When we first got our chickens 18 months ago I ordered a very sweet little hen coop and attached run.
I’d checked the details, and ordered a pretty wooden coop big enough for 6 birds although we were only getting 4. (This is standard procedure, the number of hens is based on minimum welfare standards so always go as big as you can afford, it’s better for the birds).
I ordered the extended run with the coop, as I knew that I wouldn’t be happy with the birds free ranging unless I was there (we have foxes and other predators locally to us), so the run needed to be large enough for them to roam in comfortably for a few hours every day.
When the coop and run arrives I was horrified by how little space they appeared to have and the fact that half the run had no shelter at all, (this was entirely my fault for not checking the dimensions and assuming that a double sized run would be sufficient). Luckily my husband is handy and spend the first week tripling the size of the run and adding a perspex roof. His handiwork can be seen on the photo below, the left hand side of the run was all his own work.
Underneath the wood chippings is a foot wide skirt of welded mesh all around the perimeter of the run to stop predators from digging under the edges.
This worked for a year or so, until we got red mite in the wooden coop (which can be kept at bay with constant vigilance but are more difficult to manage in a wooden coop than a plastic one). At the same time we increased the flock size by one (replacing our sadly deceased Chickpea with Sweetpea and Queenie) and the new girls were being bullied by the older girls (Gloria specifically) so we needed more space.
Additionally cleaning out a run that you can’t walk into it difficult and messy (particularly on the knees).
Never one to let the grass grow (which is handy with chickens, as quite frankly neither to they), I ordered the prettiest plastic coop I could find, (serious gap in the market for these, the one I selected is the Greenfrog Design Chicken Wagon which looks like a mini gypsy caravan), and we set about designing a chicken and human friendly run for it to go in.
I wanted it to be as large as possible, entirely predator proof, with enough room for me to walk into for ease of cleaning. It also had to be interesting for the girls (chickens are much cleverer than I thought) and give the new girls hiding spaces.
We cleared a space on the land approx. 3m x 10m for the run, a bit further away from the lane. It looked completely flat, but apparently it wasn’t (Creative Husband owns a spirit level). It took 3 days of earth moving to level the area. All good cardio work!
Then we blocked out the base with treated wood and stapled a welded mesh skirt all around the perimeter, again to deter predators. We left a couple of tree stumps in the area to put branches between so the girls can perch on them.
We selected a heavy duty fine welded mesh to protect against badgers (which can rip through chicken wire) and stoats (which can get through larger mesh) as well as foxes.
We built the panels for the front sides and back using wood and the same welded mesh stapling the mesh to the frames. For the roof panels we used finer and larger mesh as this will have a corrugated plastic roof over the top of it so doesn’t need to be as secure.
The double doors are large enough for me to wheel out the coop should I need to, and the height is perfect for my 5’6″ self to walk into.
Assembly wasn’t that easy, we worked tirelessly for 3 full days, and it was definitely a learning experience. Particularly triple checking the measurements as you go so you don’t end up strong arming the final roof panel on (yes, we did).
Once the plastic roof panels were attached the real fun started, adding things to keep the girls active and interested. Having watched them play for over a year I knew that tree stumps to jump on are great fun, as is roosting on branches. But I also asked online groups who had some great ideas.
So we included mirrors, ladders, a mezzanine level, dust bath and hanging food. It took the girls a few days of adjustment (particularly the new coop) but in the end they seem to love it!
Chicken Nuggets 