When you keep more than just a few chickens having some extra pens is essential.
They have lots of uses but having somewhere to keep a poorly chicken away from the others is essential and a pen around this size also makes for a great broody coop for a hen to sit on some eggs and have the chicks have safe access to some grass outside.
This chicken tractor/ark is one I built in 2008. The picture above is how it looked when I first built it, complete with cedar cladding in our very tidy garden at our first house!
The picture below is me putting our first ex-battery hens in the coop and my first chickens since leaving home.
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| Me at 25! |
I'm just 25 in that picture and it's fair to say that the pen and I have both aged somewhat! The pen has pretty much fallen apart this winter, I'm just holding together...
It's my own fault I should have lifted it from the grass to stop the bottom sitting in the wet when it's not in use. And so the bottom rails has rotted out completely.
A few bits of cladding have fell off as a result, but luckily the rot doesn't go any higher.
I decided that if I left it any longer I would probably need to burn the coop, so a renovation was on the cards!
The video below shows what I did. It didn't take too long and didn't use huge amounts of wood so I'm pleased that I managed to get it done rather than delay it!
Even if you don't watch the whole video it's worth skipping to the end - the outtakes with my Boy are quite funny!
And here's the coop ready to last a few more years.
Do you keep a spare pen for your poultry?
What's the best repair you've done on something that was rotten?
what a great tractor. your boy is too cute. and look at you at 25!!! i hope you are all well!
ReplyDeleteHe can be! Although he's going through a very stubborn stage at the moment!
DeleteLooks Great Kev!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Should last a bit longer now.
DeleteCould you make some plastic trims to protect the underside of the run? It looks good,
ReplyDeleteThe downside is then that the water sits between the plastic and the wood. Good idea though. I thought about making it stand up a little but then the chicks might escape!
DeleteLovely pen idea. I am going to make one.
ReplyDelete"Just holding it together" now. Huh? In the throes of Youth? Ha.
I would love to see your description of your 75 year old self.
Just from breaking my jaw earlier int he year and a the aches and pains that go with being a manual worker for 20 years. But I agree, dread to think what I'll be like then!
DeleteOh being an active for so many years would stand you in good stead for later years. At least far better than the couch potato folks. Hope your jaw is healing well.
DeleteI hope so, but already have the aches and pains that go with being a carpenter, bad knees and back etc.
DeleteInteresting! Thank's for the idea. Actually we plan to raise chicken in our tiny home garden, but have no idea how to keep our crop from chicken 'attack'.
ReplyDeleteThat is often the problem, keeping predators away. Having somewhere to shut them in at night is the most essential thing!
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