Arizona Chickens

[Happy Novogens]

These were made from pet playpen panels. They're removable as they clip into place, but I tend to just open them up when not in use.

Closed with a grate covering the baby sized doors.View attachment 3448526
Close up of baby doors.View attachment 3448528
And fully opened when not using to integrate chicks.View attachment 3448530

All my grow out pens look about the same. Always part of its wind sheltered, usually under the nest boxes. Completely removable but usually just locked open when not using. And a grate that can be added or removed to open or close the baby doors.

Here's one in a banty coop.
Closed with baby doors open.
View attachment 3448531
Baby doors closed View attachment 3448533
Close up of doors.View attachment 3448534
Not in use it's folded open. The white pieces of wood swing up and down to hold or release the panels.View attachment 3448535

Thank you so much! The photos are quite helpful.

So it looks like you modified the ex pen to create the baby doors by cutting out some of the bars, is that correct?

I have a couple ex-pens but not sure if I want to do that or perhaps make use of a dog crate. I found a large used crate for $20. Will have to figure something out.

Thanks again for posting the photos!

 

[springvalley123]

SAME here!!! Have you thought of (or tried) the vinegar based weed killer at the Depot?- probably a DIY recipe online… I am going to test it. I wonder if anyone has experience with it.

I tried the 20% once, it didn't do anything.

 

[CaroleW]

Got it! No leeks for the monsters. They got into some when i wasn’t looking but now they just want anything green lmao so I have to keep that bits put up until my compost pile is finished and I can toss it in.

All I need is someone to basically nail some pallets together for me and lash the door on with paracord. Normally I’d do it myself but I am having an RA flare up

Sheet compost is a good, low energy way to go if you know where a bed is going to be. Just throw your compost material as it comes on top of a garden bed and cover with anything - plastic, carpet, shingles, cardboard... and weigh down the cover with anything you have... rocks, jugs of water, pots of soil (pots are another place to compost in place, see Gardening Easy with Robbie and Gary YT channel).

IF you have skunks you have to cover and weigh down good. Skunks love compost piles. DO NOT put a compost pile anywhere near your house or where your dogs are for this reason. I know this from experience - there was a previous owner's compost pile in the wrong place. After we move it no more issues with skunks in this area.

 

[CaroleW]

These were made from pet playpen panels. They're removable as they clip into place, but I tend to just open them up when not in use.

Closed with a grate covering the baby sized doors.View attachment 3448526
Close up of baby doors.View attachment 3448528
And fully opened when not using to integrate chicks.View attachment 3448530

All my grow out pens look about the same. Always part of its wind sheltered, usually under the nest boxes. Completely removable but usually just locked open when not using. And a grate that can be added or removed to open or close the baby doors.

Here's one in a banty coop.
Closed with baby doors open.
View attachment 3448531
Baby doors closed View attachment 3448533
Close up of doors.View attachment 3448534
Not in use it's folded open. The white pieces of wood swing up and down to hold or release the panels.View attachment 3448535

Thanks for sharing that setup - I always love to see how others set things up like this. Gives me ideas to work out my own system a little better.

 

[BlueBaby]

Had to renew my premium membership here. The last one expired and I don't like having to get those ads on my pages.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

How long does the tarp take to kill that patch?

Before we moved into the house we currently live in, it needed some work. We set up a big family-sized camping tent in the backyard so we could sleep in it as needed while we were working on the house.

We left the tent up for about 18 months. When we finally took it down, all the weeds/crab grass underneath it were flat dead so we had effectively "tarped" that area.

That was about ten years ago and that spot in the yard is STILL just a dirt spot where nothing grows!

 

[ChicksnMore]

Thanks for sharing that setup - I always love to see how others set things up like this. Gives me ideas to work out my own system a little better.

I love seeing people's set ups too...I've gotten an awful lot of good ideas off here.

 

[NuggetMama]

Watch the paracord. Chickens will try to eat it.

I'll make sure it's in a part of the yard where i wont allow the chickens to roam! I don't want them eating anything that they aren't supposed to

 

[NuggetMama]

Had to renew my premium membership here. The last one expired and I don't like having to get those ads on my pages.

Lol I forget there are ads on here because i don't have premium

 

[Happy Novogens]

Wednesday was such beautiful weather, I spent the day outside. Modified the roost bars in the run. Added an extra roost bar and changed the lower "hop-up" bar from a flat 2x6 to a dowel --- less surface to collect poop!

The girls seemed to like the change and all roost in a row now with less squabbling.

Once the chicks grow up, I'll have 8 gals and 1 roo, so I needed more roost space anyway.

Then last night, just before bed, my no-light heat lamp gave out on the brooder. Thankfully I had an extra bulb in the shed. So at 10 pm last night, I was walking out back in my pj's to retrieve the bulb.