Tips On How To Build A Chicken Run

Although there are some fantastic pre-built chicken runs already on the market, if you have the time and the skills you can save yourself a fair bit of money by building the chicken run yourself.  Building your own chicken run is not too difficult, but it’s vital that the correct materials are used to so as to prevent foxes and other unwanted visitors from getting into the chicken coop.  Of course, it’s also vital to keep the chickens in the designated area too!

It’s worth noting that foxes can jump as high as 5 or 6ft, so when choosing chicken run panels, ensure they are at least 6ft tall, particularly if your chicken run is not going to have a roof.  The chicken mesh will need to be fairly thick so that it is strong enough to prevent a fox from biting or tearing at the wire – if you’re not sure if the chicken mesh is thick enough then you can always use a double layer around the lower half of the panel.  Some people also like to use an electric wire around the top of their fence as an extra deterrent for foxes. 

Building the actual chicken run is not too tricky, provided you have the correct tools and materials.  There are plenty of diagrams of chicken run designs on the internet which can help to give you some ideas regarding how you are going to actually build the run.  Some chicken runs will incorporate the chicken coop so that the chickens can easily have access to both the shelter as well as roaming space.

Once you have your design in place, it’s time to buy the relevant materials.  Chicken run panels can be purchased online if your local DIY store doesn’t supply them, but you’ll also need to remember hinges and bolts, as well as suitable chicken mesh.

Remember to build your chicken run large enough to accommodate your current chickens as well as perhaps a couple of extra ones which you may ‘inherit’ in the future, keeping chickens can become an addictive hobby!