Safe Chicken Runs
Outside space is necessary to raise healthy, happy chickens. Good chicken runs allow the flock to peck around according to their natural instinct. Enclose them in strong chicken wire or a tall fence to keep predators away. Attach it directly to the chicken coop and the chickens will be able to get to it when they want.
Normal access to fresh air and sunshine are required for wholesome egg production. Don't maintain your hens cooped up; permit them to range free of charge, obtaining a lot of sun and exercise and living an nearly normal life. At the same time, make certain the run is protected from predators. Maintain your chickens comfortable and secure and they'll give you a lot of eggs.
They'll use their pen for other points, too. Chickens don't bathe in water, they bathe in dirt, so they require lots of it. Any roosters you've are going to require room to strut their stuff or do battle having a potential rival to impress the ladies.
Your design might change depending on the breed of chicken you choose to raise. Heavier birds are not as likely to fly the coop, so they will not need as high a fence. Maybe just some wooden posts with wire stretched between them. Lighter birds, more capable of flight, will usually require a roof of some kind. You can stick with the chicken wire or switch to bird netting for this purpose.
Look into the laws in your area regulating chicken raising. If you are out in the country, you probably will not encounter any difficulties. In more urban areas, however, there are often strict laws about how many chickens you can keep and some municipalities outlaw home flocks all together! Better to find out what legal restrictions might affect your efforts before you go out and buy a large flock of chickens.
Find a good spot. You are going to be building both a coop and a chicken pen, so make sure there is room for them. It is best to place the run right next to the coop. Chickens are up with the sun and go down at night. If they can move freely between coop and run, they can put themselves to bed at night.
Watch out for predators! They are eager to taste the succulent meat of your hand-raised chickens. All towns have stray cats and in the country, you also have to worry about foxes, raccoons and even large birds. Do not build your pen in an area known to have a lot of predators.
There you go! That's all of the info needed to construct chicken runs which are secure and comfortable. Your hen chickens will thrive on the sun, air and space offered by a secure outdoor pen.
