dog kennel/paddock system

[pixie77]

Hi, I have been lurking for some time now, but decided it was time to join As a newbie, I'm obsessed with reading about coops and systems. We are getting 5 hens. I have a 10 x 10 dog kennel I would like to use, but also really like the paddock system idea. I thought about using the door panel of the kennel to split the run into two side, and building the coop to take the place of the 4th wall. I thought I could move the hens to the other side of the kennel after about a month, then move the entire kennel to a new spot for months 3 & 4 allowing the first two areas to recover. Mathematically speaking, there would be enough room on each side of the split kennel for 5 hens. My husband thinks it would be better to just put the coop inside the kennel allowing the hens full use of the kennel the entire time. Although I see his point, I hate to use free roam space for the coop, nor do we have the space to move the entire kennel every month.

What are your thoughts?

 

[bj taylor]

however you decide to do it, i suggest giving the birds as much space as you can manage. i haven't contained mine (5 birds) - they roam
1 1/2 acre - they roam that much territory 2 - 3 times a day (just to express how they like to roam). i'm glad you're joining the discussions. sure wish you alot of good chicken times.

 

[QuietPony]

Haha. I had to reply because you sound just like me. lol
I'm also toying with the same idea with the kennel, although ours is 10x5. I was planning to keep the coop inside the kennel, when my man mentioned replacing the one wall and adding on the coop. This got more gears turning and we decided that's what we are going to do. Attach it to the edge of the fence, but up off the ground and secure around the bottom with hardware cloth. That way they get an additional bunch of square feet to pick around in, plus another shady spot to hide when it gets warm this summer. We are also going to take the extra fence section and connect it with the other 5 foot section so the area ends up looking somewhat like a trapezoid. If that makes any sense. lol

We have our "growing stages" brooder all set up. By that I mean, a place for them in the teeny baby stage, bigger baby stage, OMG we need more room stage and the move outside stage. Just waiting for the stork. Well, that and the weather to turn to our favor so we can get out there and work on all the recycled wood we need to rehab for the coop. We figure we will make a tractor for them first, as they will be needing a place to run around and play outside well before they need an outdoor coop. And I will be needing the run area to keep our obnoxious dogs away from our power tools and precariously positioned wood stuffs. lol We plan on letting them run around in the tractor when we are home to supervise (which someone almost always is..) and let them have the secured (padlock for the equally obnoxious neighbor kids, and wire covered top, because Hawks...) in the daytime if we can not be there to watch them in the tractor. I want them to roam my yard as much as possible. The ticks were terrible here last year.
Good luck! Oh, and