Help me choose an x pen please!

[rosemarythyme]

I have something similar, but it has a top to prevent fly aways. You could attach netting to accomplish the same. Mine's way too small now that I have more birds, but I did use it for a while to let them tear up the side yard when I was outside working - once I was done with yard work, the chickens got put back in their run too.

More recently I've used it to break broodies and transition chicks from brooder to coop, so it wasn't a total waste of money.

 

[RojoMarz]

We also have one. Used it for containing the young pullets, while they were still living in the house. Once they started getting out, I decided it was time to put them into the coop. I have also used the x-pen for a quarantine space. I used a large cardboard box as a top. Most recently, when I got new pullets, I opened it all the way up (to make a line), and used it to separate some of the run, made a great divider for the see but no touch integration.

X-pen's definitely have their uses and are somewhat easy to store away. I have not used it in the yard, but think a cover of some type would be needed. I see them on Craig's List and the thrift store fairly regularly. Might could save some money by buying used.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thanks all!

 

[Pghelp]

For years we used deconstructed dog pens to create a long run off a small commercial coop. We have hawks so a protected roof was a must. I think we ended up using 4 or 5 discarded dog crates all wired together. It gave our girls a protected exercise area until we could build a proper covered run. If you have a Buy Nothing or Freecycle group in your area someone is always getting rid of old dog crates. Those are a better bet and easier to cover than a round pen, in my opinion.