In this chapter you will learn:
While there is a movie out there called “Chicken Run” about birds trying to not get killed for meat, a chicken run is an area for your chickens to walk or fly around in. If you remember the discussion in Chapter One about planning, you will already have marked out an area for this or if using the portable henhouse mentioned in Chapter Two, you are going to use the area around this henhouse as the run area.
Chickens can fly to a point, (Okay hop is more like it than fly), and so the area needs to be enclosed at least to 4 feet so the chickens do not fly or run away. This can be done by a simple wire screen tied to stakes with some rocks holding the bottom of the screen down. Other options include wire fencing like you see on the edge of a garden or yard, or mosquito netting supported by posts and again rocks or stakes on the bottom of it. This fencing is meant to be moved around as needed and not meant to be permanent.
The other thing you need to consider those animals in your area who think that raw chicken makes a great meal and this could also include your own dog, (Most dog food is chicken based and the smell of it and the chickens in range can cause issues). So you want more substantial fencing keeping surrounding any area that you might want to use as a chicken run. This may include wood or chain link fencing, or even a cement block wall, (Check local regulations regarding this).
If you want to have free range chickens, (Instead of ones with only a limited area to use), you could combine both needs into one fence but this fence needs to be checked regularly for animals digging underneath it.
Chickens love to leave a mess be it food left over, grass and dirt dug up and their waste can be very harmful to plants or your own water supply or themselves. So wherever you locate your run, you will need to rake up and compost anything the chickens leave behind, (The urine is considered to be uncollectable outside of the henhouse and will help your yard). You will also need to provide shade if it is too hot outside and several times a day clean fresh water, (Chickens tend to make messes there also).