Three problems and three solutions when it comes to building, maintaining and protecting your chicken coop run. Read on chicken lover!
Chicken Coop Run Problem 1: Inadequate Sun Exposure
The chicken coop run will be part of the coop, so your chickens have the space to stretch out and get some outdoor sun exposure and some exercise. However, if your run is shady and not given the right about of sun exposure it can become soggy, muddy and stinky pretty fast.
Chicken Coop Run Solution 1: Position the Run with Eastern Morning Sun Exposure
Think about how your coop will operate, when building a run try to give it eastern exposure. This will give your run the morning sun without shade, drying up the due and warming the area so the chicken are more inclined to come out in the morning and enjoy the sun.
Chicken Coop Run Problem 2: Predators
Even if you’re living in an urban area, you still have good chance of various predators that pose a threat to your chickens.
You got eagles, hawks, and owls that can swoop in from the top.
Quick little story; When we first moved to an acreage, and started to raise chickens we found that every so often a dead chicken with it’s head severed and a missing wing, we had no idea what was going on.
So my dad stayed up one night and staked out the coop. It turns out it was an owl going in for a midnight snack. With the top of the run uncovered it was completely exposed to in-flight predators.
Top exposure on a chicken coop run can also let in a raccoon that can climb the side fence.
Chicken Coop Run Solution 2: Use Chicken Wire Over the Run to Keep Predators Out.
Let’s face it, the chicken is a bird that everyone love to eat and is very low in the animal food chain. You really want to protect your chicken investment by building a coop run that completely shields them from their predators.
By “roofing” the top of the run with chicken wire, all the flying, climbing and jumping predators are eliminated from your chicken’s worry list. Your chickens will have the best of worlds, outdoor exposure and complete protection from there enemies.
Chicken Coop Run Problem 3: The Floor Becoming Messy
Various materials can be used for the flooring of the run; earth, cement, wood, and gravel. The easiest flooring type is to use what already there; the bare ground. Chickens will poop and scratch and basically tear up the run to crate a mini waste land that can really pile up over time.
Chicken Coop Run Solution 3: Straw and Rotation Method
You want to keep the run ground dry clean and comfortable for your chickens, so a fast method is to just line the bottom with straw to cover up the chicken waste. Overtime however you’ll l get a pile up of straw and chicken waste which will need to be shoveled out to level out the ground again.
Some chicken owners do a coop run rotation; where they will have one area being cleaned out with time of adequate sun exposure and allow ground vegetation to grow, while the other is being used.
So with these 3 things in mind you’ll have a better idea on how to position and construct and use your chicken coop run for happier healthier chickens? If you have any other ideas or experiences with your chicken run I’d love to hear them, use the comment forum below and leave a quick post.
