New Chicken Run Built

Over the last few weeks we have been slowly transforming an unused piece of garden into a brand new chicken run.

As you might remember from earlier posts and YouTube videos, my five pullets were previously enclosed within an electric fence on part of the lawn. Their house was stood on a deep bed of sand against the garden shed. Sadly, given the recent wet weather, they have done a very good job of scratching up the lawn and area around their house. As a result the area is getting very muddy and difficult to clean, so the decision was taken to move them to more hygienic surroundings.

The new chicken run has a foundation of railway sleepers bolted together and sunk deep into the ground. Above we have fashioned a skeleton frame using treated fence posts and lengths of timber. The skeleton frame is covered in plastic coated chicken wire. To protect the residents from the worst of the weather, a tarpaulin has been strung across the top of the new chicken run. The pullets are running about on a substrate of sharp sand, which is at least 6 inches deep across the entire floor. Next time we have a chance we are going to lay paving stones and electric fence around the perimeter, just to make sure it is as foxproof as possible.

Today's YouTube video shows how well the pullets are adapting to their new surroundings. They seem quite content. The older two pullets, Star and Matilda, are now 28 weeks old. Disappointingly they have still not laid their first eggs yet. All of the pullets have a healthy appetite and they like nothing better than munching on a bit of cabbage or broccoli.

A few photos from earlier today:

Misty the Cream Legbar pullet.

Star the Cream Legbar pullet.

Star (Cream Legbar) and Matilda (Welsummer) perching.

Matilda (Welsummer) and Star (Cream Legbar) peck at broccoli.

The new chicken run.

Matilda the Welsummer pullet peers through door.

Matilda the Welsummer pecks at broccoli.

Sparkle the Welsummer pullet.