The Garden Run is a modular series of DIY enclosures that let you easily create, customize, and extend a secure outdoor habitat for your backyard chickens, cats, rabbits, or other small pets. Build a single module, or combine them for more space and limitless possibilities.

This listing is for the Half-Height unit design plan only. See our other listings for the Complete Series plans or for the individual plans for the Quarter-Height and Walk-In modules.


SOME KEY FEATURES OF THE GARDEN RUN – HALF-HEIGHT WITH GARDEN TOP:

» Part of a modular series that includes three main designs (see below for details on each)

» Permeable rooftop garden bed or optional corrugated roof

» Measures roughly 5'w x 3'd x 4.5'h (1525 x 915 x 1370 mm) with a footprint of 15 sq. ft. (1.4 sq. meters)

» Accommodates perches at a comfortable height for roosting

» Fully predator-proof with locking latches and tough hardware cloth all around

» Works with any chicken coop, rabbit hutch, or housing — for chickens, cats, rabbits, ducks, and other small animals

» Carefully designed for ease of building and less cost and waste

» Build a single module or combine for more space

» Built with pride. . . by you!


ABOUT THE GARDEN RUN – HALF-HEIGHT PLAN ITSELF:

» Written for beginners. This do-it-yourself plan includes 53 PAGES of illustrations, photos, sample configurations, and step-by-step instructions to show you how to extend your animals' space and build a habitat you will love. (You print at home.)

» Includes full tools and materials lists

» Includes both U.S. (feet/inches) and metric units (millimeters)

» Compatible with iPad and other PDF-friendly tablets, phones, and readers

» Password protected for security. You will receive your file-open password after checkout. (Visit your Etsy Purchases page and click the Download button next to the order. Guests may find it easier to create an Etsy account and log in first. More details here: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/3949)

» Comes with email support directly from the designer.

» Satisfaction guaranteed



ADD ALL THE SPACE YOU NEED

The three core modules of The Garden Run series link to one another — and to our chicken coop designs — seamlessly. Or you can connect them to ANY chicken coop, hutch, housing, or existing run with the instructions in the plans. The plan in this listing is for the half-height garden-top module only.

HALF-HEIGHT MODULE, WITH GARDEN TOP: This module stands about four feet (1.2 meters) tall. It has a wide front door and a specially designed permeable rooftop garden bed, ideal for growing succulents, flowers, or herbs. Note, the garden top isn't actually a roof. Any rainwater that is not held by the soil or taken up by the plants will drain into the run below just as if the top were open-air.

OPTIONAL CORRUGATED ROOF: This roof design is detailed in two sizes and fits the quarter- and half-height modules (NOT the walk-in module). It's a shed-style roof that can be built with polycarbonate panels or other corrugated roofing and used instead of the permeable garden top, if you prefer.

Note, The Garden Run is not intended to be your animals’ primary shelter, but having some cover over part of their enclosed run — either permanently or seasonally — will provide shade in the warmer months and more space to roam in the colder months.


FULLY SECURE, TOP, SIDES, AND BOTTOM

Each Garden Run module is built on a foundation that protects your flock from digging pests and predators, elevates the structure, and retains a good amount of bedding. If you're keeping rabbits, the wire on all sides prevents them from tunneling out and from chewing on the frame.

If you prefer, you can leave the modules open at the bottom and set them directly on the ground, on skids (like The Garden Ark, see our other listings), or over a garden bed. Or you can raise them on blocks (like The Garden Coop, see our other listings) with hardware cloth trenched or flared around the perimeter.


COOP AND GARDEN. IN PERFECT HARMONY.

We aim to design structures that allow your animals and gardens to work together. The garden top on the half-height module does this exceptionally well. It's part herb garden, part green roof, and it creates shade while elevating flowers and succulents to a height where you can enjoy them more.


CONNECT, CONFIGURE, AND CREATE

The possibilities are endless. The best place to start is to decide what you want to build and how it will connect to your animals' housing. Included in the plans are instructions for framing the connection to your coop and for adding a pop door, if needed.

Add an enclosed run to your coop. . . Extend your current coop and run with a raised herb garden. . . Link your mobile chicken tractor to a more spacious, secure yard. . .

Whatever you imagine, The Garden Run is a flexible way to make it happen. And it looks and functions beautifully to keep your animals safe and sound.

You can build to the instructions — or use the designs, techniques, and sample configurations in the plans as a jumping off point for your own creativity!


MORE SPECS AND DETAILS:

ACCESSING YOUR DOWNLOADS:
After your purchase, a link will be made available to you for downloading your files. If you have any trouble accessing your files or your file-open password, please follow the easy steps shared by Etsy here: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/3949. Feel free to contact us as well.

SIZE:
The HALF-HEIGHT module with garden top measures roughly 5'w x 3'd x 4.5'h (1525 x 915 x 1370 mm) with a footprint of 15 sq. ft. (1.4 sq. meters). See our other listings for the dimensions of the quarter-height and walk-in modules.

COST AND MATERIALS:
The run can be built of dimensional lumber, hardware cloth, polycarbonate roofing (optional), and standard hardware. A complete materials list is in the plan. Purchased new at a big-box store like The Home Depot or Lowe's, materials should run you near the upper end of these ranges as of January 2024 (USD, pre-tax):

» Half-height design – $285 (less if you leave off the garden top)
» Optional 50″ corrugated roof – $100
» Optional 74″ corrugated roof – $110

TIME TO BUILD:
This will vary based on your configuration. Be sure to budget time for shopping, sanding, cutting, sealing/painting, and assembling.

TOOLS:
The plan is written for complete beginners! The cuts are all straightforward (no tricky angles to measure), and the tools are fairly standard ones that you likely either have or can easily borrow or buy. Here's the tool list from the plan:

» Circular saw or miter saw
» Power drill/driver and a few drill bits
» Level (especially helpful for larger configurations)
» Tape measurer
» Pencil
» Couple of sawhorses
» Hand saw (helpful for quick cuts)
» Combination or speed square
» Hammer
» Couple clamps with a 3” (75 mm) capacity
» Wire/metal snips for 19-gauge wire or heavier
» Sandpaper or a power sander
» Paintbrush and dropcloth
» Heavy-duty staple gun, with staples (optional, only for securing landscape fabric to garden top)

CLIMATE:
All-year, just about anywhere. Keep in mind that The Garden Run is outdoor space and is not meant to serve as your animals' primary shelter. That said, the ventilation is outstanding. The garden top and optional roof (for the smaller modules only) will help keep snow and rain out of their yard, making the space more usable in winter months than an open yard would be. You can make other coverings and put wrap or siding on the sides as needed. One more advantage is that it keeps your chickens (rabbits, etc.) secure from the hungrier, more determined predators that winter can bring.

CLEANING:
The half-height module has easy access for cleaning from the wide side door. How often you clean it out is up to you. In ours, we let a nice deep litter build up, which takes a good while. The bases of the modules are designed to hold a good amount of bedding/compost.


Take a look at the photos above and convo me with any questions.


NOTE: The Garden Coop LLC is the legal copyright holder of the content on this shop and in our plans, including all designs, photos, descriptions, and text. It is intended solely for the use of the purchaser and may be printed for personal use only. No images or content from this Etsy shop or our ebooks and plans may be published, resold, shared, or distributed without written consent from the copyright holder. (That's us.)


More questions? Please convo me anytime!