Petit Project Pen

[Chipmunk Chicks]

If you have enough HWC to make a perimeter apron (anti-dig) that could buy you some time to finish the perm coop/run.
You can simply cut to length, make width at least 18 inches (24 is optimal) and hold it down with landscape pins.

That is a good point, I'll have to see how much I have, and then double the length of I split it down the middle. I still wasn't sure how often we want to move this thing, but the skirt would definitely make it a little more of a process... Maybe not much harder, IDK

DH is out there getting it set up now...

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

He's got the extra doors we won't be using zip tied shut, and we've got super tough bands to help hold the latches in place for the ones we do need to be able to open. I used one like this on the crate inside, but I think he did it a little different. Same idea, just to put a decent amount of tension on it so an animal cannot literally just bonk it right open with a paw.

This is more or less how we secured the two usable doors; the one on the end has the ranger band twisted on, rather than zip tied down. There's a small caribeaner on the top corner of the door, and a neat little Velcro strap we rigged up to keep the bottom corner nice and snug. We also moved the second shadecloth down to keep the bedding more dry in any weather, and give them one nice big shady spot.

He's going back to check out the chicken wire / HWC situation. I'm not sure he has enough HWC, so it sounds like he's leaning towards using the chicken wire, which I'm hoping would be enough of a deterrent... We'll see how this plays out.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

This is what we have. He's entertaining the idea of going to the store and trying to exchange and pay the difference for HWC...

I need oyster shells anyway, so maybe he will.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

That is a good point, I'll have to see how much I have, and then double the length of I split it down the middle. I still wasn't sure how often we want to move this thing, but the skirt would definitely make it a little more of a process... Maybe not much harder, IDK

DH is out there getting it set up now...

If coop is mobile you could lay HWC and hold down with blocks, then remove blocks-drag-replace blocks. Gives you lots more time to build.
(you prob already thought of that too)
Good luck!

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

If coop is mobile you could lay HWC and hold down with blocks, then remove blocks-drag-replace blocks. Gives you lots more time to build.
(you prob already thought of that too)
Good luck!

I mentioned to DH and he didn't seem too responsive. It may be that there's kind of only scraps of HWC and that's why, he just didn't say so. I only saw a couple pieces of roll on a high shelf, I didn't get to open it up and see how much was there.

We aren't building anything else at this time; this will be the temporary pen for the pullets I've grown out to give to a family member, and then hopefully if I can get the Australorp cockerel I want, I can quarantine him there as well. Or use for any health or breeding isolation reasons seasonally. But since the birds that are currently in it won't be going into the flock, they aren't sleeping in the coop, either. If I get my cockerel, he would have to be separated temporarily, but then by winter he would be going into the coop with the rest of the flock, assuming it all goes well.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I tried going to TSC myself yesterday to exchange the two rolls we have for HWC and wouldn't you know it, they didn't have it. They had 24" x 5ft rolls, or much wider, but not what I wanted to do a simple swap so I just kept it. I'm hoping since it's heavier gauge, vinyl coated, and not meant to be a permanent structure anyway, it will work out okay for our purposes. :/

Past couple nights we have been bringing them back into the brooder for overnight, but I'm not sure it's been necessary, since they would be locked into the crate. But anyway, they are still safe!