Brainstorming some portable fence designs

[Blisschick]

I think I have finally redeemed my chicken addiction with my husband. He's all cool with me growing broilers, i.e. Cornish or anything vaguely dinosaur like.

We recently butchered out some Cornish x Rocks, and he was very impressed with the meat yield, so now he feels that "wasting money on tons of chicken feed" is justified. (Like I had to have a justifiable reason, anyway.

) I now have his blessing to grow as many as I'd like as long as they are edible and will help participate in killing off the grass in the sometimes boggy and mostly unlevel part of our yard. This is where the temporary pen is located, and they have effectively anihilated any growing green thing that was in their area. He also told me to price out how much fencing would cost, which he should already know from past projects is a small fortune. My thought on this is to build some kind of temporary fencing, something that can be moved, kind of like livestock panels.

Here's my idea:

Make frames of chicken wire fencing that can be assembled and disassembled with little effort, moved and reassembled in next to no time. I envision it having hooks at the corners, and one panel having a gate (although I haven't thouroughly worked that part out yet). The panels would be sturdy enough to stand on their own, yet light enough that one or two people could move them easily. Since Cornish are really too heavy to fly, having a top over them wouldn't be an issue, and they could roost in the middle (like they do now) where predators wouldn't get to them.

I'm probably not the first person to come up with this idea, but I wanted to throw it out there and see what others thought. Also, if you have any other ideas you'd care to share, I'd be happy to hear them.

Stacey

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Hi, as well as a coop and attached run, I also have a "tractor" or pen. I used 3/4 inch white pvc pipe (from plumbing section). I then used 1/2 inch welded hardware wire which is 3ft tall. I made the frame with the pvc and then attached the wire using quick "zip" ties. It went up really quick using the ties instead of trying to wire it together.

The roof can also be made out of the harware cloth and pvc pipe for the wire support-you can zip tie it to the bottom of the pen.

I used a "gate" of painted white beadboard or wainscotting left over from a project. It was exactly 3 ft tall. I drilled holes into one side, slipped zip ties through and attached it using the magic zip ties

to one side. Then I drilled a few holes on the other side of the door and run wire through to keep it closed (as a "latch"). You could probably figure up another type latch other than having to wire it open and closed.

To ancor it down temporarily, you can use metal tent stakes or yard stakes.

This works well if you want the chickens to be relocated daily for fertilizing your yard, using as a "hospital" for birds that need to be isolated, or using as a pen to breed a certain type chicken.

 

[allen wranch]

You need something on the roof to protect them from the sun and hawks. Also, will the pen be in an area protected from loose dogs and coyotes ?

 

[Critter Crazy]

Quote:
You wouldnt happen to have any pics of this do you?? If you do, I would love to see them!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Zip ties and duct tape, the two most versatile products in the world!

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

This sounds and looks alot like what you are brainstorming:
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/10_11_06.html#article1