[Pony Girl]

We’re hoping to be moving house soon to a place with a bigger garden for the chickens – hooray!!

Dad has been roped in to create a permanent run with a covered roof. Can anyone recommend where to buy materials from – specifically fox proof wire mesh; and the clear corrugated roofing stuff?

Thanks

[joyfull]

Hills of Devon do a good price on rolls of welded wire mesh and most builders merchants will be able to get coroline or onduline sheets for you (both the same but by different manufacturers) failing that B&Q also sell the sheets.

[nerdle]

A agree that builders merchants are good.  An ironmonger should know where to get weldmesh sheets directly so cheaper still.   I opted to use the pvc coated stuff as its virtually invisible and easier to look at in the garden - go that online - Amazon I think.

[ANHBUC]

We got our wire from here www.4wire.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=3_57

the 13mm x 13mm x 30m for £54.56 with free delivery.  BARGAIN

Have shopped around for the Coroline sheets and B & Q are best when they have an offer on of 20% discount on 5 or more sheets.

Our timber framing was from JT Dove Builders Merchants pressure treated 50mm x 50mm (it came dressed at 45mm x 45mm) in 4.2m lengths.

Decking screws and staples from Screwfix.

If you have a B & M store near you their door bolts and catches are more reasonable than B & Q.  www.bmstores.co.uk/   

[grinling]

Are you sure you want it clear as the sun will raise the temp inside the run and not offer shade. I have a metal roof, came with the chooks, but use polysheeting around the sides to protect from wind and rain.  also have an open run next to the covered run.

[Pony Girl]

Oh, I hadn't thought of that! So metal is better then?

[kegs]

Hills of Devon do a good price on rolls of welded wire mesh.

I can second Hills of Devon.  (Sorry ANHBC but the same item on Hills works out at £13 cheaper.)

We just bought a 30m roll of item A15 on this link http://www.hillsofdevon.co.uk/aviary-mesh.html which cost £40 TOTAL incl vat AND delivery (and arrived within 2 days!).  It's an excellent quality mesh, very solid and far superior to the more expensive, smaller rolls we previously bought at B&Q which were, frankly, rubbish.

[ANHBUC]

Hills of Devon do a good price on rolls of welded wire mesh.

I can second Hills of Devon.  (Sorry ANHBC but the same item on Hills works out at £13 cheaper.)

We just bought a 30m roll of item A15 on this link http://www.hillsofdevon.co.uk/aviary-mesh.html which cost £40 TOTAL incl vat AND delivery (and arrived within 2 days!).  It's an excellent quality mesh, very solid and far superior to the more expensive, smaller rolls we previously bought at B&Q which were, frankly, rubbish.

When I was going to order mine Hills were charging for delivery and were always OUT OF STOCK.  It is always good to have a couple of options.  I ordered some Coroline items off Ebay only to be told they didn't have any in stock.  I did get a refund but they are still advertising the same items.    

[splash101]

for our quail house i used hills for the mesh and the clear corrugated roofing panels. the mesh sides are open so i dont believe it gets to hot in there and we have a wisteria covering one side for shade.

In those days where we have boiling hot weather  and yes, im sure we will have one of those days soon, i put up some temporary shading of debris netting to cover the other end.
We also have a few aviary birds in there which why we have done it the way we have

The quails have little huts to go in if the wet wheather blows in, although they dont seem to mind it. I jetwashed it last weekend and they all came queing up to run through it.....it nearly blasted them to the other side of the run but they came back for more.

At some point in the near future (i keep telling hubby) we will be building a large walk in run just for the chooks. That will require a bit more planning though. although we will be wiring the roof, im not sure if the plastic corrugated sheets will be strong enough for where it will be located next to fence. i.e. fox jumps on fence, a hop step and jump to the roof of run!

[mr.mellow]

Try look here www.meshdirect.co.uk  

[ANHBUC]

for our quail house i used hills for the mesh and the clear corrugated roofing panels. the mesh sides are open so i dont believe it gets to hot in there and we have a wisteria covering one side for shade.

In those days where we have boiling hot weather  and yes, im sure we will have one of those days soon, i put up some temporary shading of debris netting to cover the other end.
We also have a few aviary birds in there which why we have done it the way we have

The quails have little huts to go in if the wet wheather blows in, although they dont seem to mind it. I jetwashed it last weekend and they all came queing up to run through it.....it nearly blasted them to the other side of the run but they came back for more.

At some point in the near future (i keep telling hubby) we will be building a large walk in run just for the chooks. That will require a bit more planning though. although we will be wiring the roof, im not sure if the plastic corrugated sheets will be strong enough for where it will be located next to fence. i.e. fox jumps on fence, a hop step and jump to the roof of run!

We haven't started on our new quail accommodation yet so would be interested in seeing pictures of your setup splash101.   

[grinling]

Wouldn't make a difference for wind/rain, but clear will get dirty and our one gives a permanent shady area. I also have the roof slanted a bit and a gutter at the end for a water butt. Poly sheeting keeps the wind and rain out of area; the chooks are only in there at night or if it snows.
Wendy's chook house was a wooden frame wih wire dug into the ground with polysheeting also dug into ground. She had perches and nest boxes inside as well as a large grassed area outside. Food and water kept inside in covered area.