We built an enclosure for ducks initially before getting ducks and determining that they are definitely not the right fit for us. Ducks and chickens have different preferences and needs though, so after giving the ducks to a neighbor, I had to retrofit the duck pen to work for chickens. Here is the story of that.
Original pen is a 12x12x6' enclosure. Bottom 2' are hardware cloth that's been buried a foot into the ground. It connects to the top portion, which is 2x4" welded wire, and the whole top is also enclosed in 2x4" welded wire. Initially we had a pond dug into the ground with a drain hole in the bottom leading into a pit that is outside of the enclosure for drainage. I converted a craigslist doghouse so the roof would hinge and I could clean out the inside. The enclosure is in a very protected corner of our yard. The 2 sides that most of our weather comes from are protected by the fence, and there is a very large fir tree that acts as a rain and wind break as well.
After getting rid of the ducks, I got to researching chickens (I had always wanted them, but my husband didn't want noisy animals in the yard as you can see, we are in a small suburban area). The biggest changes involved tearing out the pond, putting in what I'm calling a "roosting loft," and putting a roof on the enclosure. We have 2 large dogs(that really want to eat the girls) and I can't let the chickens have free access to the yard at large on a regular basis. I made sure the enclosure is built predator resistant so we don't have to worry about locking the girls up at night and letting them out in the morning.
The nesting loft was the biggest construction project/brainstorming thing for me. I know that ventilation is extremely important, especially in a damp climate like we have in the PNW, so I wanted to be sure that they were able to stay dry. I built "permanent" exterior walls out of some siding for the roosting loft because they will need a wind break when it cools down, and this will prevent raccoons from reaching in and grabbing them while they sleep. The 2 interior walls of the loft are removable. They aren't necessary during the summer and taking them off allows for tons of ventilation. I am working on a poop hammock for the bottom of the loft to keep the poop a little bit more managed. The duck-house got repurposed as a community nest box until I get a nest box built into the wall of the enclosure that will allow me to gather eggs without going inside the run.
This definitely isn't a "standard" setup, but so far it has proven very successful for the girls and I. I would love any constructive criticism. We haven't yet seen winter, so I'd love to hear what you have to say about my plans.
Original pen is a 12x12x6' enclosure. Bottom 2' are hardware cloth that's been buried a foot into the ground. It connects to the top portion, which is 2x4" welded wire, and the whole top is also enclosed in 2x4" welded wire. Initially we had a pond dug into the ground with a drain hole in the bottom leading into a pit that is outside of the enclosure for drainage. I converted a craigslist doghouse so the roof would hinge and I could clean out the inside. The enclosure is in a very protected corner of our yard. The 2 sides that most of our weather comes from are protected by the fence, and there is a very large fir tree that acts as a rain and wind break as well.
After getting rid of the ducks, I got to researching chickens (I had always wanted them, but my husband didn't want noisy animals in the yard as you can see, we are in a small suburban area). The biggest changes involved tearing out the pond, putting in what I'm calling a "roosting loft," and putting a roof on the enclosure. We have 2 large dogs(that really want to eat the girls) and I can't let the chickens have free access to the yard at large on a regular basis. I made sure the enclosure is built predator resistant so we don't have to worry about locking the girls up at night and letting them out in the morning.
The nesting loft was the biggest construction project/brainstorming thing for me. I know that ventilation is extremely important, especially in a damp climate like we have in the PNW, so I wanted to be sure that they were able to stay dry. I built "permanent" exterior walls out of some siding for the roosting loft because they will need a wind break when it cools down, and this will prevent raccoons from reaching in and grabbing them while they sleep. The 2 interior walls of the loft are removable. They aren't necessary during the summer and taking them off allows for tons of ventilation. I am working on a poop hammock for the bottom of the loft to keep the poop a little bit more managed. The duck-house got repurposed as a community nest box until I get a nest box built into the wall of the enclosure that will allow me to gather eggs without going inside the run.
This definitely isn't a "standard" setup, but so far it has proven very successful for the girls and I. I would love any constructive criticism. We haven't yet seen winter, so I'd love to hear what you have to say about my plans.
Nice work!
