Wood/Mesh Folding outdoor run

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sazmatazz

sazmatazz

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Hi All,

Our pig run is looking a bit worse for wear, its a wood & mesh one with a mesh lid - basically made up of a long panel on each side and then 2 at each end which are hinged so it folds fairly flat.
I'm looking for a new similar one but i can't find anything in my budget (can't really afford to spend more than £30-£40) would it be cheaper for me to re-use the mesh and buy some bits of wood? I bought this one second hand originally but we've only had it a year.
Seems at the moment the mesh is attached to the wood by some sort of staples, the mesh is in fine condition its just the wood is starting to become brittle in places and is coming loose (it is currently tie-wrapped together in several places!)
Ideally need something I can remove the lid from as I used this inside the house in winter for the pigs to stretch their legs as well as outside through spring-autumn.
They don't currently have shelter 'built in' to the run - I usually give them a box (they love to chew cardboard!) or plant pot and cover them with a weighted plastic sheet. Would it be worth me 'blocking out' one of the panels in the lid & at the sides with a sheet of wood for shade?

I just don't know what to do!

Thanks

Saz
 
found this on Amazon, although it's over your budget :( [ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rabbit-Guinea-Medium-Playpen-545619/dp/B0038VVKPW/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=garden&qid=1275606789&sr=8-7[/ame]

but it's the cheapest one that I've found.. looked on ebay but it was 12.99 for delivery!

I have a similar run and I also like the fact it's fully collapsible as I put it up in the house when the weather is bad or if I go out all day.

Maybe it would be cheaper to re-use the mesh and build your own if you can do it?
 
or some chicken wire, wood lengths and nails work too to make a run wood lengths are about £10 for 8 at b and q and the chicken wire is about £20? but you could easily make a huge run out of this or 2 smaller
 
Cgilchrist said:
or some chicken wire, wood lengths and nails work too to make a run wood lengths are about £10 for 8 at b and q and the chicken wire is about £20? but you could easily make a huge run out of this or 2 smaller
Click to expand...

Don't forget that chicken wire will not stop a fox or a cat. So if you intend to leave the piggies in the run unattended for any length of time you will need something a lot stronger. Welded, galvanised, 16g is pretty much perfect.
 
Hi All, thanks for your recommendations. The amazon one is very similar to the one we currently have, but the lid is different and there is half missing on ours so i've have to attach a big rectangle of mesh with tie-wraps - when I want to get the pigs out I have to stick a box in and scoop them out! They don't seem to mind too much :)

The metal one looks great and i'd certainly use it indoors but i'd be concerned about outdoor use as it doesn't look very cat proof! The cats round by us are always trying to stand on the lid of the run to spy on the piggles! They can't get in and the pigs don't seem bothered (they don't even run away, just carry on munching and trying to see what's going on!)

I'm not overly handy however I think the 2 longer sides of our run are still in excellent cond - so it would be the end panels where the hinges are that would need replacing but I should be able to reuse the mesh from them. I can use the old ones as a guide so I should be able to do it.
The lid might be trickier as it is a full redesign!
 
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