What I started with, bought on sale at Lowe's (open box but all the parts were there.
I needed a new grow-out pen for this year's month old chicks. So I put up the kennel (easy) and installed the tarp cover (pain in the butt and I doubt it will last very long). Used leftover bits of garden mesh, welded fence & hardware cloth to wrap it in as the spaces between the panels looked like a chick might be able to squeeze through and over lapped the door gap. Added perches from scrap wood, a few odd bits of wood, brick and yard art for them to jump on. Hung a feeder and a waterer. I attached a sheet of metal to one side as a wind break. Then I found out the temps were fixing to drop so I wrapped one end with reflective metallic thermal barrier left from some roof work. I hung one light, checked that temp and went ahead and added my other two lights. All the chicks did fine, temp in the north end didn't get below 75 deg and nothing caught fire so I was happy. One of the best parts is that, with a second person, we can pick the whole thing up and relocate it in one piece.
What I ended up with:
I needed a new grow-out pen for this year's month old chicks. So I put up the kennel (easy) and installed the tarp cover (pain in the butt and I doubt it will last very long). Used leftover bits of garden mesh, welded fence & hardware cloth to wrap it in as the spaces between the panels looked like a chick might be able to squeeze through and over lapped the door gap. Added perches from scrap wood, a few odd bits of wood, brick and yard art for them to jump on. Hung a feeder and a waterer. I attached a sheet of metal to one side as a wind break. Then I found out the temps were fixing to drop so I wrapped one end with reflective metallic thermal barrier left from some roof work. I hung one light, checked that temp and went ahead and added my other two lights. All the chicks did fine, temp in the north end didn't get below 75 deg and nothing caught fire so I was happy. One of the best parts is that, with a second person, we can pick the whole thing up and relocate it in one piece.
What I ended up with:
