I need help with my run! (please!)

[Flighttattendant]

Hi guys,

have spent the last few days furiously trying to put up a chicken run.

It's about 5 metres by 2 and a half and has been very hard work. It's getting there, but the one thing I am really struggling with is a tree.

It's in the corner next to the shed. Most of the run is covered with galvanised sheeting (you know, that corrugated stuff) which is wonderful but obviously I can't use it where the tree is so need to use wire.

I can't figure out how to attach the wire to the tree. I've put battens at the top of where it needs to go, but at the bottom I obviously can't dig it into the ground because of the huge roots, so what do I do - how do I make sure the fox can't get underneath? I guess foxes can't dig through roots either, right? So could I use a plank at the bottom, without a gap underneath?

I am very paranoid atm because of losing two super chickens this week so really need to get this right.

Sorry for stupid question!

Photos to help you are here

Thanks

LOL!

That was for a thread about the worst home made toy you have ever bestowed upon your child.

I made it from a Blue Peter pattern. It was a bit wrong from the start - you are always missing one ingredient, aren;t you. Like, you have split peas (or your mum does) but you cannot find a suitably dog coloured flannel.

my sister made the - erm - 'doll'

I thought it was brilliant,it looks like my real dog!
hope the run gets sorted.Fox had all three of my free-range hens last year so we now have two pretty bantums in a sturdy run,I wish I could leave them out all day but with the fox plus next-door's new cat I don't think they'd last long.

Oh I am sorry. It seems foxes are just the enemy of free ranging. We can't put up an electric system all round because of all the trees that would just short it straight away, so it's physical barriers or nothing.

This is a big risk getting some more with a fox already wise to us, so I will have to make sure it is ultra secure. But am very excited about them nonetheless - I feel so grateful that we still have one of our original girls. She is quite lonely in her shed so she will be really comforted to have a few others with her I think...

the farm does a lot of pure breeds but will see what they have got and get a selection. I think we will get another four, I'll try and update later on! Your bantams sound gorgeous

My bantams are so beautiful,we have a silver spangled Hamburg and a golden blue laced wyandotte.The wyandotte is quite timid but the Hamburg is very fiesty and clever and flies really well ( she has thin blue pigeon like legs).I would like a whole flock of them but the run is about 4'x6' so I think any more than two would be too many.They have a big house as we bought it for three or four full size chickens. www.oakdene-coops.co.uk/Oakdene_Coops/Home.html here Its the one in the picture and it has the matching run.Nearly got an eglu cube but have a georgian house with a smallish cottage garden so this looks better.Would like to see pics of your chicks!

Helly - those houses are gorgeous

yy flight, would love to see some pics of the new girls

Wow, they sound very well looked after! and very very lovely.

I saw some bantams at the farm yesterday - they do look more pigeon sized, I think I would lose them! mind you hopefully the run will prevent anything going missing this time...

We got only three yesterday. The farmer kept going down to the shed, while I waited, and of course they were all out and wouldn't go in to be caught, just under it and he walked round in circles about 10 times and still couldn't grab the ones I wanted.

But he came up with the following:

1. Small, sweet Rhode. We lost our enormous Rhode - she was the boss iyswim and very round and fat! But hopefully this one will grow into her looks - they start much darker don't they, I'm reminded of how our other one was as a POL

1. Very sturdy Light Sussex, already very good comb and very red so should be laying soon.

1. Very, VERY funny looking thing. I don't know what it is. It's very similar to our Cuckoo we had left, obv still smaller as younger, but she has this TUFT on her little head, it's like a very stupid looking fringe I once had and apparently, she lays green eggs.

He said people pay more for these so we got a bargain. I will have to look her up!

Today he is going to try and catch the other two and drop them off. I've asked if we can have a Copper Black with a golden neck (our last one was all dark) and a Brown Leghorn.

I'll probably end up with neither as they ran too fast!

Photos later...they are a noisy bunch and still settling in.

Ahhh lovely flight Is your mystery girl an araucana?

Great that they're settling in OK - they are very lucky girls to have such a uber-run .

Oh thanks Salty - how's your search going?

I have looked up Araucanas and she doesn't look like those - Dita suggested a legbar but to me she looks like a cuckoo with a fringe.

I am novice obv Will ask farmer when he brings the other weird lovely birds this morning.

She is a Dr Seuss hen.

We're just off to look at an ark now. It isn't a lovely Forsham , but as I am on mat leave at the moment it makes sense to not overspend (I must be getting old as I am being sensible about money!), and then possibly replace it when I go back to work.

Love the description of Dr Seuss hen .

salty, I think it is excellent that you are being sensible. TBH the quality of the Forsham is great, but the design of it was a bit awkward for me. The fact the sides slope up means you can't get very near when you want to clean out the inside, you can't get under it easily to catch one of the birds and also, the top section being so pointy and narrow means they don't have a lot of room to move at night.

I would go with a square box shaped one, really.

Btw - she's actually a cross bred Legbar, with Cuckoo maran! apparently a bit of an experiment