However, sometimes it is not feasible for the chicken to be allowed to roam freely where they want to go. Why You Should Not Use Chicken Wire and What to Use Instead. We designed the first portable chicken coop using green pipes with the idea that urban and suburban folks may want to make their coop as unobtrusive and attractive as possible. And, dont worry, theyre programmable so you dont have to be concerned about closing your hens out. The most common livestock guardian dog breeds are Great Pyrenees. is yet another ingenious integration of chicken tunneling. The Ultimate Guide to Raising Chickens for Eggs. For areas where you would like to put chickens wire use 1/2 galvanized hardware cloth instead. Rot creates weak areas in the coop's infrastructure. (Remember, some predators can squeeze into remarkably small openings.). Flimsy, poor quality products, such as hinges, are easy for larger, more agile predators to destroy and gain entry. All were shrink-wrapped. This lip will act as a support for the other large plywood semicircle, which youll screw on when putting them together to create the roof. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $5 and get 6 issues of MOTHER EARTH NEWS for only $17.95 (USA only). Since you must have a predator problem on hand, here are additional tips that might help you out. Dont risk losing your backyard chickens to predators! At this point, you really dont have a choice but to find a way to contain your wayward flock. Hardware cloth (the finer mesh the better) is more expensive but much more of a deterrent. Although this design is predator-proof, it's not permanent. Each coop needs about 31 linear feet of 36-inch-wide, 1-by-2-inch welded wire mesh to cover the sides and top of the coop, as well as a 10-foot piece of 48-inch-wide, 2-by-4-inch welded wire mesh for the bottom. I helped care for about 80 chickens in TN, but now live in CO. Shipping and taxes calculated at checkout. Its so light that one person can easily lift either end to shift it to new ground and fresh grass. You can use low cost materials or add in some better stuff either way, it is sturdy. Build a tunnel under every gateway out of culvert or concrete block so the hens can easily move between all sections of the moat. The easiest way to do it is to let it run along the fence, starting from the coop. It also allows your chickens to get up off the ground to higher levels of safety. Bury hardware cloth 12 inches down all around the coop to protect from rodents and other burrowing animals. These are often constructed by digging a trench down 12 around the entire perimeter of your chicken run and burying the hardware cloth beneath the ground. (rarely used, prefabricated chicken tunnels occasionally come in this shape). When they grow to be too large, our hens would pace the perimeter searching for the smallest breach in the fence so they could scoot underneath and find freedom. (Two years ago, when our neighbors garden was nearly devastated by grasshoppers, our hens gorged themselves on the invading horde and saved our plot.) Right triangle (typically used along fencing), Left triangle (typically used along fencing). I had a few raccoons that werent affected by the Predator Guard for some reason (they were chill raccoons, I guess), but the deterrent spikes I placed on top of fences where they were coming from helped 100%. It is always a good idea to have a safe run enclosure for the chickens attached to their chicken coop even if they dont use it very often. If you really dont want nighttime animals to be around your coop in the first place, what really works for me are 2 things. Lastly, you get to sit and watch them roam and run through the tunnels. The rectangular coop kit is less expensive because it doesn't use pre-bent hoops, and because the white pipe is less costly. Having a few laying hens in the backyard has almost become the icon of todays self-sufficiency movement. It's a great idea for your coop to have windows because in the winter the chickens will spend most of their time in there, the light and view of the outdoors will help a lot. This portable predator proof chicken coop DIY is low-cost and easy to make for just about anyone. In just one day, the young chickens in this chicken tunnel cleared the path to bare dirt. Circo Innovations offers three styles of coop frame kits to MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers (see list below). ), a hot wire around the coop might be a deterrent you need to consider. But one evening we had a raccoon break into our first chicken coop at dusk. Make sure you construct your coop with heavy gauge hardware. I hope this idea works well for him. Follow when to start seeds indoors, zone 6 tips, and a calendar for your successful indoor seed starting. This added security will prevent raccoons from ripping the staples out. This will help predator proof for digging predators. Now, youre ready to assemble the fertilization station. Hey all, I'm rather new to chickens, I have 16 between the ages of 4 and 8 weeks. The first layer of protection should be a predator apron. Once you cut out one end (and double-check that it fits the wire mesh), copy it onto the other piece of plywood. The predator resistant chicken run of the Eglu Go features a protective skirt to keep your chickens safe inside The Predator Resistant Chicken Run The optional chicken run for the Eglu Go is made from strong steel weld mesh which is virtually impossible for predators to break. In 2007, Long presented another coop idea in Portable Chicken Mini-Coop Plan. The hens patrol around the garden on the lookout for weeds, seeds, worms, tiny pieces of stones and (best of all) bugs. Mark one circle in the middle, overlapping the two plywood pieces. Plus, nothing can beat those farm-fresh eggs! There are mixed reviews as to how well these works, but it doesnt hurt to try if you dont have other options available to you right away. Just make sure the grass around the perimeter isnt tall enough to short out the fence. If keeping an extra large dog on your property simply isnt an option, you might be able to mimic having one. Well, the simplest way is using one of the four shapes to form the framework. Thats what it looks like. DIY Home Biodiesel Production: Make Your Own Fuel. Position your trap near your coop and entice the predators with bait that is even more luring than the chickens themselves will be. Various materials are used in constructing a chunnel which range from, Chickeneers put their thinking caps on and come up with some. Hands down, my favorite way to prevent animals from burrowing under my chicken coop and run is the predator apron system. A simple way to accomplish this is to cut a piece of string 4 feet long, use it to create the curve, then trace and cut it out. Consider planting taller perennials to pull double duty as forage and cover from predators. Undaunted, Long next designed an ultra-sturdy coop, MOTHERs Mighty Chicken-Mobile, in 2011s Build an Affordable, Portable and Predator-Proof Chicken Coop. or outdoor area have become a trend among chickeneers, especially in urban settings. When I think about predators, I think about how outside critters can do harm to my flock. The chicken moat provides a clean edge around the garden, keeping down the migration of unwanted grasses, weeds and insects into our plot. that we have seen! This portable unit costs about $370 and weighs less than 50 pounds with all of the mesh and fittings included. 3 Methods for Heating Greenhouses for Free. When considering design, one of the most important things that you want to think about is how to predator proof the run. Perhaps its overkill, but if you dont want to take any chances, you can cover the bottom of the entire chicken run with hardware cloth. All of Omlet's chicken coops and runs come with features designed to prevent predators from getting in. The closer the electric net spacing, the more effective it is against smaller predators. If you are planning to leave them and let them stay in it you'll want to make sure its predator proof. If you simply can not remember to close up your chickens at night or youre not home in the evenings, the best way to protect your flock is to take advantage of a nifty piece of modern technology: automatic chicken doors. The chunnel can be as long as you want, but youll have to attach it to a wooden base, so its easiest to match it to a common length of lumber. This portable coop with a welded iron frame is solid and predator-proof indeed, and it will last forever, but Long reports the steel frame makes it too heavy for some people to move easily (and youd have to find a welder to build it for you if you dont have that skill). Take your hens a few treats in the evening and pass them out in the coop. Lauren Arcuri Ware is an expert in homesteading, including raising chickens for eggs and meat, keeping bees, growing fruits and vegetables, and preserving. This portable predator proof chicken coop DIY is low-cost and easy to make for just about anyone. It can be made from wood and shingles, corrugated metal, or even plastic sheeting used in greenhouses. This is one of many cheap chicken coop ideas we have to offer. If you like to feed your hens treats(And who doesnt? However, the coop requires a fair amount of carpentry skills to build, and the cost of the materials and the required tools are beyond some folks budgets. . This will allow the lids to rest flush with the plywood. For the most protection (vs things short of a bear) hardware cloth on any opening larger than 1/2". Also. The completed rectangular coop kit costs around $300 less than the hooped coop, because it uses less expensive white plastic pipe, but it requires slightly more welded wire mesh. Its intended for three or four hens, costs only about $100 in materials and can be assembled in a few hours from standard welded wire fencing. This portable chicken coop plan includes an inexpensive plastic doghouse, slightly modified, to shelter the chickens. Then, screw the 1-by-3 boards into the end caps. Its crammed with information, and every poultry keeper will refer to it again and again. Assisted hatch. Thank you Pasindu! Put your chickens safely out to pasture with this chicken tractor DIY project. Official BYC Poll: How Often Do You Clean Your Coop? Center it over the ends, and affix it to the top of each end cap with a large washer and a screw. Here are some of the things I did when I designed my chicken coop and run. DIY Home Biodiesel Production: Make Your Own Fuel. Install the remaining 4-inch 1-by-3 boards about 3/8 inch in from the previous eight pieces, creating slots to sandwich the mesh in place. Lay down the hardware cloth and cover it with a layer of topsoil. Chili has a long history in American cooking and Southwestern culinary tradition, with simple ingredients and broad appeal. Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance, https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208, https://www.backyardchickens.com/thder-2020-version.1529488/page-7#post-25809665. For this green coop, we simulated the shape of the classic hoop house or high tunnel. Leg problems. Now we have a new and improved incarnation of the portable chicken coop with your choice of shapes. A reel of poly wire and a portable solar charger are an inexpensive option that can save you and your flock from devastation in the long run. The pieces of the coop frames glue together easily, strongly and permanently. Predator Guard introduces a pair of flashing red lights that animals assume is a set of eyes. Kimberlee Bastien is a homesteader and author who traded her suburban life for a century-old farm where she and her husband challenged themselves to learn 52 homesteading skills in a year. It scares foxes, deer, wolves, coyotes, skunks, bears, and many other nighttime predators. LaySomeEggs.com may contain links to affiliate websites, and I receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. For others these might include large cats and bears too. You are using an out of date browser. It sits neatly on a 4-by-10-foot raised garden bed, with a little room to spare so the chickens wont throw all the dirt out of the bed. How to keep sparrows/wild birds out of run!? Because your chickens have the area to roam within the tunnels, they are not bunched together, where disease loves to thrive. It, too, is so light that anyone can move it easily, and is big enough for four birds.