Well, the chicken run and coop have been a bit of a labour of Heracles. I completed the bottom part of the run early in the month (welded square tubing between the uprights, painted it to make it a bit more rust resistant and finally attached the steel panelling).
Next, the chicken wire went around the run. This was a pretty easy job. I simply drilled through the upright posts and ran 5mm white wire cross supports around the run. The chicken wire was then hung from the cross supporting white wire and then fixed in place between the steel panelling and the steel tube to make it strong and secure.
My lovely wife bought a 20 x 5 m nylon bird net and set about making it into a 10 x 10 m net (lots of hand stitching and then by running a nylon cord to bind the two halves together). The bird net will be secured over the top of the chicken run and will be supported clipping it to more 5mm white wire supporting lines. We get lots of hawks and eagles in our little valley and I’m not terribly interested in feeding them my flock!
The coop has been constructed from recycled hardwood framing timber and 12mm exterior plywood. This has been a bit of a slog too as I’ve been suffering from injuries and various agues lately. Building and manhandling the panels have proven to be a bit of an overextension. I’d recommend getting at least one other friend to help you.
The panels for the coop were made outside of the chicken run and then carried inside. This is because there is much more room outside the chicken run to be operating the power tools and because the doorway into the chicken run is too narrow to carry the completed coop in (I’m glad I thought of that beforehand!).
Anyway, the upshot is that, the chicken run and coop should be ready for the foul inmates by the weekend of the 21st of November. This (happily) coincides with the current clutch of chicks moving out of the brooder in time for the next (and final clutch for this season) of chicks to move in.
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