Big 'ol Chicken Run

It has been a busy past couple months, but they have been good ones!  At the beginning of spring once the snow all melted, I decided I wanted to move the chicken coop into my fenced off garden area so that they had a little bit more room to roam.  My husband used his brain and muscles to get it lifted up and over the grow boxes.  As the years have gone by, my Box Elder tree has now grown to shade my garden most of the summer, so I cannot grow much of anything in shade.  So my garden became the chicken run.  It worked out great and my girls loved the extra room to roam and do their foraging for bugs.

My grandparents decided they wanted to buy little chicks for every great-grandchild.  She had 11 then,  so she bought 11 baby pullets and raised them for a couple months.

Now I live in a city where they are not allowed on any land less than a 1/2 acre.  And we of course only have maybe 1/4th, so basically its illegal.  But if you have been following my posts, I tried to change that ordinance and was denied.  The City Planner called me the day following the decision and told me that the Ordinance worker only goes out on a complaint basis.  So unless my neighbors complain, I shouldn't have any problems.  My neighbors love us, so hopefully nothing will happen.

Back to the baby chicks my grandma raised.  Well there was only 2 of my cousins that actually wanted the chicks.  One cousin wanted 4, I only wanted 2.  My little Carin Terrier ended up pulling one of the babies through the fence and that left me with only 1 little chick.  Out of the 11 chicks that was purchased, that left 6 extra chickens that no one wanted.  I already have 4 chickens, and I did not want to push my limit with a bunch of chickens.

My Aunt and Uncle acquired the 6 that no one wanted and added them to their flock.  Their chickens did not accept the babies and ended up killing 2 and 1 almost pecked to death, so they brought them to my house.  Now I have 9 chickens more than I am suppose to have.  So I used my cold frame building knowledge and built a little fenced in chicken run so that neighboring cats, and my dogs could not harm my chickens.  I basically used 3/4" PVC pipes, zip ties, a couple re-bar stakes, and deer netting. 

 Re-bar pounded in the ground on one side with the PVC slid over the top and then I just drilled a couple holes on the other end and zip tied the other piece to the fence.

 Netting added and zip tied on.  Just missing the last piece of PVC to complete it

 Completed.  I just used a piece of wood to hold down this end and there is a little hidden door in there to let me get in to collect the eggs and clean up. Turned out great I thought!

A few of my girls.  It was one hot day.  For some reason they love this dog water dish to drink out of!

I love raising chickens.  Lets just hope and pray no one complains about my girls!