Chicken Runs: The full Alphapet® range

Chicken runs for a variety of flock sizes

In this edition of our blog we are going to go into more detail about the Alphapet® chicken runs. These come in a wide variety of size options. This provides plenty of choice depending on the number of birds that you keep and the space available.

Avian flu has been an issue in the UK recently and there is no sign that it is going to go way anytime soon. Restrictions are still in place and in England and Wales we have to enclose our birds. This makes a chicken run pretty much essential at the moment, but many people keep their coops inside a run in any case. This can help to provide additional shelter and protection against predators. Even when hens can roam free, many owners will keep them in a coop inside a run at night.

The number of chickens that people keep in their backyards and gardens will vary. One limiting factor is space which relates to both the coop and the run in which they place it. Because the chickens need enclosed shelter at night, it is ultimately the size of the coop that will limit the numbers. As for how many birds the run can hold, remember to deduct the size of your coop from the available floor space, You then need to allow between one and two square metres for each bird, depending on the breed and size. The more space per bird the better as overcrowding can cause them to fight with each other,

The full Alphapet® chicken run range in detail

Now we will take a look at the different styles and sizes in the Alphapet® range of chicken runs. For all of the Alphapet® runs we use galvanised steel tubes which clip together for easy assembly. The welding on the joint components goes around the entire circumference of the tube. This ensures maximum strength and durability. Sufficient chicken wire is included to cover the exterior of the frame, We supply 25mm hexagonal PVC coated wire with all of our runs together with a generous supply of cable to ties with which to attach it securely to the frame. We supply all models with sets of pegs to help anchor them down and we include easy to follow instructions.

One person working alone should be able to assemble the runs without too much difficulty. The process will however, be easier with two sets of hands, especially when attaching the chicken wire. You will need some basic tools to tighten the nuts and bolts when putting the door assembly together. A good pair of snips will also be helpful for trimming the chicken wire.

2.5 Metre “Prism” chicken runs

We have recently launched a new range of “Prism” walk-in runs that are proving very popular. These are the most compact of the chicken runs in the Alphapet® range and use 25mm tubing. We stock these in two lengths, 3 metres and 4 metres. You can purchase them with a full end cover, a standard cover, or without a cover. These runs are ideal for those with just a few chickens, or if you want to keep some birds separate from the others. The illustration below details the dimensions of the 3 metre version, which shows that whilst compact these have full walk-in capability. It also shows the standard type of roof cover whilst the photo above shows the full end cover.

Although these are our budget range, the galvanising and welding are to the same standards as larger models. The covers are also to the same standards. You can purchase additional covers if you want to cover more of the run.

3 Metre chicken run range

The three metre range has been the heart of our chicken run range for several years. It is available in four size option which are 3×2, 3×4, 3×6, and 3×8. We supply a single roof cover as standard with every size except 3×8 which has two. Additional covers can be purchased separately as can full end covers. The current models are constructed from 32mm galvanised tubes.

All of the sizes apart from the 3×2 are also available with a double door option. This can be useful if you want to use extra wire to divide the run into two sections or just want extra access. The doors are also available separately so that you can convert a single door model that you have purchased previously if required.

4 Metre chicken run range

A the same time as the we launched the “Prism” range we also introduced our new four metre models. As you can probably tell from the photo, these arrived during the very cold spell just before Christmas. We can confirm that they are easy to assemble, even in sub-zero temperatures, We don’t recommend that you do this though, unless you have to!!! Like the three metre range, these are constructed from 32mm galvanised tubes, with the same high quality welding on the various joints. There are some features though that are unique to these larger models in the Alphapet® range. Because of the larger span of these chicken runs, they are supplied with additional internal supports as shown above. We have also equipped the four metre models with improved doors, door catches and hinges. These new doors have the advantage of smaller gaps as shown below.

That completes our round up of the the current models in the Alphapet® range of chicken runs. If you want to look at further details and prices please click here to look at the sales section of our website. Here you will also find a contact number for our warehouse. You can also look at reviews for our products.