DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[Hokum Coco]

Ive noticed many people repurpose their old feed bags to make the hammock. Doesnt soak up water, easy to dump poo, etc

I also fold mine up to line my nest boxes. Out with the soiled and in with the new when ever needed.

 

[Aphrael]

I also fold mine up to line my nest boxes. Out with the soiled and in with the new when ever needed.

Why didn't I ever think of that!?!? That is a wonderful idea. It would make changing out nest boxes so much faster and easier. I know whats going in the bottom of my nest boxes from now on! Thanks!

 

[carlye2001]

I love this idea!

 

[carlye2001]

Awesome!

 

[perchie.girl]

[COLOR=0000FF]I just read through 1/2 of this thread and am AMAZED at all the AWESOME ideas! My question is this: Would anyone like to volunteer to come over and help me build some of these things!!! Just kidding~well, not really~lol. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000CD]They really are amazing creations![/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000FF] I have never before done anything that you could even remotely call "woodworking" but I just finished a little duplex nesting box out of some scrap wood. My first project. I discovered I enjoy using the tools! I didn't take any pictures while under construction, but here is the finished product: [/COLOR]





[COLOR=0000FF]The front board comes out for easy cleaning[/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000FF] I am truly an amateur, but I had fun! [/COLOR]

You know sometimes its best to be in the dark when it comes to design. Because you arent constrained to other peoples idea of what to do. I absolutely love this idea of a removable front for the nest boxes. The execution is brilliant in my opinion. Simple and easy ...

As a designer my hardest job was to Keep It Simple Stupid.... LOL.... KISS VERY good job on the nest boxes....

deb

 

[Biologrady]

Amazed by everyone's ingenuity here! I'm afraid much of my setup is slapdash, but this project turned out well: These are pictures of my new "chicken tunnel" we added against the chain link fence in the back yard. It links up to my more fortified 6x18' chain link pen, and added a 3' x 70' feet of space to roam. This spot is shady in summer, sunny in winter, and is already rocky/weedy -and therefore has always been difficult to use as "lawn" anyway; we won't miss it. We have no neighbors on that side either. It's not meant to deter determined predators, but our biggest threat here during the day are hawks, so this adds some protection I hope! In the evening they'll move back to safer quarters.
The materials are just 6' poultry netting ( we used 70' long here) zip-tied to the fence (about 3.5 feet off ground) and sections of pvc (a big roll, used for sprinkler systems ) for supporting "ribs". I drilled a hole in each end of the "ribs": one hole for zip-tie to fence, and one to accomodate a tent stake into the ground. A few additional zip ties and stakes to keep ribs upright and fence against the ground, and it was done. I also can just pull up some or all stakes to clean the run without wrecking it, but it's also big enough that I can crawl inside if need be.
Not shown is the tunnel and access door to the main pen, but I can post more pics later if anyone likes.
My favorite thing about the tunnel is that the black poultry wire is practically invisible from the house, it just blends in with the woods and ivy behind it:

 

[perchie.girl]

Awesome idea.... Keeps your paimeter filled with weed plucking cooks.... LOL and big enough for a "tunnel rat" Hee hee.

deb

 

[vehve]

This reminds me of a chicken moat I saw somewhere, the person had surrounded their whole garden with a similar tunnel, it kept snails and other small pests away.

 

[mlowen]

I built stand-alones, to get the hens from coop/run to portable pens for "some range." (instead of free range.)

 

[Biologrady]

Nice! I guess you can just line them up then?
I was going to do something similar at first, but decided to commit the fixed position along the fence (my hubby is already being really tolerant about extra work due to chickens, so this actually gives him less lawn to mow and not much to move out of the way to do it).
And yes, Vevhe, I am hoping to cut down on pests...mostly ticks, those woods are thick with them.