a long time.
Hi Cheeky! I actually don't have plans, I built it from pictures online. Please visit the Organic Backyard Gardening website at www.organicbackyardgardening.com for more helpful growing guides and upcoming gardening planning services organicbackyardgardening.com/PlanMyGarden. Don’t forget to please ring the bell (next to subscribe) to get immediate real-time video notifications of new videos!
I'm in the UK, I'm building one very much like this and the run will cost me about £250, so about $300-$330 dollar depending on exchange rate and if you ahve to buy everything. But that's today's rates, not those of kast year.
How has this held up over the years? I really like it and am planning to build something quite similar. How does having wire under the run compare to around the outside (usually about a foot and buried)? You’re the only person who I have seen do this.
@@OrganicBackyardGardening Did you put this together on site or carry in the walls from where you built them? Any guess on how many hours this took? I am curious how many weekend I should expect this to take lol.
I love tbis idea, and plan to use it. Couple questions: the mesh is completely covering the bottom, right? Also, what are your dimensions? Looks to be about 12 to 15 ft long. How high and wide is it?
I did this also for my meat rabbits I hung their cages and rake up the poop several times a week for rain and wind I used tarps and over laped used screw in hooks and bungee cords to keep tarps rolled up till they are needed so rabbits have plenty of ventilation in hot summers using this same method for my meat chickens and a separate one for my laying hens our hawk and possum issues require larger runs to keep predators off our chicks ours can’t free range or it’s like open season where the hawks congregate and just pick off the chickens
I tried buying a couple different prefab chicken coops which were promptly returned... so glad we decided to build our own for half the costs. The 2X3 fencing may be predator proof but is not wild bird proof. What works is taking old used DVD's or CD's and hanging them from the roof. Sparrows don't like them and won't be consuming your bird's food. Plus you will be able to protect your hens from bird flu which is spread by wild birds intermingling with tame birds (through their feces). Although you allow free range so they may be exposed that way as well.I can't free range because there are way too many chicken hawks. I'm building a bigger run and will keep an area separated from the rest and then switch out for a change of scenery. My neighbors lost all their birds because of those varmints. I knew they finally got the rooster because he stopped crowing altogether. He's been the neighborhood alarm clock for at least a couple years. I use the finer mesh for about a foot all along the base of the run as well as the floor because rats etc will eat the eggs as they have no difficulty entering the 2X3 fencing along the sides on the bottom. I also have burrowing critters and raccoons to consider. Some varmints are leaving 2 inch holes all over the wooded area and portions of my front yard. I trust nothing when it comes to my golden girls (buff Orpingtons). I don't think I can predator proof enough. Coyotes have been seen as well as rattlers and copperheads where I live. And then there are cats on the loose from the cat lady's house down the street and the next door neighbors 2 big feisty dogs. I was talking to a policeman about how the neighbor loses control over their animals and they are destructive. He told me the area I live will allow me to shoot them, but not the cats. The dogs are just giant fun loving puppies that don't know their own strength, I'd rather shoot the cats. Oh well we can't have it all.
This is wonderful and we are planning our own design whilst taking cues from yours! I have questions about the base, though? I saw you did NOT bury the posts or the wire walls. How do you keep predators from digging up and coming in from the bottom edges? We live in MI and likely have similar predator types as you have there. Any tips you can give are appreciated as we would surely love to NOT dig posts but still want it to be predator-proof
No I unfortunately don’t. I just kinda eye balled it based on a picture I saw online and drew some plans on a piece of paper. I would recommend building more of a over hang time keep the snow and water out.
Your chicken run is really beautiful and airy, and fairly large, and it is built very sturdy, and you have a nice setup inside. However, it looks like you have used wire rabbit or deer fencing, or something similar, which is not predator proof at all. Most predators willing go right through that. It should be covered with 1/2" or 1/4" hardware cloth wire mesh, to keep your chickens safe. It would be very sad to build such a lovely run, only to have your chickens killed. Otherwise, a great run!
This is the one edit I would make to this design, otherwise I really like it. There are definitely weasels/ermine in NH (I'm next door in VT). They aren't as frequently occurring as other predators like foxes, but are totally catastrophic when they do make an appearance. They fit through openings as small as a quarter, and they will come during the day or night. I'm looking to create an outdoor run in a design similar to this but it needs to be weasel-proof - so swapping out for 1/2" hardware cloth will probably do the trick.
We have had raccoons reach through and pull the chickens through part by part - not pleasant thought. So I also recommend 1/2" mesh. Building a large one and really like yours - will definitely steal some ideas.
@OrganicBackyardGardening I came out to a mink slaughtering my flock.. since I haven't lost nothing since.. I got my lady's in for knox.. 5 years strong not 1 predator win
If you have chickens, what water feeder do you use in the winter to prevent freezing? Can you share what you have had success with? This item looks like it has great reviews - amzn.to/35PrG4e (amazon affiliate link)
We haven't had any problems yet and this has been up for a year now. We do have skunks. Please visit the Organic Backyard Gardening website at www.organicbackyardgardening.com for more helpful growing guides and upcoming gardening planning services organicbackyardgardening.com/PlanMyGarden. Don’t forget to please ring the bell (next to subscribe) to get immediate real-time video notifications of new videos!
@@SirPhilMcCrackinVonBeggingtonJesus is King! Repent of your sins and Believe in Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour. “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life!” (John 5:24)
@@SirPhilMcCrackinVonBeggingtonno one asked you to comment either. It’s out of complete love anyway. Love is not love, Jesus is love and you’re bothered by that. You don’t have a problem with Christians you have a problem with your own demons. He loves you more than you love yourself. Talk to Jesus about it.
I just started out with chickens this spring as well. I went round and round about a coop to buy or build until I finally just built one and I am so glad I did. I spent just $500 on a 4'x8' raised 18" off the ground. Metal roofing and a sliding glass window. I even installed vinyl flooring to keep the wood floor dry. I ran my run around the coop and extended another 10' for a total ground run space of 8'x14'. The coop has a slider door and folding ramp into the run. I can open the door from outside the run with paracord and a carabiner. I have a door with latches and locks to get into the run and can fold up the ramp to further secure the birds at night. The wire I used is basically 1"x1" cage wire all around and it is on the roof. The only covered area is the coop where they go under it and inside the coop. This wire is extremely tough and coated in black pvc so it looks great as well. The end that the coop is on I made 2 swing out doors they open from the middle and the coop is then exposed to 5 1/2 foot opening to clean out all the bedding. As well I put in 6" removable kicker boards to keep the wood shavings in when the doors are opened. So much more attention to detail when you custom build yourself. The run you did looks great however I would re enforce the upper edges where the staples hold the wires in place. A determined raccoon can and will rip right into those areas. They are smart and can see the weak spots to get in from any angle (they climb). This is the reason I used 1x1 cage wire and secured it with Metal roofing screws. The screws have a washer with a rubber washer to make the roofing panels not leak water the same washer grabs the wires and holds them in place. I used 2 screws per screw location mostly at the wire intersections so you grab the vertical and horizontal with 1 fastener making it extremely strong.
I have 2 Golden Laced Wyandotte, 2 color pack, 2 Sapphire Gem, 1 California White, 1 Copper Dominant these eight girls are all wonderful pets as you now know chickens are just amazing. You do not need a bin for food scraps just throw them into the run on the ground what they don't eat will attract bugs they will eat and it is great for the soil. Good luck this winter with your flock
Peace
Wow! Thanks for the tips - Sounds like you have a very good set up! I would love to see photos of your coop!
I wish you could build me a coop
@@lindaschillinger5901 Me too :)
Those are some happy healthy safe chickens. Sending this to my husband, who's worried about getting chickens due to the coyotes in our area. Thanks!
Awesome! :)
Great idea to sandwich the wiring. I plan on using hardware cloth. I like the slanted roof as well. Nicely done!
Hi Deana, Thank you so much for your feedback! We're glad you found our chicken run video helpful. Using hardware cloth is a great option for added security, and we're glad you liked the slanted roof design as well. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our mailing list for more tips and tricks on raising backyard chickens. Here's the link to sign up: bit.ly/FreeWeeklyGardeningTips
I love the barred rocks! Great setup. Honestly I wouldn't even worry about the nesting boxes. I have 16 chickens currently, with 9 boxes, and they only use like 2 of them, lol.
Hi Bill! Thanks for watching! That is what I found too - they all seem to like the same one! :)
mine have like 5 and yet still prefer a 5 gallon bucket (had dirt in it, was a plant)
That's the exact design that I like and want to build (I have the same new coop too), what are the outside measurements of this run?
This is a great idea. I've been trying to find an easy chicken coop to build. I plan to get chickens in spring but want a safe place for them to roam around when we're not home. Thank you for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Careful with that lock!! I locked my self in ! Had to have my wife let me out lol. I could of broke out but would of caused me more money. Nice coop. Mine is similar but I used the poly roof. Hopefully it holds up. In NJ so winters could get ugly fingers crossed. I have 40 degree pitch. I bought 2 ez-coops and built another one. Started with 16 now I got 28. Fox got 3 when I free ranged them so I had 31
Very nice job.
Beautiful coop and well made !
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This is a great coop! Thank you for sharing how you made it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
It looks beautiful.
Thanks Lauri!
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Nice job.
Pretty chickens.
Thank you!
Please visit the Organic Backyard Gardening website at www.organicbackyardgardening.com for more helpful growing guides and upcoming gardening planning services organicbackyardgardening.com/PlanMyGarden. Don’t forget to please ring the bell (next to subscribe) to get immediate real-time video notifications of new videos!
Good video.
Thank you!
Turn the perch flat. The 2x4 better for their feet. Beautiful run.
Your right. I’ve been wanting to do that.
Good job!
Thanks for the vid. Will be modeling my Chicken run using your tips and design.
Glad to help
Love your coop! Great job. How tall is the roof on each side?
1/2" Hardware cloth won't stop Weasels coming in on the sides.
Busy busy lil ladies! Lol
🐓🏃♀️💨 They sure are! They keep me on my toes, but it's all worth it for those fresh eggs. Thanks for watching!
A helpful video, thank you. Just wondering if you could pick up and move the whole coop?
No
Whats the dementions??
12' 6" long, 8' wide, front height is about 6' 10", back about 5'
Hi @organicbackyardgardenkng how often do you clean the run itself? Do you have any material (straw or hay) I. The run itself?
No just gravel, then sand/dirt - we don’t clean it droppings get turned into dust. They have hemp in the coop.
Looking for a kind of chicken fence
Starting chicken free range😍thank u for sharing ideas in poutry farming 🌹
Best of luck! :)
I want some chickens sooo bad!
@OrganicBackyardGardening - I'd like to build this exact run. Could you share with me the height of the posts on either end of the roof angle? Thanks!
what do you do for them in the winter months?
Their water container plugs in and keeps it from freezing. They do okay in the coop without any heat. The breeds we have are cold hardy.
Does the hardware cloth bother the chickens? Don't they like to scratch and dig normally? You would think they would get frustrated by running into the hardware cloth just a few inches down. (I have never had chickens, so please feel free to correct me if I'm totally wrong).
I have gravel over the hardware cloth followed by sand so they never get down to the hardware cloth
Very nice.
Great run! Do you get snow, if so how has the roof managed in the snow?
No problem with snow on the roof. We wrap the run with plastic so snow doesn’t blow in during the winter.
Awesome! What part of the US are you in? Just curious. Thanks@@OrganicBackyardGardening
@@AmandaTorabiyes NH
Really great design. Looks good. I can speak from personal experience that the welded wire will not keep out the skunks and opossums cause they're small enough to fit through but they probably won't mess with the chickens they'll just eat feed and eggs
Skunks will kill chickens and eat them
I love this run! Did you have to bury the posts? I don't want to dig and use concrete. Will it be ok if I don't bury them? Thank you!
Hi Susan - Nope, I just set them on the ground.
Thank you for sharing. I have a question about the wood framing on the ground. Is there anything you can put down under the wood to protect it from sitting in the dirt for it's life time?
I would think that would be your weak point and would rot faster than the rest of the run design.
Yes you could build a boarder with concrete or pavers so the wood is not contacting the soil. However if it’s pressure treated, it will last a long time.
Pressure treated is definitely not organic
Hello : ) Great video - how do I access the plans? Thanks
Hi Cheeky! I actually don't have plans, I built it from pictures online.
Please visit the Organic Backyard Gardening website at www.organicbackyardgardening.com for more helpful growing guides and upcoming gardening planning services organicbackyardgardening.com/PlanMyGarden. Don’t forget to please ring the bell (next to subscribe) to get immediate real-time video notifications of new videos!
I would like a materials list and plans.
Sorry I don't have the plans - I kinda just eyeballed it off some pictures online.
What were the dimensions on the run?
Do you recall about how much it cost you to build this run?
I'm in the UK, I'm building one very much like this and the run will cost me about £250, so about $300-$330 dollar depending on exchange rate and if you ahve to buy everything. But that's today's rates, not those of kast year.
How has this held up over the years? I really like it and am planning to build something quite similar. How does having wire under the run compare to around the outside (usually about a foot and buried)? You’re the only person who I have seen do this.
It’s held up well! Bot options are probably fine! I just decided to take this approach!
@@OrganicBackyardGardening Did you put this together on site or carry in the walls from where you built them? Any guess on how many hours this took? I am curious how many weekend I should expect this to take lol.
I love tbis idea, and plan to use it. Couple questions: the mesh is completely covering the bottom, right? Also, what are your dimensions? Looks to be about 12 to 15 ft long. How high and wide is it?
yes, mesh is covering the whole bottom. 12' 6" long, 8' wide, front height is about 6' 10", back about 5'
The hen that is shown first, what Breed is she?
Sex links. I have a couple. They don't all end up with that pattern
I did this also for my meat rabbits I hung their cages and rake up the poop several times a week for rain and wind I used tarps and over laped used screw in hooks and bungee cords to keep tarps rolled up till they are needed so rabbits have plenty of ventilation in hot summers using this same method for my meat chickens and a separate one for my laying hens our hawk and possum issues require larger runs to keep predators off our chicks ours can’t free range or it’s like open season where the hawks congregate and just pick off the chickens
Those hawks are relentless!
Chickens share nesting boxes so three is plenty for up to a dozen.
That is great to know! Thanks! 😊
My friend has more than twelve and they share the same two boxes or run off to hatch babies haha
3 nesting boxes are fine for 6 chickens
Yes you are right!
I tried buying a couple different prefab chicken coops which were promptly returned... so glad we decided to build our own for half the costs. The 2X3 fencing may be predator proof but is not wild bird proof. What works is taking old used DVD's or CD's and hanging them from the roof. Sparrows don't like them and won't be consuming your bird's food. Plus you will be able to protect your hens from bird flu which is spread by wild birds intermingling with tame birds (through their feces). Although you allow free range so they may be exposed that way as well.I can't free range because there are way too many chicken hawks. I'm building a bigger run and will keep an area separated from the rest and then switch out for a change of scenery. My neighbors lost all their birds because of those varmints. I knew they finally got the rooster because he stopped crowing altogether. He's been the neighborhood alarm clock for at least a couple years. I use the finer mesh for about a foot all along the base of the run as well as the floor because rats etc will eat the eggs as they have no difficulty entering the 2X3 fencing along the sides on the bottom. I also have burrowing critters and raccoons to consider. Some varmints are leaving 2 inch holes all over the wooded area and portions of my front yard. I trust nothing when it comes to my golden girls (buff Orpingtons). I don't think I can predator proof enough. Coyotes have been seen as well as rattlers and copperheads where I live. And then there are cats on the loose from the cat lady's house down the street and the next door neighbors 2 big feisty dogs. I was talking to a policeman about how the neighbor loses control over their animals and they are destructive. He told me the area I live will allow me to shoot them, but not the cats. The dogs are just giant fun loving puppies that don't know their own strength, I'd rather shoot the cats. Oh well we can't have it all.
This is wonderful and we are planning our own design whilst taking cues from yours! I have questions about the base, though? I saw you did NOT bury the posts or the wire walls. How do you keep predators from digging up and coming in from the bottom edges? We live in MI and likely have similar predator types as you have there. Any tips you can give are appreciated as we would surely love to NOT dig posts but still want it to be predator-proof
Thanks for the comment! I fastened hardware wire to the whole bottom of the floor. Then covered with crush stone and sand.
How much did this approximately cost?
I’m not sure. I’d say maybe $1000?
Hi, would it make a difference to have the coop within this structure rather than on the outside?
There would be less room for the chickens roam.
How do you keep out wild birds or rodents without using hardware cloth all the way up the walls of the run?
Hi! Small rodents and bird could come though, however - we haven't had any issues or have them cause problems so far. Cheers, Tim
Do you have step by step plans with material list? Really want to build!
No I unfortunately don’t. I just kinda eye balled it based on a picture I saw online and drew some plans on a piece of paper. I would recommend building more of a over hang time keep the snow and water out.
Your chicken run is really beautiful and airy, and fairly large, and it is built very sturdy, and you have a nice setup inside.
However, it looks like you have used wire rabbit or deer fencing, or something similar, which is not predator proof at all. Most predators willing go right through that. It should be covered with 1/2" or 1/4" hardware cloth wire mesh, to keep your chickens safe. It would be very sad to build such a lovely run, only to have your chickens killed.
Otherwise, a great run!
Haven’t have any problems here so far! I can’t think of any predators in my area that would fit in those small holes.
This is the one edit I would make to this design, otherwise I really like it. There are definitely weasels/ermine in NH (I'm next door in VT). They aren't as frequently occurring as other predators like foxes, but are totally catastrophic when they do make an appearance. They fit through openings as small as a quarter, and they will come during the day or night. I'm looking to create an outdoor run in a design similar to this but it needs to be weasel-proof - so swapping out for 1/2" hardware cloth will probably do the trick.
We have had raccoons reach through and pull the chickens through part by part - not pleasant thought. So I also recommend 1/2" mesh. Building a large one and really like yours - will definitely steal some ideas.
Minks laughing at this run.. you need to get that fine mesh on lower end of the walls
Yes, I actually did that. Bobcats were able to get their paws though and grab some chickens. I added a smaller fencing on the bottom half.
@OrganicBackyardGardening I came out to a mink slaughtering my flock.. since I haven't lost nothing since.. I got my lady's in for knox.. 5 years strong not 1 predator win
Raccoons can reach right in there.
That’s not where they sleep.
The holes in that wire are way too big and predators will squeeze right through it
Here in NH we haven't had any issues yet over the past year - but elsewhere there may be other predators to be mindful of...
Frank frrignieo .
If you have chickens, what water feeder do you use in the winter to prevent freezing? Can you share what you have had success with? This item looks like it has great reviews - amzn.to/35PrG4e (amazon affiliate link)
I bought a set of smaller water dispensers and just put warm water out more frequently in the winter
Live in Florida. Winter isn’t a problem. Lol. But, I feel for you.
Skunks will fit right through that wire
We haven't had any problems yet and this has been up for a year now. We do have skunks.
Please visit the Organic Backyard Gardening website at www.organicbackyardgardening.com for more helpful growing guides and upcoming gardening planning services organicbackyardgardening.com/PlanMyGarden. Don’t forget to please ring the bell (next to subscribe) to get immediate real-time video notifications of new videos!
What is the rock bed for? Can I just skip the rocks and then do the bottom with hardware cloth to prevent the digging up?
Rocks were just for drainage so they are not sitting in muck if it rains heavy.
JESUS IS KING
👑
JESUS IS KING
👑
Literally no one asked.
@@SirPhilMcCrackinVonBeggingtonJesus is King! Repent of your sins and Believe in Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour. “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life!” (John 5:24)
@@SirPhilMcCrackinVonBeggingtonno one asked you to comment either. It’s out of complete love anyway. Love is not love, Jesus is love and you’re bothered by that. You don’t have a problem with Christians you have a problem with your own demons. He loves you more than you love yourself. Talk to Jesus about it.
@serenarodriguez9803 I tried talking to Jesus about it and all he would say is "no hablo english".