When you keep chickens ( or any animals) you have a responsibility to keep them safe. I have gone through several hen areas and each one gets better. Over the last year we did loose two hens to a mink and one to an owl. Each time I rebuilt their home.]]>
I think the latest is the best. I picked up a really nice hen house from a neighbor who was not going to have chickens anymore. It just fit in my truck. It is a nice secure nesting and sleeping home. The problem was how was I going to be able to lock them up at night and still give them a yard to peck around in until I let them out in the morning.
So, I built what is called a chicken tractor.
I used 2 x 2 cedar and metal l brackets.
I covered it with hardware cloth.
I used the slap hammer to attach the cloth.
I used plastic roofing panels that let in light but keep them dry in the rain.
It's meant to be mobil. You can use it to move chickens around in the yard. I use it so the chickens have a place to be in the mornings until I let them out in the big yard.
It needs to be easy to move so we can clean in there. It's big enough to take two of us but it tips up easily.
Now we can clean the area with lots of help from the chickens and dogs.
After cleaning we just lower it back down and push the ramp into the door.
I also ran the hardware cloth about 2" below the bottom rail so I can bury it in the dirt. That helps to keep the mice and other small varmits out of the hen house.
Chicken tractors can be made in any size and are a pretty inexpensive way to keep them safe.
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