dog kennel as movable coop and run?

[jmead2003]

We need to build some sort movable run and coop. I have found some pretty cool ideas on the web but my husband has the idea to get a dog kennel and build a coop within it some how. Does anyone have any experience or advice about using a dog kennel?

 

[SevenChix4Me]

I was just considering the same thing myself although not as a portable one. I'd love to see some pics if anyone has done this

 

[Katydid2011]

Dog kennels are too heavy to make good chicken tractors but I have seen many used as chicken runs. Some things to consider: the openings in the chain link fencing are far too large to provide protection from predators and would need to be lapped or wrapped with hardwire cloth. Some people use chicken wire but chicken wire is really only helpful for keeping chickens in, most predators can chew right through it. Also, the bottom of the kennel would need fortification by either burying hardwire cloth down at least 6" deep or perhaps placing the kennel on a concrete or wooden floor.

It seems to me that the expense of buying a kennel (they're not cheap!) combined with the expense of buying materials to fortify the kennel and then build a coop inside of it are prohibitive. There are some great threads on building chicken tractors and coops that you might want to search out. My thought is, if you're going to invest in those types of materials, you might as well do it right! We built our first small coop with on-hand materials and spent less than $10! It's really cute but we almost immediately outgrew it. That's another thing to remember: When it comes to chicken coops, bigger is always better!

Just one opinion. I'm sure you'll get many more with varying opinions. Best of luck!

 

[SevenChix4Me]

I actually have extra kennels and kennel panels laying around because of our dogs. Kennel panels may as well be made of gold when you raise dogs. We take any we are offered and are always glad to have a few extra. I have an empty 10X10 six foot tall run sitting in the center of a small garden on 12X12 sealed cement patio pavers. I already realized I would need to put the 1/2 inch wire fabric all around the kennel and over the top of the kennel to keep raccoons and their grubby claws out as well as build some kind of roosting/nesting structure in the center. Any idea how far up the kennel I would need the wire fabric to go to prevent a raccoon from pulling a chicken's head out and killing it?Ideally I would like to be able to leave their box open so they can come and go into their little yard even at night. If the kennel sides and top are secure that should be possible shouldn't it or is there some other danger I'm not aware of? I bought 6 barred rock hen chicks and no roosters. I don't plan on getting any at this time. I'm not intending to raise our own chicks. I just wanted a couple for fresh eggs. I love this group for all the ideas and photos. Thanks so much for any info you can share.

 

[maclady]

I just recently put my small coop inside a 10x10x6 dog kennel. Definitely need to do predator protection but other than that it works great. I would go a min of 4 ft up the sides of the kennel panels and if yours has a large space between panels you will need to wrap/cover that also. Don't forget to also do dig protection-unless you are putting your chickens on the pavers. Not sure what you would have to do for the top. If you have a lot of raccoons you may have to put wire across the top also. Especially if you want to leave the coop door open all night. I close my girls in each night and let them out in the morning. My coop is 4x4 and elevated 2 feet so they can go under it. I only have 4 Buff Orpingtons so this is lots of space for them. I actually move the kennel around some. Two people can carry the coop so we move the run and set it up with 3 sides and then move in the coop and put the last side on. I used bird netting for the top. Mostly so they don't try to fly out. They found out they could get up on the exterior nest box roof and then the roof of the coop so I didn't want to chance any escapees.

 

[maclady]

I will get a pic of my setup and post it tomorrow so you can see what we did.

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
It sounds like you're all set to go! I'd wrap the whole thing in hardware cloth, including the top. Some people use chicken wire or bird netting across the top but a raccoon can easily climb or jump up and they'll fall right through. We actually had a male dog climb our six foot high chain link fence, then climb the six foot high chain link kennel inside that fence, rip open the heavy framed tarp and jump in with our in-heat AKC German Shepherd. GRRRR... Thankfully, we got to him in time. Anyway, sounds like you're a dog person and well-aware of a kennels vulnerabilities. With hard-wire cloth secured around the top and sides, and a good foundation under the kennel, you should be in excellent shape!

 

[SourRoses]

Not a coop... but we made a 'Halfway House' for the teenage chicks on this concept.

Kennel is an $80.00 exercise pen... with the hardwire and tarp (yes we had to buy a tarp

).. it came to $110.00.
We can re-use the hardwire on our 'real' coop, and the exercise pen for our dogs.

Cardboard box for nesting... LOL!

It took us an hour and a half to attach the wire with the zip ties.. including the typical arguments of where this should go and that should go

, and who had to crawl inside to push the zip ties back through on the roof wire (wire under the tarp). We later got some wire for the floor as well, but have yet to attach it.. laziness.. but it seems pretty safe so far.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Check out these 2. Don't let anybody tell you "You Can't" Can't only means they weren't/aren't willing to try.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tHJPAu9yP.../6LRB87fnSJk/s1600/Dog+House+-Kennel+Coop.jpg

http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedImages/SpecialProjects/Eggs/movable-full-2.jpg

 

[SevenChix4Me]

WOW coyotemagic, that second one really gives me some ideas. I wish I could see pics of the inside of the coop too. Thank you so much!!!