Have you heard of (A Salatin alternative)

[hipeatall]

I'm no welder... but I want a churt! I'm wondering if an old trampline frame might work? hmmm...

 

[Ema]

Quote:
I recently saw one of those I believe here on BYC I might be wrong where I saw it, but it was enclosed in chicken wire and the top provided the chickens with sun shade

 

[hipeatall]

Quote:
I recently saw one of those I believe here on BYC I might be wrong where I saw it, but it was enclosed in chicken wire and the top provided the chickens with sun shade

Oh, I'm gonna do a search right now!

 

[Kelsey2017]

I actually just saw the trampoline idea in Mother earth news, those things are everywhere for free or cheap when they are broken. I was going to give it a try for my CX. I have moved my kids one around by just crawling underneath and then staightening my legs with the thing balanced on my back, it's pretty easy when you are in the middle of it and the bouncy cover lets in enough sunshine for the grass to grow good. I would screw all the pipes together though, because they do occasionally drop a leg off which would be annoying if you had chickens in it. Yay for recycling those behemoths!

The one linked post says he constructs them for $400 and calls that inexpensive! Not in MHO, but it gets the creative juices flowing for us tightwads. I'd rather buy more chickens, lol

 

[hipeatall]

I found a bunch of trampoline coops here... and then looked on craigslist and found a 12 foot round trampoline for $25... and it still has the top! I'm going to go get it this weekend...

now how to convince my 10 year old son it's not for him... hmmm...

 

[Bossroo]

Edited for content, please review the rules

 

[jaj121159]

The trampolines make sense. The point raised eariler about uneven land is also a good point. Do you think a guy could make a churt without rebar on the bottom? Several strategically places longer pieces coul be pushed into the ground after every move. Not having rebar on the bottom and a somewhat flexible stringer around the top with a flexible roof should alow to compensate for uneven ground. Any thoughts?

 

[Minniechickmama]

Here is an alternative to using metal, which has risen in price the last couple of years: I found plans online for a PVC frame pen. I built it in a day with a little help from my hubby and 13-year old son. It measured 10'X10'X2-1/2' It was very easy to build and lasted 2 years before I took it apart. The reason I took it apart was that is was coming apart due to the fact that I did not glue the joints so that I could dissassemble it. But, if you have somewhere to put it when not in use or during the winter, then you could just leave it. I used it as a moveable structure, and it worked wonderfully! I first had my hens in it and built a nest box for them to lay in and I made a roost that could be moved along with the rest.
I had to special order the joints for this since the t-joints are not readily available at places like Home Depot. It cost about $100 to build one.
I also used this to put my meat birds in for the last 4 weeks. With 8 hens I had to move it about once every 2-weeks. With meaties that crap constantly, it was every couple of days.
Since the PVC is lightweight and round, it will slide across the ground.
We live on the prairie and it gets mighty windy here and I staked the corners and the tarp down so they wouldn't blow away. I used the corkscrew stakes from WalMart that are used for tying out a dog on a cable. Those a few bungee cords and I was set.

I also built two wood framed tractors with metal roofing over half. It is heavy as heck and without the wheels (which the first ones came off from weak welding), we had a heck of a time getting it moved. They are great with wheels. The only other drawback for them was when we got really heavy rain, it puddled up in it on the low side.
Don't know why the wrong imagaes loaded last time. Oops.

 

[AlbionWood]

This article compares the Salatin design, modified versions, and other designs for daily-move broiler pens:
http://www.plamondon.com/chicken-coops.html

I built one of the hog-panel structures for a feed shelter, and it works great! Three hog panels, some 4x4s and a tarp, make a 13' - 6" long x 7' wide shelter that you can walk into without stooping. It's flexible so wind just makes it wobble but it does not tip over. Total cost was about $100 but that's without anything on the ends, since it was just to keep rain off the feed. For an 8x8 broiler pen you would only need two panels, so you might still come in around $100 even with ends.

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
Very nice.Thanks.