[bashful_badger]

OK, I am now thinking I might make my own run, found a website called mesh direct that has loads of different meshs and staple guns, staples etc.  I added what I think I needed to make a 12ft by 6ft run and it was about £130.

Can I just check, weldmesh, I have been told 16guage or above is fox proof, not 19g is that right?  Also is 25mm holes ok?  I thought at 50mm they might poke their heads out!!!  Also if I can screw one side to the garage I would need even less than that, obviously garage is fox proof :o)

Also, if I were to buy wood what can I treat it with that'd be safe for my chookies?  Just been trying to read and have quick look, and there is tanalith which says it contains arsenic which is alarming or protim which doesn't actually say what that is at all  Or just plain pressure treated and I treat it myself.

Not sure what I'd put on the roof, would like wood but might be too expensive.  We have a bench saw thing we can borrow so cutting it would be easy.  Does angles too.

How hard can it be to build a big box with a door??

[Flowerpower136]

We made our own, and whilst it wasn't technically difficult, it was hard work and with the coop, took the 2 of us about a fortnight (but it was that really hot fortnight, so prob could have done it quicker in cooler weather).

We used tanelised wood - will rot away too quick if not, and weldmesh, can't remember gauge, think it was 19?, it was 1mm diameter anyway.  1" x 1/2" from Hills of Devon, cheapest we could find, and v quick delivery. Would recommend.

No need for staple guns, just a bag of galvanised staples from B&Q and a couple of hammers.  Need a good wire cutter though.

Ours is build onto the back of an existing structure (big potting shed), and we put on a mesh roof, which I had some doubts about, but am perfectly happy with.  Alternative would have been corregated plastic.  Wood would block out a lot of light?

Make sure you bury a good depth of mesh down below ground level - to deter fox digging in, and in our case, chickens digging out

Note that gate is stable door stylee, and thank god for that.  They've learned about their afternoon treat, so it's useful to be able to open the top and chuck it in.  Glad we did that.  We have a very fierce, chicken hating dog, so getting in, without them getting out, is v. v. important.

Also useful for visitors to stand and have an unobstructed view (those that don't want to actually go in).  The girls have had a huge number of visitors   All to see them, and not me.



Here's ours

[lightyears]

another thumbs up for hills of devon, ive not quite finished my pen but im just a step away. beware when you cut the wire though, it cut my arms and hands to shreds!My mum thought i had been self harming  :blink:

[Flowerpower136]

another thumbs up for hills of devon, ive not quite finished my pen but im just a step away. beware when you cut the wire though, it cut my arms and hands to shreds!My mum thought i had been self harming  :blink:

I agree, it's lethal.  I found it best to stand on it whilst cutting ) on the lawn, so it can't bounce back and take your eye out.

[death of rats]

When cutting wire mesh buy a set of welding gauntlets, buy cheap ones, they cover the arms and hands otherwise you get cut to shreds. A cheap pair of tinsnips are also essential for cutting more than the one strand otherwise it takes all day.
Tanelised timber is the best to get but paint it also with a wood paint for fences.
How big do you want to build it? why not make it in sections so that you can plan it and put it together more easily. My sections were 9 feet long by 4 foot 6 high.
Roof is ply with felt over the top. Keeps out the rain but they have the run of the fenced off part of the garden, In the poor weather they can choose to stay in the run part of the coop and have 9 foot by 3 foot to scrat around in.

Wire was fixed with a staple gun and 13 mm staples but the wire staples from B and Q are equally good if you are mindful of the fact they will split wood if used near the ends.

Remember the old adage if you are using a power saw though, Always use a push stick and keep your fingers behind the blades direction of cut.


This is a photo of the coop and run which took a weekend to construct but a day to draw and plan. It has a large entrance at the side to allow human entry and a further 1 meter section to the right of the doors. The cate at teh end of the coop leads in to the outside run and that gate is a 3 foot square gate to give yo an idea of the size of the run.

As to dog security this photo says it all.Dont know what the silkies are plotting there though.

Good luck with the project.

[skywatcher]

I bought weldmesh from our local chicken dealer for £2.50 per metre and it is probably 3ft in width and some normal chicken wire which is probably 5ft wide for higher up.

I didn't build panels, just used 8ft poles (£4.50 each) banged into the ground with the wire stapled to the outside. I used an electric staplegun which I bought for a few quid and joined the overlapping wire with good quality electrical ties. It certainly doesn't look as good as the photos above but it is functional.

[karlooben]

have a look on ebay as well u can get some very good deals on wire mesh ,.if you looking for wood like 2'2s then go to your local builder merchants you may get loads for free if its slighty bowed they cant sell it and it gets thrown away they may let you have it for free.

[lightyears]

I bought weldmesh from our local chicken dealer for £2.50 per metre and it is probably 3ft in width and some normal chicken wire which is probably 5ft wide for higher up.

I didn't build panels, just used 8ft poles (£4.50 each) banged into the ground with the wire stapled to the outside. I used an electric staplegun which I bought for a few quid and joined the overlapping wire with good quality electrical ties. It certainly doesn't look as good as the photos above but it is functional.

i took a very simular way to this, got 10x10ft posts from our local junk yard garden centre, think they were £1 each, dug them in 2 foot, dug a trench righht around, buried the wire with a skirt effect, the layed slabs 3 deep round the perimeter and am soon gonna plant some lavender as to keep the smell down plus to root right into it all.Mine does not look flash, but it serves the purpose very well.

[bashful_badger]

Excellent tips there thanks for all that, hadn't thought of chicken wire higher up but makes good sense!  Foxes can't jump and chew at same time :o)

Also stable door is excellent idea, not sure my 3 year old is gonna like them at start so she may well feel safer peering over the top, she hates cockerels and the noise they make!  Freaks her out bless her cotton socks.

That hills of devon is about half price of place I was looking at too which is great.  Our local chicken shop feed place does wire too so will check there first I think.  Might even have a go myself if hubby refuses to do it!!

Why do the BQ staples split the wood?  Sorry if I'm sounding incredibly dim here!!!

I was thinking I'd just make 3foot by 6foot panels then screw them all together?  Seems easier than trying to do all variable length stuff.  And guantlet things are on my list.

Lovely pictures everyone by way!

Now, just to convince hubby that he is a carpenter in the making :o)  Mind he always says I have more belief that he can do things than he does, he managed to remove a door in a already decorated hall and fill it and you'd never know it was there, think he only objected because it was the only room in the house he'd actually done and I suggested tearing a door frame out shortly after it was finished lol.

[Ice]

I made mine in sections and screwed them together.  I bought wire off ebay and it was very cheap.  I originally bought B&Q staples thinking it a good way to save money.  After trying to hammer in a few and having them fly off in all directions I bought a staple gun, job done in minutes.   Since I took the photo I have added a tarpaulin roof.

[GrannieAnnie]

Another thumbs up for Hills of Devon here too.  Our 30m of 3ft 1" x .5" weldmesh was £42.50 with P&P & VAT works out at 1.42 per metre.

Sorry about mix of metric and imperial!!!

[Ice]

Think that's where I got mine from GA, it was the same price as you said and was delivered promptly.

[GrannieAnnie]

Yes they are very quick with delivery too aren't they Ice? 

[bashful_badger]

I made mine in sections and screwed them together.  I bought wire off ebay and it was very cheap.  I originally bought B&Q staples thinking it a good way to save money.  After trying to hammer in a few and having them fly off in all directions I bought a staple gun, job done in minutes.   Since I took the photo I have added a tarpaulin roof.

Very nice!  OK I am now convinced that it's possible to do this, after seeing everyones pics!

Will I need to attach it into the ground or can it just sit on top?

Do your chickens come out ice?  I see you have lovely lilies growing.

[GrannieAnnie]

My Brian made this little run out of the weldmesh already mentioned and tile battens.  they are for the growing chicks and each panel is 3ft high which is what the wire is and 6ft long.  Screwed together, so run can be made as large or small as required.

Over the top now, just to stop the chicks from going AWOL, I stretched some of the Wilko's black netting.