Run incorporating hedge?

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Selz
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Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Selz »

We've been out of chicken keeping for a few years now, but are looking to get some again soon, probably 3-5 will be plenty for us. The area we plan to give the chickens has a brick wall down one length, and mature mixed hedges on our side. The space will be approx 7ft x 23ft, 2ft of that width being hedging. We plan to chop the lower branches out to allow plenty of space to scratch and roam underneath, essentially only the trunks will take floor space. The wall side will have wire mesh panels increasing the height to 6ft, and the open sides will have 6ft wire panels also. My husband has worked out something to stop the top being open (but i forgot what his actual plan is, whoops). they will have some free-roam opportunities in the rest of the garden, but this is the only place we can incorporate a permanent run. We dont wish to remove the hedges as they provide shade and privacy in the garden. It was enough having them cut from 20ft to 6ft!

Does anyone else have hedging as a permanent part of their run? Are there any issues or problems you have encountered, which we may hot have considered? The run top will be removable to let us trim and maintain the hedges a few times a year.

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KathJ
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by KathJ »

Hello Selz, my immediate thought is what could get through the hedge! It may be dense in the summer but a determined fox could probably get through. Is there a way of incorporating wire mesh into the hedge, now may be a good time to do it before it starts to sprout too much.
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Selz
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Selz »

The hedge will essentially be panelled into the run, with the wall height extended to the rear and full panels to sides and front. Husband does have a plan to enclose the top too, I just can't quite recall what he decided on!
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manda
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by manda »

Most of mine free range ....and we have a large shellter belt (hedge) that runs the length of the side of our property.....they sleep in the hedge or in the barn or anywhere else. My concern for you in the UK (I'm in NZ) would be they would climb up and then do whatever they want
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Sandra M
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Sandra M »

As long as there is fox proof barrier ie mesh or wall all the way round and the bush is inside this I think they will like it as it will be shelter and shade.
Selz
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Selz »

Progress so far:
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Still a few bits to do, but secure enough now! We thinned the hedge below to make chook space, then pruned it to get the wire behind along the wall. Its 6ft tall, and hard to see, but the weak spots have mesh over the top too. Luckily, our garden is enclosed with 8ft fences on the rear, and the neighbours are pretty securely enclosed too. Hoping that it looks ok from the neighbours side (they seemed fine when we chatted to them mid-way). Took out a bit more than we expected, but its the start of the growing season so it will soon recover, and put new leaves through the wire! This time last year they were 20ft+ and came out over the 2nd paving slab row yike*

Cost so far is about £100, mainly for chicken wire, posts and hinges/clasps. The coop is made from reclaimed buffalo board, so is very weather resistant, and has minimal joins for mite to invade (it will be silicon sealed as extra resistance).
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kitla
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by kitla »

Sadly photobucket have changed their system, unless you pay to upgrade with them (quite pricey) you can no longer share photos from them to 3rd party sites. There are some other photo sharing sites, a few of us use imgbox now.
Your set up sounds great, look forward to seeing it!
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Selz
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Selz »

Oh boo photobucket! {mr.angry} They showed when I posted, shows how long since I used photobucket last not to know :oops:
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KarenE
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by KarenE »

Use imgbox, it's miles quicker than photobucket anyway

https://imgbox.com/

Your setup sounds great, would definitely love to see some pics, especially of your girls when they arrive )t' Some people paint all their wood in gloss paint as well, just to make sure there's nowhere for the mites to hide
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Selz
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Selz »

Ok, let's try this! Thanks for the suggestion KarenE!
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All the open end is now enclosed, and the girls are in! My friends parents own a small holding, and generously offered us 3 of their ex-battery hens to get started. The kids got to pick their own hens from the flock, now named "Oriana", "Swablu" and "Aye". They were so calm when we opened the box, let us pick them up and set them in the run one by one, then set off as if they had always been there! Clever girls even put themselves in the coop at dusk!
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Mo
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Mo »

Hate to say this, but watch that chicken wire - it doesn't last forever. You might be advised to strengthen the bottom with thicker gauge mesh (bitter experience). I am told that they make chicken wire much thinner now than in the past.
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Selz
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Selz »

I know Mo, I was shocked at how flimsy it felt when we unrolled it! I think we will be replacing it with sturdy framed panels over time, this was just what we could afford for now.
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KarenE
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by KarenE »

What a great space for them! You've done a lovely job, and of course your clever girls will take full advantage of it!

Are you putting anything on the floor for them ie woodchips, soil or the like? They'll love to grub around in it (I see they've got the eding to play in as well. And you might want to pop a dustbath in there (old tyre, plastic paddling pool or trug) although typically they'll probably ignore that, and maybe gather some sturdy logs and stumps and other things for them to climb on as they do like a perch every now and then in the middle of their exhausting days :-D Mine also like to clamber on top of the old plant trough I put in for them too - any surfaces at different heights that they can hop around on )t'
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell
Chief servant to Marley the cat
Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey.
Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
jaxhen
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by jaxhen »

Hello Selz

Welcome to your girls and their new home.

I agree with KarenE that they will need a dustbath as the hedge roots might prevent them dustbathing. Mo is right about chicken wire and how flimsy it is these days, but the real problem is that chicken wire is 'chicken proof' not 'fox proof'. If you don't have foxes in your neighbourhood, you are very lucky!!

The coop is quite close to the ground and you will need to keep an eye open for vermin nesting underneath.

You said that your husband intends doing something to enclose the top of the run. I'd suggest that you have a look at Defra's requirements for keeping poultry under cover when there are Avian Influenza restrictions in place. It will help you decide how to deal with the top of the run.
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Mo
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Re: Run incorporating hedge?

Post by Mo »

Yes, i was thinking foxes. You could get a roll of weld mesh from Hill’s to reinforce the lowest part.
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