Portable

[egeesaman]

My chickens have torn apart their run and it was impossible to keep any grass in there no matter how hard I tried. So we repurposed a broken trampoline into a portable chicken run. They are so happy! I got some 7' deer fence, some small plastic fence posts and put it all together with zip ties in about an hour. In the mornings we put them in, pick up each side (thinking of putting on wheels or casters to make it easier to move) and put them around the yard with a portable feeder and waterer. At night we do it all in reverse.

chicken run

 

[Aunt Tat]

I LOVE how people use their higher thinking skills to "use what you have" or are always on the look-out for discarded things that are just awaiting a chance to be useful again! Good for you! (That's a real treasure you found there!)

 

[21hens-incharge]

How does that work for egg laying and weather protection?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC, that's creative. Even my California White might not be able to fly out of deer netting.

You'll probably want to add some shade and weather protection to it as you go along, but it seems extremely useful.

Is your yard fenced against dogs and other predators?

 

[egeesaman]

This was right after we constructed it, so we didn't have it located well yet. They LOVE under the pine trees and we do too. Always a pain to mow, and they destroy the dandelions and enjoy dirt baths and the grubs. We're going to solidify the top a bit more. We at in town so don't have an issue with predators and we put them outside of the dogs buried fence, as my lab thinks he would love to torment them!

 

[egeesaman]

How does that work for egg laying and weather protection?

We don't put them out until they are done laying in the morning but once in a while we find a lone egg in the grass. We don't put them out in it on days they will want to be in the coop, but perfect for good weather. We do move it so they get shade (and the nice loose dirt under trees)

 

[3KillerBs]

We don't put them out until they are done laying in the morning but once in a while we find a lone egg in the grass. We don't put them out in it on days they will want to be in the coop, but perfect for good weather. We do move it so they get shade (and the nice loose dirt under trees)

My hens don't reliably lay only in the morning. I've gotten eggs as late as between dinner and dusk. Maybe you could mount a nestbox to the frame so they have a place to lay and won't form a bad habit of laying in random areas?