FruitandNutCake Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 This one has taken me over a week - but I have added a second layer of weldmesh around the bottom half. Here are my before, during and after shots! I should have got a photo of the kids locked in it! Little one didn't want to come out. Was difficult to get a good angle as it is down the side of the house - and the run goes another 8ft down the back of the shed! The hardest bit is working out how to staple the wire mesh on the roof beams without falling off the ladder! mmm. can't work out why last one is round the wrong way! I flipped it in photobucket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Great run! It looks very spacious and your chooks should love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 12, 2008 Author Share Posted April 12, 2008 Ta. I'll try to get a better picture when I get some chickens in it! It was nearly dark when I took the last picture - looks bigger in the sunshine! Just got to waterproof the roof somehow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Looking great so far What about that corragated (sp) plastic sheeting from B&Q or somewhere or maybe just some clear plastic sheets will do the trick untill you decide what you want to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodle Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Lovely run Michelle. Like your idea of going down the side of the shed - wasted space isn't it? I wanted to do that as my girls love going down there but was not possible. Let us know what you do with your roof, I have not decided what to do with mine yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Very impressive. Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 12, 2008 Share Posted April 12, 2008 Looks great . Lucky chooks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 Thanks. The problem is now I have weld mesh going across the roof (would have to be a detemined fox to try chewing through the roof!) I'm not sure how I would secure solid corregated plastic sheets. However, a large clear plastic sheet or tarpauline cauld be stapled around the edges. Might pop to local rescue centre to see if there are any hens in need of a new home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 Just found somewhere that does a 9ft by 12ft clear polythene dust sheet for £1.98! corrugated sheeting would come to £48! I'll give it a try and see how long it lasts - if it doesn't last two secs then I try something stronger. I have tried to recycle as much material as possible whilst building the run. I used weld mesh and door from an old run I built 20 years ago! But it probably still cost about £200 for the run and £300 for the shed (after I insulated and clad the lower half of it!). realised I could have saved a lot of money if I'd got everythin from the local tmber yard - I didn't realise they did weld mesh and bolts, screws etc. at half the price! So a tip for anyone about to start building a run - try your timber yard first! They were also the only place thet I could find to do the 9ft lengths of pressure treated timber for the roof beams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 The run looks great so far! Well done. Out of interest, where did you find that sells the clear plastic sheeting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 we have weld mesh on the roof and corrugated plastic. i drilled tiny holes and used mini cable ties to fix to weld mesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 How did you do the base? It looks like you have at least one bit of concrete on an earlier photo-is it all concrete? Are the wooden strips at the base attached to the floor-does the log roll come into this? It looks very good. Just storing details in case OH ever has to do one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 I use bungee ropes (from *here*) to secure my corrugated plastic - having said that, I've only got an Omlet eglu run so they may not work on a "flat roof". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Looks great. I also have weld mesh across the roof. I got corrugated plastic sheets ( about 6' x 2' ) from wickes , about £5 each. I fixed them by drilling holes through and wiring them to the weld mesh. I also have a tarpaulin ( again, about a fiver ) from local d.i.y store, it has eyelets around the edge, I found some plastic shower curtain rings and these fit through the eyelets and weld mesh perfectly, only takes a minute to move it around, handy if they need some shade in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 13, 2008 Author Share Posted April 13, 2008 Chocchick, the path that runs alongside the house was about 5 inches lower than the dirt that was to become the base of the run. The gate into the garden is about 4 ft - so I wanted to make the path wider, and to kind of terrace the different levels - hence the log roll-to hide the mesh that goes down below dirt level, and also to hold back the soil before we widen the concrete path. The wooden strips at bottom are just screwed to each other, and the supporting fence post. I have thick weld mesh on the outside of the frame, and smaller weld mesh stapled to the inside of the frame - with about 3/4 inch between the layers, a fox shouldn't be able to get the rabbits or chickens through the wire. BarbaraJ and meezers, the idea of cable ties and shower curtain rings are good ones. They would make it easier to secure the corrugated plastic, which I'll probably get in the end. The dust sheet looked too thin, so I got a tarpauline instead, but it will block a lot of light - so probably will be ued as a shade in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 fabulous! im loving all these coloured runs! very Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Here are a few pics after I added the plastic roof and the auboise and the sun is shining! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
