Suburban Ohio 6x8 Scratch Coop

[ashorter]

TalkALittle, thanks for the input. I will have to price it out. It may be the route I go.

 

[rides2far]

Ashorter, we used gopher wire for our run, & it has worked out well so far. It isn't predator proof, so the chickens do have to be locked in the coop at night. Right now we are manually closing it, but after we've saved some $ we will probably purchase an automatic door if we're gone in the evening. My chickens put themselves to bed before 8:00 pm, so this should work. Like I say, the gopher wire has been great so far. Our backyard is very secure & we have 3 large dogs patrolling the yard.

 

[rides2far]

Oops, forgot to say how nice the coop is. Love your storage area.

 

[ashorter]

Rides2far if you can please place a picture of the gopher wire. Looking at all my options, even if I already have chicken wire. Thanks for the compliments. I am liking the storage too. Wife says I have to much stuff, so this should help me clean some of it out. Have a 10x12 shed to clean out and tear down. The walls are all rotten and only thing it has in it are rodents and junk. Using the roof over my smoker snd grilling area as that is still solid.

 

[rides2far]

Gopher wire looks just like chicken wire, but is only 3/4 of an inch wide. It prevents even small birds from getting in. We got it at a farm supply store. We're in California. It was very inexpensive. We built a very secure coop, figured the run could be less secure since it's for day use only, plus the expense of hardware cloth to completely cover the run was just too much. I'll take a pic of the wire tomorrow.

 

[aart]

I used 2x4 welded wire for my run walls, roof and a 12-18" apron on the outside, main concern was hawks.....
.......wouldn't trust it for night time protection, but should slow any daytime preds way down and I'm usually around.

I didn't put smaller wire at the bottom, they can reach out and keep the grass trimmed away from the walls.....
......which could be risky but most the run is inside another fence, but is nice not the have to mow there.

 

[ashorter]

I am starting to lean towards the 2x4 fence. I really like how your run looks. The stakes and conduit make for a nice fence support. May have to do that when I section garden off in the fall.

 

[aart]

I am starting to lean towards the 2x4 fence. I really like how your run looks. The stakes and conduit make for a nice fence support. May have to do that when I section garden off in the fall.

Limit is 8' wide, unless you want to couple conduit...or can get longer than 10' lengths.

 

[ashorter]

I would probably do the 8 foot sections. Divide garden into 4. I would use light fence on that cause they would only be out there when I'm home.

 

[rides2far]

Here are a couple of pictures of run. Gopher wire is about the size of a quarter. It is not predator proof.