How To Build a Chicken Run & Coop

Keeping your chicken run and coop ‘predator proof’ is by far the best way to stop your chickens being attacked.

Ideally your chicken run fences should be at least 6 ft high so remember that if you are going to build this kind of coop to make the access gate strong and firm as you’ll be using it at least twice a day.

You also have to think about the points of access, the size and location to make things as easy as possible for you.

Strong wooden gates, netted at the bottom are ideal and remember to use strong hinges to keep them robust and lasting. Most gates do eventually sag with age however make yours last as long as possible because to keep predators out of your chicken run and coop the gates need to fit tightly all around as this is a week point.

Something that is often overlooked is ensuring that the catch is tight-fitting on well made gates. Heavy strong gates can rattle in the wind which is not only irritating to yourself and maybe your neighbors but it is also disruptive to your chickens and will affect their health and egg production. It will eventually cause wear and tear on the overall standing of the gate.

A safe strong fence is very important and so spending time and buying good quality wood and fixings is well worth the effort.

Make sure all the wood is treated with a good preservative to prevent it rotting quickly in the ground. If you spend time and money wisely then your chicken run fence posts should last a good twenty years or more.

Another good tip when building your own chicken run and coop is to make sure that your chicken wire is attached to the outside of the post and not the inside.

This will ensure that if a predator does try to push in to your coop then they are forcing the chicken wire on to the fence posts and not away from them.

It also makes it easier to following the contours of your plot of land and keep the wire fitting tightly to the ground to stop animals digging in underneath the wire.

If possible the best way to prevent any predators getting into your run by digging in underneath is to try to bury the wire below ground level by digging a 1-2ft trench.

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