A project to build the fence and netting roof of an outdoor run for the new chicken coop.
This is a summary of the project, with links to the individual blog posts about it.
July 2017
The chicken run was constructed shortly after the chicken coop was completed, while the chicks were living in it, but too young to go outside.
The project started, unsurprisingly, with a run to Home Depot to get materials (click the link to see the original blog post):
August 2017
I used my earth auger to dig holes for the posts, then started framing the fencing:
I did more fencing:
Traditionally access holes in fences are filled with gates, so I made some; a single gate for normal access, plus a double gate for maintenance access:
Once the framing was done, I started attaching the welded wire fencing:
With the fencing in place, the chickens could go outside:
September 2017
I made a grazing frame for the run, which is a low box covered with hardware cloth, for grass to grow without being dug up by chickens:
October 2017
I also added some roosts to the run:
To prevent predator birds from attacking the chickens, I wanted a covered run. Not sure I would bother with that again, but it seemed a good idea at the time. So I added extra poles and beams to support a netting roof:
The run was basically complete at that point.
November 2017
Later I did some repairs to the grazing box:
February 2018
The netting tends to rip when it is laden with snow:
May 2020
I replaced the netting roof with knotted rope netting:
