Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
A Simple Bird Runway
Construct bird runways so that they may be attached to the poultry shed. It's usually best
to start with at least 5-foot-high (1.5 m) wire. Chicken wire can be used, but it typic-
ally does not hold up very well; after a few years, it tears and crumbles. This is espe-
cially true if used to contain larger birds such as turkeys or geese that push against wire.
Welded wire fencing usually comes in 50-foot (15 m) lengths and works very well for
poultry runs.
Drive metal fence posts into the ground with a sledgehammer or post-hole driver.
Connect the wire with fencing clamps or use pieces of cut fencing and you'll have a
poultry runway in no time. These are “permanent” structures, which may not be picture-
perfect but are very functional.
Make sure there's no space between the ground and the bottom of the fence. I fre-
quently lay objects around the base to prevent varmints from digging under the fence.
When I lived in the deserts of southern Idaho, I gathered rocks to place around the base.
In the pinewoods of the north, I used old logs. Here in Iowa, I use old lumber or tree
limbs. Use whatever you have in abundance in your area that works. Cover the top of
the runway if hawks are present.
The Chicken Tractor
Some people choose to use a
chicken tractor
for shelter and exercise. This is a light-
weight poultry home on wheels that you can drag around either with the tractor, a small
truck, or by hand, depending upon the size of the unit. The chicken tractor includes a
covered part for storm protection and a floorless wire enclosure that allows for ventil-
ation and foraging on the ground. It is basically a movable yard. Any fowl can use a
chicken tractor as long as the height and size are appropriate for the fowl.
