Chicken Run Expansion

 We've had chickens for about 4 years and we have loved having these feathered friends around.  In the early days, we would allow them to free range to their own heart's content.  But then the fateful week hit where we found a pile of feathers left behind by Mr. Fox in addition to a dead chicken right in front of the coop- the work of Mr. Hawk!  We didn't change our ways, right away.  We simply got a little more attentive and present when the sun started to set.  But then again last year, we lost a few of our new hens to Mr. Fox and family.  We were enjoying the Kentucky Derby, when suddenly my step-dad saw a fox outside.  We knew we had a resident fox here, because we had seen it on multiple occasions.  But this day was different.  There were 2 foxes running around out back and heading toward the chicken coop.  Thankfully the chickens were enclosed in a temporary outdoor run, and we didn't loose any that day.  But ever since then, the Laird has felt pressed for something more permanent than the snow fence he staked into the ground around our coop.

   So with the current state of life at home due to the Corona Virus, we have been taking full advantage of the post-work-day-evenings and the can't-go-anywhere weekend days.  Two weekends ago, we built the new blueberry enclosure for pleasurable berry picking.  Last weekend we got down to work and started building an outdoor run for our chickens.  We finished it today.

Laying out the chicken run

   We used some old cement pavers that we picked up for free off craigslist 2-3 years ago to lay down the foundation.  So glad that "free find" wasn't in vain!  Whenever I find something that we could utilize listed for free on craiglist or fb marketplace, I hurry over and pick them up.  The load of pavers was a job I had to wrangle the Laird into, and based upon the crumbling shape of many of them, it may not have been the most worthwhile trip.  So we have used a few in our garden as a patio, a walkway, and simply weed block.  Well, let's just say the rest have been sitting in a stack waiting for their purpose.  For two.years.Maybe.three!  But the Laird is a gracious man, and he never reminds me of these impulsive needs.

Leveled the cement blocks for foundation

One wall at a time

  

So we used the best old pavers from the stack as the foundation.  It was a tricky location as it was located on a slope, but we did our best to level them with the slope so that the frame of the fence would lay stable atop the pavers.  Then one wall a day went up, until they were all up.  

    

 Finally while the Laird attached the cross bars, I started painting.  In an effort to save money, the Laird only bought pressure treated lumber for the base plate.  He regretting this attempt to save $50 after the fact, as we needed to paint the framing in order to help protect the wood from an early demise by way of rotting.  But with every old house, comes many partial gallons of old paint.  

The Laird learned many years ago, while working at a horse camp for the summer, that you could just mix all your left over paints together for a shade of brown to use for outdoor needs.  So that was his plan.  He didn't find too many outdoor paints to utilize for this purpose, but he did find an outdoor grey oil based paint... with the top completely rusted and the paper label worn off.  When he opened it, it was completely full!!!  So we ended up with a decent color run fence, that actually goes well with the chicken coop and nearby barn (same color red).  We were able to re-use some of the chicken wire for the door, but most of it was purchased new for the walls.

  We're all excited about how sharp it looks, in comparison to the make-shift fencing that was there before.  It was the chicken run that the Laird never wanted to build, as the design of our coop allows for the chickens to walk free down beneath the coop.  But of course you learn, and we learned that space wasn't nearly big enough.  We had expected to let the chickens range free on our property.  That was before we knew about Mr. & Mr. Fox living somewhere very close by.  So here we are.  Thanks to the Corona Virus and the time it has permitted us to be home, we now have a great chicken run.

We buried the chicken wire to keep diggers deterred

Hammer skills

Today we attached the upper wire to the walls of the run.  It was also the day to clean out all the poop from the chicken coop and wheel it to the garden.  "Stinky!"  The kids spread new wood shavings inside the coop and freshened things up a bit. 

Another project finished

This mandatory-time-at-home has proved very productive for us.  Now that the blueberry enclosure and the chicken run are finished, we are onto our next project:  A green house made of old windows.  We are both really excited about building this greenhouse.  But there is a lot of work to do clearing and leveling the land.