"Play Pen" Ideas Needed

[herefordlovinglady]

I want to make a pen for my 4/5 week old chicks. it needs to be easy enough for someone with no construction skills. i will be doing this alone, no help from DH. i want to be able to take my chicks outside for an hour or so when it is pretty out. I have 8 chicks. I don't know what else to tell you. Oh I want the bottom open so they can play in the grass. also, i need it where i can catch them when time to put them up. still working on getting them used to me. thanks for any help.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I have used lots of things.

I use 2 ft high chicken wire and use a couple of pieces of copper pipe as temporary fence posts.

I have used a wire dog crate witout the pan in the bottom.

I have used a large plastic sled leaned up against in the corner of the yard fence.

There are so many ideas. Those are just a few that I use often.

 

[txliss]

Hope somebody has good ideas for you! I'm looking for something similar for my 4 standards. Will be watching this thread.

Good luck!

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Hardware cloth squared off and closed with zip ties (The plastic cable ties) put a t post at all four corners and ancor it with zip ties then run some across the top and again close it with zip ties on one side ringed wide yet not to wide the other side put nothing so you can open it like a hinged lid just tie it shut with a piece of twine..

I wish you luck on it I have made one just liek this and so far it is working out for me and when they are big enough to go into the big coop and run I can break it down and put it away for the next bunch.



ETA for those of you who have some skills you may wanna try PvC 1/2 inch piper a few t's some hardware cloth and zip ties oh and some 90*elbows you make a box big enough and high enough to put them in and make a lid the same way but dont glue any of the peices easy breakdown and store. Good luck to all of you.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

i have the t-post and hardware cloth. i also have some plastic fencing from an old construction site -- it breaks real easy though -- might be good for over the top. How do you Cute hardware cloth?

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Quote:
I use tin snipes or wire cutters just depends on what grade it is and if I want to hurry or not

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Quote:
I use tin snipes or wire cutters just depends on what grade it is and if I want to hurry or not

i am always in hurry when it comes to things like this...my ADD kicks in and i just can't seem to finish without getting frustrated....

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

well then in that case I would use the tin snipes (just make sure they are the straight cut kind yes they do have diffrent cuts)

I have found this works best and when the y do go into the coop and run you can roll it up and put it a way for next bunch you may have. I see you started small (that won't last long

belive me by next spring you will be wanting more

.

 

[elmo]

The cut edges of hardware cloth can be sharp, so you can cover it with duct tape to make sure nobody gets hurt. Just be sure to cover the top of your pen, too. I was amazed when my less than a week old bantams were able to fly straight up two feet to perch on the edge of their makeshift pen. Fortunately, I was right there to witness this, but if I hadn't been there...uh oh.

 

[kichohana]

Quote:
Carefully - wear gloves! I use tin snips, but previously i have used wire cutters. Just be careful of the sharp pointy ends after you cut - your arms can look like you had a wrestling match with a feral cat !