Considerations for Building a Chicken Run
As a new chicken owner, it's essential to create a safe and comfortable environment for your birds. My current setup includes a small coop with an attached run meant to accommodate six chickens—adequate, I believe, for my four larger Australorps. However, during the day when I'm at work, I want to extend their outdoor access. They will have the freedom to roam when I'm home to supervise. My aim is to incorporate the coop inside this extended run, allowing them ease of movement without needing to adhere to the dimensions of the coop door. Ensuring security against predators is crucial, alongside my preference for a structure that’s both simple to construct and portable, akin to what a PVC pipe run would offer. Living in a suburb in southwestern Michigan, I've encountered raccoons, stray cats, and even birds of prey, though larger threats like dogs and foxes are relatively minimal.
At the moment, I am considering building a 10x10x4 PVC frame, reinforcing it with hardware cloth instead of the traditional chicken wire seen in many DIY guides for PVC runs. I have attached a photo for reference from a YouTube tutorial by Mason Dixon Acres. One of my concerns is whether this design will be robust enough to deter predators. If built only with zip ties and PVC glue, will it hold its ground against determined intruders? Can a raccoon realistically tip this structure over? Without any prior experience in constructing such a run, I feel uncertain. While I want to avoid unnecessary risks, I also need to keep expenses down. Should I ultimately opt for building a wooden run instead, or could PVC serve effectively for my intended purpose? I welcome any insights or experiences from others who have tried PVC runs. Your advice and assistance would be greatly valued.
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