My PVC run.
DSCN1486 by CT122, on Flickr
It's 5x5', so not big enough for my 4 birds when full grown, but it works beautifully for now. I just drag it to a patch of lawn where there's a good mix of sun and shade. When, on occasion, a chick ends up outside the pyramid, they can climb right back in! The ladies do so reliably (although they aren't always able to find the opening without help), although the rooster will explore a short distance.
materials:
5 10' lengths of 1/2" PVC. To make them easier to transport, you can ask to have them cut at the store. 4 should be cut in half (giving you 8 5' pieces), and one should be cut in thirds (3'3" each) or into 3' sections (which leaves a short extra piece, when is what I did)
4 1/2" PVC elbow connectors
a short piece (less than 3') of PVC, dowel, or slender wood (optional)
chicken wire
hardware cloth
zip ties (use the dark colors, suitable for outdoor use)
tools:
drill with bit large enough to make hole zip ties fit through
wire cutters
PVC cutters or hack saw (if cutting PVC at home)
Make cuts in PVC.
Connect 4 5' lengths of PVC with connectors to make a square.
drill holes through both ends of remaining PVC pieces.
Using zip ties, attach one end of each 5' length to each corner of the square.
Take the non-attached ends of all four of the PVC pieces you just attached to the point above the square where they meet. attach to each other with zip ties.
Cut hardware cloth to the length of each side (5' plus the extra length of the elbow connectors). Attach the hardware cloth to the base (the square) so that 12" hangs below the pyramid base and the rest is above it. There will be extra cloth hanging off the sides, but lean the cloth in so that you can zip-tie it to the pyramid sides smoothly. Cut off excess. Repeat for all four sides.
Bend hardware cloth at the base so that it lies flat to the ground, with a skirt all around. Use leftover bits of hardware cloth to fill in the corners. Use zip ties to attach.
Cover remaining area above hardware cloth on THREE SIDES ONLY with chicken wire. Zip-tie in place. Use zip ties to connect chicken wire to hardware cloth, so that no gaps remain.
Take remaining 3' pieces of PVC, and form a triangle. Connect corners with zip ties. Wrap with chicken wire, which you can zip-tie into place.
Use a zip tie to connect one corner of the triangle to the top of the pyramid, on the side with the opening. It's OK to connect through zip ties rather than through holes in the PVC this time. This is your door. If the hardware cloth is gappy and there is a space between the side and the door, you can use the optional length of PVC or wood to stiffen up the edge of the cloth. either weave it through the top edge of the cloth, or zip tie it in place.
I use a couple of S-hooks to keep the door in place, but they aren't really required.
Note that this enclosure is suitable for daytime use, and only provides 25 sqf. True, I have proven that it will hold 4 chicks and 4 small children all at once, but that's not a great long-term plan. You will need to provide water, shelter and food if your birds will be spending the day in there.
DSCN1486 by CT122, on Flickr
It's 5x5', so not big enough for my 4 birds when full grown, but it works beautifully for now. I just drag it to a patch of lawn where there's a good mix of sun and shade. When, on occasion, a chick ends up outside the pyramid, they can climb right back in! The ladies do so reliably (although they aren't always able to find the opening without help), although the rooster will explore a short distance.
materials:
5 10' lengths of 1/2" PVC. To make them easier to transport, you can ask to have them cut at the store. 4 should be cut in half (giving you 8 5' pieces), and one should be cut in thirds (3'3" each) or into 3' sections (which leaves a short extra piece, when is what I did)
4 1/2" PVC elbow connectors
a short piece (less than 3') of PVC, dowel, or slender wood (optional)
chicken wire
hardware cloth
zip ties (use the dark colors, suitable for outdoor use)
tools:
drill with bit large enough to make hole zip ties fit through
wire cutters
PVC cutters or hack saw (if cutting PVC at home)
Make cuts in PVC.
Connect 4 5' lengths of PVC with connectors to make a square.
drill holes through both ends of remaining PVC pieces.
Using zip ties, attach one end of each 5' length to each corner of the square.
Take the non-attached ends of all four of the PVC pieces you just attached to the point above the square where they meet. attach to each other with zip ties.
Cut hardware cloth to the length of each side (5' plus the extra length of the elbow connectors). Attach the hardware cloth to the base (the square) so that 12" hangs below the pyramid base and the rest is above it. There will be extra cloth hanging off the sides, but lean the cloth in so that you can zip-tie it to the pyramid sides smoothly. Cut off excess. Repeat for all four sides.
Bend hardware cloth at the base so that it lies flat to the ground, with a skirt all around. Use leftover bits of hardware cloth to fill in the corners. Use zip ties to attach.
Cover remaining area above hardware cloth on THREE SIDES ONLY with chicken wire. Zip-tie in place. Use zip ties to connect chicken wire to hardware cloth, so that no gaps remain.
Take remaining 3' pieces of PVC, and form a triangle. Connect corners with zip ties. Wrap with chicken wire, which you can zip-tie into place.
Use a zip tie to connect one corner of the triangle to the top of the pyramid, on the side with the opening. It's OK to connect through zip ties rather than through holes in the PVC this time. This is your door. If the hardware cloth is gappy and there is a space between the side and the door, you can use the optional length of PVC or wood to stiffen up the edge of the cloth. either weave it through the top edge of the cloth, or zip tie it in place.
I use a couple of S-hooks to keep the door in place, but they aren't really required.
Note that this enclosure is suitable for daytime use, and only provides 25 sqf. True, I have proven that it will hold 4 chicks and 4 small children all at once, but that's not a great long-term plan. You will need to provide water, shelter and food if your birds will be spending the day in there.
