Everyone is quiet this morning!
I have been thinking about something. For all those budget minded as well as those seeking to go green there is an idea for a low cost, high value, earth friendly chicken pen. I am always looking at new designs for different types of typical landscape features that can be re-made in a more eco-friendly way. A few years ago I built a 6'x40' retaining wall. Okay. Sounds like nothing out of the ordinary you say? The retaining wall has a terra cotta stucco face. It's not the face that sets this project apart, it is the wall itself. Instead of using typical cement blocks and than facing it with mesh and than stucco the wall actually used nearly 200 used tires! The tires get filled, offset like a brick and secured throughout with rebar. Faced with paper, than galvanized mesh screwed into the tires and finally faced with stucco!
So where I'm going with this rant is "chicken bunkers" can be built using the same design. If you are building against say a garage or out building the walls would get constructed and a support braces would be fastened to the top of the structure. Than a treated lumber framework built in the front with a door and the pen could be completely fenced(top and front using far less fencing material. If a smaller project is desired, the walls are lower and the coup could face out giving access to the coup without a door (and carpentry skills). Realistically a 10x10 pen could essentially be built material wise for just under $100 and be strong enough to withstand all but a bulldozer.
This is so weird! My husband was asked by someone if we would consider taking in old tires on our land. I forget how much they offered but my husband was considering thinking about what he could make for the chickens with it! I told him he was nuts and there is no way anyone is going to dump 200 used tires here! Maybe I should have let him! LOL
