Movable Pasture Paddock

[jonalisa]

Hello all,


I have been researching all the different approaches to raising chickens and am leaning towards a permanent coop with a large compost run. I would also like to give the chickens the opportunity to forage on fresh land and want to have them till some areas for me. I like the idea of a portable paddock to use in various areas of the yard, but worry about hawks, owls and other sky predators.

In trying to brainstorm a solution for both land and air, I came up with this idea:

A 15' by 13' screen house (this one) encircled with electronet fencing.

Any advice on whether this would be workable and secure from a daytime perspective?
I should mention that:

• We have 2"x3"green wire fencing (4' tall) around 3 sides of yard (2 sides are heavily wooded) and white vinyl picket fence in front and we are currently running a wire on the top of the whole thing to electrify it. (We have a problem with deer this year.)
• The chickens would be in this screen house/paddock maybe 4 hours a day for a couple of days a week in good weather.
• I work at home and am always within earshot and can work in a room where I can see them all the time.
• I have an Old English Mastiff who will be out there most of the day
• Main predators that I am aware of are: raccoon, fisher, fox, bobcat, crow, hawk and there are some I have never seen, but neighbors have: bear, weasels, owls and coyotes.

Thanks for your input. I enjoy hearing your advice and opinions. This site has been a great education.

jonalisa

 

[jonalisa]

Crickets.

 

[aart]

......In trying to brainstorm a solution for both land and air, I came up with this idea:

A 15' by 13' screen house (this one) encircled with electronet fencing.

Any advice on whether this would be workable and secure from a daytime perspective?
.......

• The chickens would be in this screen house/paddock maybe 4 hours a day for a couple of days a week in good weather...........

Sounds pretty good to me.
How many chickens do you have?
How will you get them from their regular coop and run (I assume you have a secure coop and run) into this set up?

 

[jonalisa]

I have no chickens yet. I am doing all my research and prep work this year for next spring. So I am on here and learning what I can before I pull the trigger.
(Last year I researched beekeeping before starting 2 hives last month.)
I am planning on 6-8 hens, at most and yes, I plan to have a secure, stationary coop and run. As for getting them to the paddock, we are still looking for solutions that would make this even viable... still considering our options (we haven't bought anything yet except the stationary coop.)
We've thought of a chicken wire tunnel of sorts, leading to the pen. (We've seen this done and it works pretty well...but we're still working out the logistics.) Or someone else suggested putting the screen house up against the run and once they are in, drag the screen house... there doesn't seem to be a perfect solution for any of the approaches I've reviewed thus far...still working on it.