I am looking for inexpensive, nice ways to build a chicken run

Google chicken tractor, there’s numerous ideas and you can move it around letting your chickens eat the bugs in your yard or garden. Then you move them back at night if you want.

Hi Bonnie, We too wanted a cheap run with a roof and it quickly added up in price so we've worked on it as we find the rest of what we need. If you can locate any of the wood, nails, hardware cloth free at habitat for humanity, yard sales, leftovers from neighbors, etc you'll come out ahead. Sometimes posting in local groups you'll find someone willing to give their unneeded leftovers.

We used hardware cloth on the bottom 4 half and chicken wire on the top half although some will say if you have alot of predators you need all hardware cloth. Ours go in at night and not much around in the day here so we've been fine with it.

Also our 1st summer we covered the top with that flexible black mesh like plastic fencing till we had the funds to start working on a covered roof. It kept our birds in and others out. But not the rain so...

We added a roof of plywood and stapled on plastic sheeting in increments so there was always a section dry. We have one section left to cover then it will be complete. Then we will remove the plastic sheeting and finish up the roof with shingles we got leftover from someone else's project.

Build a nice large chicken run with 8ft metal posts {the kind used for chain link fencing}, top rail {on top and also along the bottom between the posts to keep the chickens from getting out under the wire}, and use chicken wire around them. Also, put the chicken wire over the top rather than a roof, the chickens need to be able to get in the sun and the ground needs sun to keep the grass growing. When you dig the holes for the posts, also dig a trench 8" deep around the area, pour concrete around the posts in the holes and fill the trench with concrete, this will keep things nice and neat for the neighbors and you to see and help keep the chickens in the pen. Also, hold the posts level with wood braces wired to each post in an "A" frame so the trench is kept open for the concrete. Ours has lasted 20 yrs and still looks and works great. Oh yes, put a gate on one side so you have easy access to the area to be able to water it, rake it, and keep it looking nice.