building a chicken run/bird aviry

blushingbride_3

Hi there,

I'd like to build my chucks a nice covered run which i can walk in to help keep it clean etc & then they will live in there rather than free ranging so much as they have trashed my garden!:mad: bless em if they werent so cute they'd be in trouble!

Now i want to build it from wood & wire but not sure where to start!

of would it be cheaper/easier to buy premade pannels from ebay £16 for 3ftx6ft wire mess sections which just get screwed together.

BB

GT60

If you go to bq and price up their mesh wire about £14 a roll ( i think the roll makes 2 or 3 fences at 2.4m * 3 foot)and some 2*2 scant at about £2 for a 2.4 mtr lengh and some screws or nails and u nails.
It should work out cheaper.
Ps chicks and ducks are very good at trashing gardens and getting rid of slugs.
thats why ours are penned in and only let out onto the grass every so often
Niall

touch*my*food*feel*myfork

my husband made ours, although it is not quite high enough to walk into (more crawl!) he made 6' by 3' panels - with wood we had, think they are 2 x 2"- with chicken mesh from b&q (£25 a roll/smallist mesh we could get/foxproof-ish - need 2)
He made 5 of these and then a smaller version for the side that joins the house and mini run we already had.

I can add a pic if you like, but just of to school run, will check back when i get back.

blushingbride_3

oh photos will be fabby!:)

the wood i saw in B&Q was 38x68mm 2.4m long for £4.48 or 25mm x 100mm x 3.6m long. £3.27
think it may be cheaper in wickes.

Where can i get the plastic for the roof?

Also will i need supports in the corners and how would i fix these to the ground

thanks

BB

GT60

blushingbride wrote: »

oh photos will be fabby!:)

the wood i saw in B&Q was 38x68mm 2.4m long for £4.48 or 25mm x 100mm x 3.6m long. £3.27
think it may be cheaper in wickes.

Where can i get the plastic for the roof?

Also will i need supports in the corners and how would i fix these to the ground

thanks

BB

There is cheaper wood at B&Q called "Scant" (its the rough cut 2*2 ) it is outside near the other wood on the floor in a big pile.
The plastic for the roof will be expensive i tried googling it.

Niall

blushingbride_3

ok thanks!:)

Is the skant treated wood? i'll have a look after work

blushingbride_3

niall24 wrote: »

There is cheaper wood at B&Q called "Scant" (its the rough cut 2*2 ) it is outside near the other wood on the floor in a big pile.
The plastic for the roof will be expensive i tried googling it.

Niall

what do you have covering yours or is it open?

touch*my*food*feel*myfork

this is our extended run, as you will see the roof is also made from chicken wire and we added a opening to the front. We just made up the sections then screwed it together, it is resting on small concrete slabs we had around the garden and we have put bricks around the edges. hope that helps x

blushingbride_3

oh lovely pics! thanks

Now i will have a wood hunt @ dad's as he's moving & prob has loads i can have

touch*my*food*feel*myfork

no problem, hope it helps

GT60

Scant is just rough cut wood untreated.
All we have is 1/4 of the garden fenced off with the mesh on a frame and the birds running free also the ducks need the pond.
At night we put them in their shed together a converted green plastic tool store with a hole in the door and an added shelf.
Ps every so often throw the egg's back the chickens.
If you boil up potatoe/veg peeling and mix in a bit of mush they love it too.
Niall

Ps the garden is 100 foot * 45'