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Suggestions and pictures for how to build coops/runs

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vanalpaca:
I currently have 30 Ameraucanas BBS, WBW, Buff and to separate them by breeding flocks, I will need at least 6 enclosures.

I currently have a tarp and wire/cattle panel with a dog house tied up to the chainlink fence with metal roofing around the sides. It works for most days except no real entrance as the gate is braced up and covered with wire/tarps and some posts to keep it up that I have to take down when I want to get into the enclosure.

The hen house needs a real door as it is another braced up affair and the most successful one is the hoop coop.

My construction skills are extremely lacking and I'm having a hard time finding any of the large fencing staples for attaching dog wire to wood. Putting the corners of a building together also seems exceptionally hard.

My 3 current structures are time proven to be predator proof, and sometimes human proof...

So I am hoping for some PHOTOS of current working structures. I was even thinking of just trying to build an end that would include an access door for me, but I really do need to have some nestboxes or /pails/ along one side and outside access for egg collection would be ideal.

Thanks, just time to wrestle with a hammer and saw again......

John:

--- Quote ---having a hard time finding any of the large fencing staples for attaching dog wire to wood.
--- End quote ---
Instead of using fence staples years ago I started using cable staples...the kind used to fasten electrical wiring to the framing in a building...to fasten welded wire to woodwork.  I generally don't drive them all the way home, so they are easier to remove when that day comes.

Birdcrazy:
Do it Best Hardware has a 3/4 inch galv poultry netting staple in 1# boxes. The SKU # is 720722 and a suggested retail of $ 3.79 a box. If your local Do it Best does not stock this item, they can order this item by one box at a time or larger multiples.

vanalpaca:
I have a hammer, not a staple gun. I used to be able to get strong electrical wire 'staples' that had a flattened top and were very sturdy like the 14 gauge dogwire. I can't find anything like them now. Just the rounded fence staples and lots of products used in staple guns.

I was thinking to use dog wire fencing for the roof and frame it with 2x3's. Staple the fencing to the rectangular wood frame and use hinges to connect the 2 panels together to form the roof into a peak and cover it with the heavy duty tarp. Then use 2x4 framed 2x8 foot plywood for the bottom walls. I would have to build a wooden end with plywood/wire at each end and figured one end would be the door and put nestbox compartment with a lift lid at the other end.

I'm not sure right now how big a stable structure would be or if it will be lightweight enough to become a 'tractor'. But using 4 ft high fencing should make the roof 6.5 to 7 foot wide with a 1 foot rise.

Just putting it down here, sounds like a pretty LOW structure, so I might have to add some to the sides to make it higher.

Anyone here into quick and easy structures for bird keeping? I'm just not a good carpenter and a really bad engineer.....Thanks!

Birdcrazy:
Bonnie, The staples you described are the ones John mentioned in answer to your post. They are called cable staples and are about 3/4" wide and 1-1/4" long. I looked on Ace Hardware website, but did not find them. If you have a Do it Best hardware or lumberyard near by they should be able to order them for you if they don't stock them. The SKU # is 501013. They come in boxes of 100 with a suggested retail of $7.19. I hope this helps.

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