Walking is very useful for animals, especially for chickens. They oxygenate, eat herbs, and also bask in the sun, getting vitamin D, which is involved in the formation of calcium. But not everyone can afford a full-fledged area for walking, so it makes sense to make a chicken pen with your own hands. We will tell you how to do it in our article.

Pen Features

Chickens are very fond of walking. Therefore, we will say in advance that it is not necessary to save the area for the construction of a corral, it is better to take it with a margin. For one bird, it is better to allocate 2 sq.m. - this will be enough to ensure comfort. Grass must be present, but it should not be high so as not to block the sun's rays. It is better to choose a secluded place, since the frequent presence of people can reduce egg production.

Quality fencing can protect livestock from land-based predators as well as external hazards. Also, in case of rain, they will have somewhere to hide if you install a canopy.

We build on our own

The simplest corral is a construction in the form of a square or rectangle. It is being built on a green area with the help of bars and a mesh that fits them. For this, a chain-link mesh is also suitable, the size of the holes of which should not be more than 1.5 cm. This is enough to prevent predators from attacking chickens, and stealing food from birds and rodents.

The back wall of the corral is often boarded to protect the livestock from the wind. From above, it is desirable to allocate a site for installing a roof - this will secure the paddock. It can be immediately built-in or removable. For these purposes, a slate sheet or an ordinary gable roof is suitable.

The bottom of the corral can be made in the form of a flood foundation or a dug-in grid. To prevent the formation of dirt during the life of chickens, you can remove the top 30 cm of the earth layer, and then pour 2 cm of lime. Fill the rest with sand or small stones. The finished design can be seen in the photo, and instructions on how to do it yourself - in the video.

Tools and materials

Let's make a simple summer pen for 10 chickens. Its size will be 2x7 meters. We will make a door so that the farmer can easily walk to the birds, and the corral itself will be attached to the chicken coop. The necessary materials can be purchased at any hardware store:

• wooden bars with a section of 100 mm, 8 pcs. plus at least 2 bars on the door. If the height approaches 2 m, then you should also install transverse horizontal bars along the entire length, with your own hands, for stability;
• axe;
• chain-link mesh with a hole diameter of 1.5 cm and a length of 17 m. The height is selected individually, but it is better from 1 meter. It is also worth considering an additional 20 cm in height for digging into the ground;
• short nails, from 16 pcs. for the main structure, 6 pcs. on the gate and 8 pcs. on the roof;
• hammer;
• bolt lock for the paddock door;
• shovel.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Initially, bars are taken, which are sharpened with an ax for better entry into the ground. To prevent the beam from deforming when it is driven into the ground, it is better to put a flat board on top of it.
2. A mesh is stretched along the perimeter of the dug-in bars. In order for it to be securely fastened, it is covered with nails, which are wrapped around the bends of the mesh at the halfway point of entering the tree. It is better to pull not with your own hands, but with gloves.
3. Doors are being built. They should be located near one of the main bars. A part of the mesh is cut with wire cutters and framed from the sides with bars, which are fixed to it with nails. A deadbolt lock is attached to the structure, which will have an entrance on an adjacent beam. You can also install full doors.
4. We dig the selected 20 cm nets into the ground to protect the bird from predators who will try to dig a passage.
5. We also cover the roof of the paddock with a net, fastening it with nails to the bars. It needs to be pulled tight so that sagging areas do not form.
6. The corral is attached to the chicken coop building with nails. You can also use wire attachments.

Thus, it turns out a corral that provides walking chickens with their own hands. It is quite spacious and protected from predators, as well as with a minimum of costs.

How to make a portable pen?

Portable structures of pens are designed for rearing young animals. Similar instructions are often found on various videos. As a rule, they are designed for one laying hen with chickens or a small number of young animals. It is small in size and easy to build with your own hands, which makes it possible to move it. This is very convenient, because such a corral provides the bird with an open area and sunlight, making it possible to eat grass, worms and insects.

A ready-made portable pen can be made as a separate structure, or with an attached small chicken coop. This is practical, because the bird can always hide from the rain or fall asleep in a secluded room. A separate option provides greater mobility and can be performed without a roof covering, in case the chickens sleep in a separate chicken coop.

When the chicks have used up the supply of grass in a given area, you can simply move the pen to a fresh area. It should be noted that for 1 sq. m accounts for 4 chickens. You can watch a special training video at the bottom of the article.

Tools and materials

You can make an economical option with a do-it-yourself mesh roof so that the bird sleeps in this pen, or you can make a roof from tilted slate. The optimal size for a portable do-it-yourself corral is the dimensions: 200x100x60 cm. The design is done in a short time, creates a comfortable walking area. Consider the option without the extension of the chicken coop:

• you will need 11 boards, 60 cm high. They are installed every 1 m. 7 pieces are used for the main structure, as in the photo, the remaining 4 for the door (it is not necessary, but it can be convenient for the chickens to enter the pen themselves);
• 4 boards, 1 m long and 4 pcs. 2 m long for the upper and lower base;
• 6 meters of metal mesh, its cells should be 10x10 mm;
• at least 20 small cloves so that the sharp corners do not catch the chicken and chickens;
• bolt lock or any other convenient one, loops;
• hammer.

Step-by-step instruction

1. First you need to make the basis of the whole structure with your own hands. To do this, we attach with nails vertical boards 60 cm high to long horizontal ones, in increments of 1 m.
2. Separately, we install boards for the door, as seen in the photo, in a rectangular shape. We install a lock and hinges for them.
3. We cover the entire shape with a mesh.
4. We fix it with nails along the entire length and separately on the door structure.

As you can see in the photo, making a corral with your own hands is not so difficult. With it, you can provide a comfortable walking chickens at any time of the year. They will receive comfortable accommodation and the necessary vitamins.

Photo gallery

Video "Building a quality paddock"

The video shows the process of how to make a paddock for walking yourself.

Breeding chickens is popular in agriculture. Birds provide eggs and meat, the sale of which brings a good, stable profit to the breeder. However, without a chicken coop and paddock for birds, farmers will not be able to control the movement of their numerous farmsteads.

In addition to the main food, birds are happy to peck grass and dig up seeds from the ground. Therefore, a fenced space is necessary for birds.

To minimize costs, you can build a corral for chickens with your own hands. The process will take a lot of time, but the result will meet expectations.

Most often, walking, for walking chickens, is fenced with a metal mesh. Its height is at least two meters. Otherwise, the bird will fly over the obstacle. The place reserved for the aviary can be sown with grass.

Preparation for construction

Before you build a pen, you need to accurately calculate all the costs, determine the location of the paddock. Only after this stage, you can begin the construction process itself.

Choose a place

The creation of a paddock begins with accurate measurements of the area. It is recommended to install a paddock where the birds will be, as far as possible from the house. It does give off an unpleasant odor. And if you make a building at a decent distance from the house, it will not be felt.

Cooking material

First you need to draw up a project of the premises. This will help to calculate the required amount of materials for the house.

On the construction market, you need to purchase approximately ten meters of an iron mesh netting with a cell size of about a square centimeter. You will also need wooden blocks from which you can make walls and. Their number depends on the desired length and width of the room.

In addition to materials for building a poultry house, additional tools will come in handy. You will need nails, a saw, an ax, an iron mesh for fencing. With all the necessary materials and tools, you can build a wonderful paddock for chickens.

Step-by-step instruction

The first step is the foundation. The building of the premises begins with the foundation. So that the birds do not stain their paws and plumage, a shallow layer of soil is removed along the perimeter of the future corral. Then the place for keeping chickens wakes up with lime, small stones or sand. Further, in the corners of the house, it is necessary to make supports by digging wooden beams into the ground, the height should be about two meters.

Step two - walls. Now you can lay out the walls of the chicken coop from wooden beams. It is important to build a spacious paddock in which they will move freely. If the paddock is being built for summer time, a chain-link will suffice. Along the perimeter of the floor, walls and ceiling, a mesh is attached to the supports, with the help of nails.

Step three - perch. Laying hens definitely need a perch in a corral. To do this, build a wooden box of arbitrary size. Saw off three pieces of the same length from the board. They will serve as the basis and longitudinal walls of the perch. Connect the boards to each other perpendicularly so that an inverted letter "P" is obtained.

Now you need to fix the other two walls to the perch. Measure the required height of the boards, saw off, then attach perpendicularly to the base. The walls are also fastened together with nails. At the end, cover the perch with straw.

Step four is the door. This is where a mesh that is attached to a wooden structure comes in handy. The width of the door can be arbitrary, but its height should be equal to the size of the corral walls. In addition to the rectangle, which will serve as a frame, a transverse bar is needed. It is attached to the longitudinal door boards and serves as an additional support for the mesh.

Step five is the roof. To protect the paddock from external influences, an ordinary sheet of slate is suitable, which covers the building. The design will allow birds to hide from bad weather or from the hot sun. The paddock can be covered with a sheet of polycarbonate, screwing it with the most common self-tapping screws.

It is necessary to prepare perches where the birds will spend the night. It uses wooden beams that are attached to the walls of the corral parallel to the floor. Depending on the number of birds, feeders, drinkers and nest stands are installed. These are all the necessary elements that should be in any chicken coop.

If you doubt your abilities, you can watch the training video. With its help, the technical side of the issue and the sequence of actions will become clear. After a while, the pen for laying hens, made by yourself, will be ready.

How to make a portable pen?

If there are few layers in the courtyard, they can be placed in a portable pen. This design can be moved to places with fresh grass. Most often, the paddock is used in the summer and for rearing young animals. However, for chickens, a pen is made smaller than for adults.

To make a portable aviary, it is not necessary to prepare the foundation. It is enough to assemble the frame and fit it with a metal mesh. The ceiling of the structure will be slate, plywood or polycarbonate. Before starting construction, you can find and study the video with step-by-step instructions.

So, a portable corral is assembled from improvised materials. As a rule, wooden slats or plastic pipes, and a metal mesh are used for its construction. The construction of the corral begins with the connection of wooden boards to each other. The result is a rectangle, exactly the same design will be needed to fix the walls of the corral.

At the corners of the figure, as well as along the perimeter of the structure, rails of the same length are vertically attached. It is determined by the farmer depending on the desired height of the building. A second rectangle is attached to these wooden pieces. The frame for a portable range is ready. Now you need to fit the structure with a mesh.

Poultry is best kept free-range, but not every household has such conditions. To ensure the safety of beds and flower beds, as well as to protect the birds themselves from dogs and wild predators, you need to buy or build a paddock. Purchased options have one big disadvantage - high cost, while home-made ones will cost much less, because you can use a wide variety of improvised materials for their manufacture. What should be a pen for chickens and how to build it with your own hands?

A standard corral is an area fenced around the perimeter with a mesh, metal grating or boards. As a rule, it is located near the chicken coop so that the bird can go out into the fresh air directly from the barn, and in the fence itself they make a door or gate for the owners. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe corral can be only a couple of squares, or it can be quite spacious - it all depends on the availability of free space in the suburban area. There are a lot of options for such pens, but they are all divided into two types - mobile and stationary.

Mobile paddocks

Mobile pens are used in the warm season, allowing birds to graze on fresh grass. They are compact, lightweight, covered with a net or a canopy on top so that the chickens do not fly over low walls. There are portable designs, equipped with protruding handles on the sides, there are more convenient ones - on wheels. Such pens are easily moved on a flat area by the efforts of one person, unlike portable ones that need to be lifted by two.

For chickens, portable pens are made in the form of large cages, and the chicks are there only during the daytime. All that such structures are equipped with is a drinking bowl, a feeder and some kind of canopy from the sun and rain. It is too problematic to drive adult chickens from the chicken coop to the pen and back every day, so they are there all the time. For this reason, a mini-chicken coop with a perch and a nest for laying hens is additionally equipped in the corral. To save usable space, the chicken house is often installed on high supports, due to which it occupies the upper part of the pen and does not interfere with the walking of the bird.

In terms of the shape of the structure, rectangular, triangular and arched pens are most often found. Wooden beams, boards, steel pipes, fittings are used as building materials for the frame. Lightweight mini-pens are made from PVC pipes. The frame is most often covered with a metal mesh - welded or chain-link, but some also use a polymer mesh with small cells. Fabric nets are not recommended, as the birds stick their heads through the holes and get tangled. Protection from rain, wind and sunlight is provided using polycarbonate, slate, corrugated board and other similar materials from which a canopy can be built.

Stationary pens

Stationary paddocks are used year-round. Fences are installed close to the walls of the chicken coop, and the birds go out on their own. When keeping chickens of meat breeds that cannot fly high, the corral is left open, and the height of the fence does not exceed 1.5 meters. For ordinary chickens, the height is increased to 2 m or the corral is made closed by pulling the net from above. A closed top is also made if there is a danger of an attack by birds of prey, which can easily drag away not only young animals, but also adult chicken.

It is not necessary to make a canopy from the rain in such a pen, since the chickens themselves hide from the weather in the barn. But it is desirable to shade part of the corral from the sun, especially if the site is located on the south side. Many owners plant trees inside the fence, if the area allows. The type of tree does not really matter, the main thing is that the crown is thick and wide. If the site is very small, then make a light canopy from improvised materials.

Preparation for construction

The construction of a corral does not require special knowledge or much experience, so anyone who knows how to use a construction tool can handle this task without outside help. In order for the corral to turn out to be reliable and convenient, you should correctly calculate the dimensions, choose a place, and carefully select materials for construction.

But first you need to decide on the type of paddock. If the number of chickens does not exceed 15-20 heads, and there are free grazing areas on the estate, a mobile pen with a summer chicken coop would be the best solution. It takes up little space, easily moves around the site, the bird always has fresh grass. In addition, this is a great way to get rid of weeds - in a few days, chickens will peck out every last blade of grass.

If there are no opportunities for grazing or the livestock is too large, a stationary paddock is needed. In this case, you should choose the right place, prepare it in order to create the most comfortable conditions for the bird.

Advice. It is advisable to start building a corral before the chickens grow up and move from the box to the barn. This will allow you to calmly, without haste, choose a place, determine the dimensions and drawing, and carefully prepare the materials.

Prices for chicken coops for birds

chicken coops

Material selection and area calculation

When choosing a material, you need to consider the type of construction. For portable and mobile pens, you need to choose lighter materials to make it easier for you to move the product to a new place. Best of all for the construction of the frame, wooden bars with a cross section of 50x50 mm are suitable. There are options from PVC pipes: the structure is light and strong enough, however, it costs a little more than wooden ones.

The frame of a stationary corral should be as strong and durable as possible, so preference should be given to metal pipes, and steel corners should be used as lintels. The beam is also suitable, but it must be treated in advance with a protective impregnation against decay, otherwise the racks will have to be changed after a few seasons.

As for the mesh, here the fine-mesh galvanized mesh, chain-link or welded mesh is considered the best choice. You should not take a cheap mesh (without a protective coating), because it will not last long. After the first rain, rust will appear on it, and after 2-3 seasons it can be thrown away.

A good option is a polymer mesh, but only on condition that there are no rats or martens on the site, which easily gnaw through plastic.

The choice of cell size depends on the age of the bird: for adult chickens, a chain-link with a cell of 50x50 mm is quite suitable, for chickens - 20x20 mm. If it is a welded mesh, then the optimal mesh size will be 25x50 mm and 25x25 mm.

Netting prices

The calculation of the area is made taking into account the number of poultry. The larger the corral area, the better, since in crowded places chickens get sick more often, rush worse and fight among themselves. On average, 1 m2 is required per hen, therefore, a corral for 10 hens should not be less than 10 m2. In this case, the shape of the fenced area can be any, depending on the availability of free space.

To correctly calculate the dimensions and quantity of materials, you need to draw a drawing or pick up a ready-made one. There are many options with detailed parameters, so choosing the most suitable one is not difficult. With self-compilation, the drawing indicates the location of the main racks and lintels, the width of the canopy, the parameters of the chicken house. If this is a stationary paddock, the area is preliminarily measured to avoid errors in the calculations.

Location selection

For a stationary corral, the location is of particular importance. The paddock should be dry, closed on the north side, located as far as possible from the roadway. In principle, if the place for the chicken coop is chosen correctly, then the conditions for the corral are suitable. A fence is installed on the south side of the chicken coop, while the wall of the shed simultaneously serves as the wall of the corral. If there is very little free space in front of the barn, you can fence off the area around the perimeter of the building or on the side, the main thing is to arrange a direct exit for the bird from the chicken coop to the pen. In this case, the north side of the fence should be solid, for example, from slate or corrugated board.

If it is planned to build both a chicken coop and a corral at the same time, a hinged option is perfect to save space, that is, building a chicken coop on high pillars. With this arrangement of the structure, the place under the chicken coop is also used for walking and there is no need to build a separate canopy from rain and sun. Such buildings are found quite often in small cottages, where every centimeter of area counts.

The selected area needs to be prepared: remove large stones, debris, make sure that there is no broken glass in the soil. Grass should be removed along the perimeter of the future fence and a layer of turf should be removed to a depth of 10-15 cm. If there are deep recesses, they should be covered with fine gravel and earth to prevent the formation of puddles during rain. After that, you can proceed directly to the construction.

Do-it-yourself ways to build corrals

Stationary open paddock from chain-link mesh

This is one of the easiest options that does not require much time and effort. For construction you will need:

• galvanized mesh in rolls;
• steel pipes with a diameter of 50-100 mm;
• knitting wire;
• Bulgarian;
• wire cutters;
• roulette;
• hammer;
• building level;
• manual drill;
• concrete solution.

Prices for angle grinders (grinders)

Angle grinders (grinders)

Step 1. Mark the location of the corner posts of the corral. To do this, measure the width of the corral from one corner of the chicken coop, then repeat the same on the other side. The distance from both marks to the wall should be the same.

Step 2 They determine which side the gate should be on, and mark the width of the opening along the marking line. On average, the width of the gate varies from 80 to 100 cm, depending on the complexion of the owners of the site.

Step 3 Between the corner posts, marks are made in increments of 1.5-2 m for intermediate posts, without which the mesh will sag.

Step 4 With the help of a hand drill, pits 40-50 cm deep and slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe are made by marking. If the soil is too soft and loose, the diameter should be increased to 30-40 cm.

Step 5 The pipes are cut to the desired length (the depth to which the racks will be dug into the ground must be added to the height of the fence) and lowered into the pits. Fine gravel and sand are poured, the racks are leveled vertically and in height, the pits are poured with concrete. Once again, the level of the location of the pipes is checked, if necessary, corrected, left in this position for 3 days, so that the solution seizes properly.

Step 6 From the outside, metal hooks are welded onto the pipes: the lower one is 15 cm above the soil level, the upper one is 10-15 cm lower than the top of the pipe and one in the middle.

Step 7 To the wall of the shed, where the mesh will be attached, a wooden block 50x50 mm is nailed or a metal corner with drilled holes for the wire is screwed with self-tapping screws.

Step 8 The edge of the mesh is fixed on the shed with nails or knitting wire, then pulled between the posts, clinging to the hooks. All posts should be inside the perimeter, not outside.

A grid of different rolls is interconnected with a wire pulled from the edge of the grid. You can also use knitting wire. Now it remains only to make and install the gate. The simplest gate is a rectangular frame made of a profile pipe with a mesh welded on top. Instead of pipes, you can assemble a frame from bars, reinforced at the corners with metal plates. Next, install the hinges and hang the gate in its place.

On soft, loose soil, it is recommended to dig the lower edge of the net 15-20 cm around the entire perimeter, as chickens like to rake the ground and can accidentally crawl out of the corral. If the area is rocky, there is no need to dig in the mesh, it is enough that it touches the surface of the soil. When fixing the mesh with a knitting wire, make sure that its sharp ends do not stick out into the fence - birds can catch them and get hurt.

Stationary corral with a canopy

To build such a pen you will need:

• profile pipes with a section of 20x40 mm, 40x40 mm and 60x60 mm;
• polycarbonate sheets;
• chain-link mesh or welded;
• drill;
• Bulgarian;
• welding machine;
• nuts and bolts;
• level and tape measure;
• knitting wire.

Prices for popular models of welding machines

Welders

Step 1. Perform marking under the bearing racks. The first row of racks should be located at a distance of 40-50 cm from the wall, the second row - the width of the corral. The step between the racks in a row is 2-2.5 meters.

Step 2 According to the marking, pits are dug 100 cm deep and 30-40 cm in diameter.

Step 3 Larger pipes are cut with a grinder to the required length. Racks located near the wall should rise about one and a half meters above the roof eaves, the second row of supports is made lower by 50 cm to create a slope for water flow.

Step 4 The first pipe is lowered into the pit, the vertical is leveled, covered with rubble and concreted. All other pipes are installed in the same way, controlling the height and verticality. Until the concrete sets well, work will have to be suspended for 3 days.

Step 5 For greater stability of the frame, a 20x40 mm profile is screwed to the barn wall on both sides. The length of the profile must correspond to the height of the wall, and it must be located in the same plane as the end posts.

Step 6 They make a canopy. Along the upper edge of the racks, the upper strapping belt is welded from a profile pipe 40x40 mm. Between the uprights, at a distance of 20 cm from the upper belt, the lower one is welded using a 40x20 mm pipe. Braces are welded between the belts from pipe sections 40x20 mm, fixing them at an angle of 45 degrees.

Step 7 Rafters from boards are attached to the resulting canopy trusses. To do this, a metal corner of 40x40 mm is cut with a grinder into parts 4-5 cm wide, 2 holes are drilled in each part and welded to the upper belt in increments of 60-70 cm. Next, rafters from boards with a section of 40x120 mm are laid on top and screwed with screws. All rafters must be located strictly in the same plane.

Advice. First, it is desirable to try on the boards to the frame, make an exact fit to avoid distortions, and then remove and treat with a protective compound. You can attach them only after complete drying.

Step 8 A crate of boards with a section of 25x100 mm is stuffed over the rafters, in increments of 35-40 cm, after which polycarbonate is laid and fixed with thermal washers.

Step 9 Now you need to make a strapping from a profile of a smaller section. The profile is cut to size, tried on to the supports from the outside, the fixation points are marked. Further, according to the marks, holes are drilled for the bolts in the racks and crossbars. The lower trim should be located at a level of 5-10 cm from the ground, the upper one - at a height of 1.5-1.7 m. When installing the crossbars, you need to leave an opening for the gate.

Step 10 If part of the corral is planned to be taken away for walking chickens, in that place along the perimeter they make a fence made of fine-mesh mesh up to 40 cm high. The mesh is pulled from the outside and tied with wire or plastic clamps.

Step 11 Stretch a chain-link mesh over the frame and fix it with a knitting wire. If desired, you can weld hooks on the poles and hang the net on them.

Step 12 Hinges are welded to the canopy rack, then a gate is applied and attachment points are marked. Having screwed the upper parts of the hinges, the gate is hung in its place. A valve is welded to another post at the opening, onto which the gate will close.

Mobile paddock

For the construction of a mobile structure you will need:

• dry strong boards with a section of 30x100 mm;
• moisture resistant plywood 18 mm thick;
• bars with a section of 20x40 mm;
• galvanized mesh.

In addition, you will need a carpentry tool, screws and nails, a construction stapler.

Construction stages	Description
	From 3 boards with a length of 2438 mm and 3 with a length of 1626 mm, the side wall of the corral is assembled. For short boards, the upper ends are cut at an angle of 60 degrees, the lower ones at an angle of 30 degrees. A mesh is stretched between the lower and middle crossbars and fixed with stapler staples.
	The side walls are connected in the upper part with self-tapping screws, two crossbars are attached below. Both ends of each cross member are cut at an angle of 30 degrees
	Between the side walls, in the middle of the frame, spacers are nailed with a pitch of 337 mm. The ends of the struts, like those of the crossbars, are cut at an angle of 30 degrees
	The upper part of the frame is sheathed with plywood sheets on both sides. In the ridge part, two wooden planks are stuffed over the plywood. The ends of the structure are covered with a mesh
	Wooden planks are stuffed over the mesh and sheathing, which provide additional rigidity to the structure.

After that, it remains to install and secure the board with stuffed transverse slats inside the frame so that the chickens can climb the perch on their own.

Video - Pen for chickens

Video - Chain-link chicken pen

The basis of successful breeding of birds is their proper maintenance. To do this, it is important to properly equip the aviary for chickens. The main task of this structure is not only the safety of livestock, but also an increase in productivity. Therefore, before making an aviary with their own hands, they study all the requirements for this building.

Summer aviary for chickens

Types of enclosures

All options for the design of enclosures are divided according to several criteria:

• Mobility. So allocate a stationary, portable and mobile aviary.
• Portable and mobile types of poultry houses are suitable for walking a small number of chickens. Such structures allow birds to have constant access to fresh grass. In the event that the chickens have already plucked out all the grass, the aviary is moved to a new area with thick grass. A mobile aviary is an improved version of a portable one, since the existing wheels provide greater mobility. Such facilities are chosen by poultry farmers who prefer summer keeping of birds. If the farmer's priority is year-round maintenance, then you should choose a stationary aviary (chicken coop). Despite the fact that there is no such indicator as mobility, this poultry house has a number of other advantages: the solidity of the structure, the ability to accommodate more birds.
• Installation method. According to this criterion, suspended and ground structures are distinguished. The basis of the suspended enclosure are supports, which excludes its contact with the ground and provides greater protection from predators. You can increase the degree of safety of the ground enclosure with your own hands due to the concrete base.

Chicken in ground enclosure

Calculating the size of the aviary

Before the construction of the aviary begins, its area is determined with their own hands. Neglecting the recommendations for calculating the area of ​​​​the poultry house causes a decrease in the productivity of laying hens and a decrease in the growth of meat breeds of chickens, because. lack of free space leads to stress and possible crush during feeding. When determining the area of ​​the enclosure, it should be taken into account that the structure with an area of ​​14 sq.m. (7x2 m) will provide comfortable maintenance of 10 adults.

Choosing a place for an aviary

For walking chickens in the fresh air, it is worth paying attention to the choice of the place where it is planned to make an aviary. Lack of sunlight provokes the development of rickets, but scorching rays also harm chickens. Mobile enclosures can always be moved depending on the degree of illumination.

It is desirable to build a stationary enclosure on the east side, because. the morning sun will give the birds the vitamin D they need without being too hot.

Do not place poultry houses in places where people often pass (along the fence, country paths, etc.). The stress that chickens experience will certainly affect their productivity. Therefore, the quietest and most secluded place on the site is ideal for an aviary.

A mandatory requirement for a comfortable walking of chickens is the presence of constantly growing grass. Therefore, it is worth either choosing the most green areas, or with your own hands after construction, sow the courtyard with grass. But too dense vegetation is undesirable, which will block the chickens from accessing the necessary sunlight.

Chickens need access to the sun

In the event of a large amount of precipitation, mobile enclosures are moved to a dry place. With a stationary chicken coop, this is not possible, so you should take care in advance to find a dry place for the poultry house. The best option is the location of the chicken coop on a hill. If this option is not possible, then you need to independently create a small "mound" of brick, gravel or stone. Around the building, experienced farmers make drainage - for this they dig a small trench for drains.

Material selection

Depending on the chosen type of construction, the necessary materials are determined.

To make a mobile aviary, it is enough to purchase:

• rolls of galvanized mesh;
• metal corners;
• wooden boards;
• fasteners;
• connection material (wire or special ties).

For a stationary chicken coop, additional material will be required for the foundation, main walls and roof. Sheets of iron, slate, roofing material, etc. are used as roofing materials. You will need to purchase a heater or heater.

Metal mesh aviary

Installation of the aviary

The method of its installation directly depends on the type of structure chosen. For a portable enclosure, it is enough to make a metal frame from the corners and a mesh cover. It is necessary to stretch the mesh from above, making a 20-centimeter allowance. To prevent the occurrence of cracks and gaps, mesh sheets are overlapped. For the convenience of moving the aviary, handles are attached to the frame.

To upgrade a portable aviary into a mobile one with your own hands, it is enough to attach wheels to the existing structure. Mobile enclosures should be equipped with canopies under which chickens can hide from rain or from the scorching sun.

More time and money will be required to build a stationary poultry house. First of all, the foundation is poured and the walls are erected. The strength of the walls is achieved through the use of bricks or cinder blocks. But it is worth considering that these materials have a high heat transfer, so in the cold season, additional heating will be required in the chicken coop. The most comfortable room for birds in terms of microclimate is built of clay, into which straw is mixed. In the poultry house, built of adobe, a pleasant coolness remains in the summer, and it will be quite warm in the winter.

After building the foundation and walls, you need to make a roof. To avoid roof leakage, it is necessary to cover the roof with a layer of waterproofing material. The roof is recommended to be made gable - this design prevents the accumulation of precipitation, so the pressure on the roof will be less. Then the floor is poured. Concrete pouring or adobe flooring is allowed as a coating. Some farmers make a wooden floor: they cover the floor with stones or bricks, and on top they cover it with wooden boards pre-treated with tar. An earthen floor is also allowed. Regardless of the type of floor, it is necessary to cover it with a litter. The most common bedding option is sawdust. You can arrange a bed of sand or chopped straw.

Ventilation of the enclosure is necessary both in winter and in summer

To ensure ventilation, it is necessary to have windows with vents and ventilation openings. Windows should be located on the south side, which will ensure maximum penetration of sunlight. In the summer, the windows of the chicken coop are constantly open, so that predators cannot get into the chicken coop, it is necessary to equip window openings with a fine mesh.

Arrangement of a chicken coop

Often, a pen made of mesh is attached to a stationary chicken coop with their own hands to provide chickens with the opportunity to walk in the fresh air. The device of a chicken coop with a mesh aviary attached to it allows you to keep chickens all year round: indoors, birds can hide from the cold and bad weather, and in warm weather, they can walk in the fresh air.

When equipping a stationary chicken coop with a mesh pen, you should definitely take into account the love of chickens for digging. Therefore, so that the birds do not escape from the chicken coop, the net is dug into the ground to a depth of about 20 centimeters during the installation of the aviary.

The chicken coop must be equipped with places for birds to rest. Perches should be located 50 cm from the floor level. It is undesirable to arrange poultry houses with multi-tiered perches, because. hens located on the upper perch will dirty their relatives. It is also possible that conflict situations arise between birds, because each individual will strive to occupy a higher position. To prevent chickens from injuring their paws, the perches are processed with a planer. Experienced farmers arrange removable perches. In the hot season, additional perches are set up so that the chickens are placed at a distance from each other and can spread their wings. In winter, when the chickens are cold, they cling tightly to each other, so the extra perches are removed.

When breeding laying hens, nests in which birds will lay and incubate eggs are an indispensable element of the chicken coop. To preserve the eggs, the bottom is lined with a layer of sawdust or straw. Nests are placed in a dark place. The number of nests depends on the number of hens bred. One nest is provided for no more than three layers.

Chickens need nests

In the autumn-winter period, when there is little sunlight, natural light is not enough for chickens. The optimal daylight hours for poultry is about 16 hours. Therefore, stationary chicken coops are equipped with additional light sources. One 60-watt lamp is enough to illuminate 10 sq.m. gender. It is unacceptable to place open lamps: when flying, chickens can touch them and get hurt. Lamps are placed in thick glass shades. The use of more powerful lighting or long daylight hours stress chickens, which reduces their performance.

Often, at the entrance to the aviary, a "tambour" is equipped. To avoid the departure of birds during the entrance to the aviary, the vestibule is made of boards.

Any of the selected designs should be equipped with drinkers and feeders.

When installing enclosures, it is necessary to firmly fix all its elements, and also to prevent the presence of protruding ends of the net, wire or ties, and fasteners. Protruding sharp parts can injure the bird.

After the completion of the installation work, it is worth starting the finishing work: the walls of the stationary chicken coop are covered with lime mortar from the inside, and covered with oil paint on the outside. It is not recommended to use paints containing lead to cover the mesh.

Reliability of the design is the guarantee of safety

Poultry care

The simplest in terms of care are mesh designs. To ensure the correct maintenance of chickens, it is enough to rearrange them in time to another place, as well as eliminate the defects that have arisen.

When caring for a chicken coop, it is important to monitor the cleanliness of the floor, to prevent the accumulation of moisture. To do this, you need to regularly clean the floor surface from litter and food debris and make a flooring from sawdust.

With a large assortment of chicken enclosures ready for sale, it is still worth doing it yourself. This will allow you to get a design that fully meets all the requirements of the farmer, suitable for the selected type of poultry keeping, and also saves costs.

A corral is needed for walking poultry. In the fresh air, the health of chickens becomes better, egg production increases. Under the rays of the sun, vitamin D is produced in the body of birds, which helps to strengthen the skeleton. To limit the movement of chickens around the site, it is also best to use a corral. This design can be done by hand. Consider the types of corrals and everything you need to make them yourself.

Given the conditions of the site where poultry is kept, a mobile or stationary pen can be used.

mobile

These designs are good to use in the summer, especially if there is a large area for walking. Two people can easily move them around the site. If the structure is equipped with wheels or comfortable handles, then it can be carried by one person.

Walking chickens in such pens on the grass will allow the bird to get green food and various worms. Such forage feed allows you to save on the nutrition of these poultry. After the chickens have chosen food from one area, the mobile pen is transferred to a new, untouched area, with fresh vegetation.

From above, this design is closed with a net or other material so that the chickens cannot fly over the fences. The corral is equipped with drinkers and feeders, they make a canopy from the sun, as well as from the rain.

In order not to overtake the birds from such a pen constantly to the chicken coop and back, a mini-chicken coop with perches is often used. Such a house for chickens is made on supports so that you can use the space under the building.

For walking chickens, a corral in the form of a large cage is used, in which they are placed during the day. Such portable structures are also equipped with a drinking bowl, a feeder and a canopy.

Did you know? Chickens are one of the most numerous birds on Earth. There are three individuals of these poultry per inhabitant of the planet.

Stationary

A pen for permanent use is built near the chicken coop and adjacent to its walls. A canopy is not made in this design, because if necessary, the bird can hide in the chicken coop.

However, you should take care of shading. To do this, some poultry farmers plant trees right inside the corral. If the tree is fruit, then its fallen fruits can serve as additional food for birds.

For sedentary, heavy meat or meat and egg breeds, it is enough to make a corral 1.5 m high. And for more active breeds of birds, it should be made higher (up to 2 m) or closed from above. If predators (weasels, ferrets, etc.) can visit the site, then the corral should be made closed and a chain-link net should be used that these animals cannot gnaw through.

Find out how to choose the right chicken coop when buying.

Size calculation

The size of the bird pen depends on the number of birds. Lack of space can lead to crushing during feeding, cause stress, which will reduce the productive capacity of hens.

When calculating dimensions, consider the following:

• for each adult should be 1-2 square meters. m of area: for example, for 10 chickens, the optimal area for walking will be 14 sq. m - these are the sizes that are relevant for laying hens, since they are active on the walk;
• for chickens of meat breeds that lead a sedentary lifestyle, you can take a smaller area for walking: for example, 4 square meters will be enough to grow broilers. m for 6-8 individuals.

Choosing a place for an aviary

Stationary paddock is important initially to properly position. Chickens should get into it from the chicken coop immediately. It is best to place it on the south side of the chicken coop and close the northern part from cold winds. It is recommended to make a wall facing north solid and use materials such as corrugated board, slate, etc.

Learn how to make a chicken aviary.

When both a chicken coop and a corral are made at the same time, then a place for them should be chosen away from the road. You can save a lot of space by opting for a tall pole chicken coop option. It is also not necessary to build a canopy, since poultry will hide under the chicken coop from precipitation and sunlight.

You should not place a stationary chicken coop with an aviary in a lowland. Water accumulates in such places, and high humidity negatively affects the chicken coop itself and the health of its inhabitants. The chicken coop window should face the sunniest (south) side and nothing should shade it.

Learn how to make a perch, nest, feeders, drinkers.

Building a portable corral with your own hands

The portable structure is built from lighter materials so that it is convenient for a person to rearrange it around the site. Such pens are good for growing young animals and chickens of meat breeds, which are gaining weight well in a couple of months during the warm period.

An example of a drawing of a portable pen for chickens

Tools and materials

For a portable pen with dimensions of 2x1 m and a height of 0.6 m, you need to buy the following materials:

• wooden bars 5x5 cm, 2 m long - 10 pcs.;
• galvanized metal mesh - 6 m in length with a width of 1 m or 3 m in length with a width of 2 m, with mesh sizes of 20x20 mm (this mesh is suitable for both chickens and adults);
• small nails for fastenings;
• lock and hinges to it.

Learn how to choose a jigsaw, screwdriver, saw.

Of the tools we need:

• roulette;
• hammer;
• saw.

Did you know? The metal mesh can be easily cut by placing it with a cut line on the edge of the steel angle and hitting it with a hammer. If necessary, the incision line is folded over until it breaks. In order to separate the mesh along the panel, unscrew one thread.

Step-by-step instruction

When making a portable pen with dimensions of 2x1 m, the following steps must be followed:

1. We saw the timber into 11 pieces of 0.6 m in length. Of these, 7 pieces are used for the posts of our corral and 4 pieces for the door leaf. For the upper and lower slats, 4 pieces are sawn. 1 m each and use the remaining 4 pcs. by 2 m.
2. We make the frame of our paddock. To do this, we nail racks 0.6 m long to the upper and lower strips with a gap between them of 1 m. Do not forget about the 7 rack for the door.
3. Separately, we make a door plane with dimensions of 0.6x0.6 m. We install a lock and hinges on the bars for the door.
4. We cut the mesh into pieces commensurate with the resulting frame, do not forget about the segment on the door.
5. We stretch a mesh onto our structure and doors, fixing it with nails.

The main structure is ready. Some areas can be shaded as needed.

Video: construction and practice of using a portable chicken coop, also referred to as a "chicken tractor"

Construction of a stationary open range from a chain-link mesh

The device for constant walking with a chicken coop has its own characteristics.

Learn how to build and furnish a chicken coop, and how to convert a greenhouse into a chicken coop.

Tools and materials

Building an open netting paddock is the easiest way to set up an area for walking birds. Consider the option of a stationary pen for 10 chickens with dimensions of 2x7 m and a height of 2 m, with one end adjacent to the wall of the chicken coop. When calculating materials, existing walls are excluded from the total perimeter.

An example of a plan for a chicken coop with a range

To equip such a pen, you should stock up on the following tools and materials:

• galvanized chain-link mesh 2 m wide - 16 m;
• profile pipes with a diameter of 5-10 cm, length 6 m - 5 pcs.;
• wire;
• hinges and bolt;
• Bulgarian;
• wire cutters;
• roulette;
• hammer;
• gravel and sand;
• level for construction;
• manual drill;
• concrete solution.

Learn how to make heating, ventilation, lighting in the chicken coop.

Step-by-step instruction

Usually, the construction of a stationary open range from a chain-link mesh is done as a small extension to one of the walls of the chicken coop in order to save building materials and space.

Learn how to build a dovecote, a goat barn, a sheepfold.

1. Make markings for installing corner posts for the building. For this purpose, use a tape measure to measure the width of the range from the corner of the chicken coop on both sides. These sides must be equal to each other.
   
2. Mark the location of the gate and measure the width for the opening. Usually the gate is set with a width of 0.8-1 m.
3. Then, between the posts located at the corners, marks are made with an interval of 1.5-2 m to install the supports on which the mesh will be stretched and attached.
4. With the help of a special hand drill, recesses of at least 35-40 cm in diameter are pulled out according to the marks, slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe for support. If the soil is very soft, then the diameter is increased by 35-40 cm.
   The depth of the pit, depending on the type of soil, is 60-100 cm.
5. Pipes are cut to the required length, taking into account the depth to which they are buried in the ground. We have 2.8 meters, of which 0.8 meters will be underground. In total, we get after cutting 8 pcs. pipes 2.8 m long (for racks) and 2 pcs. segments with a length of 0.8 m and 2 m (for the door).
6. After that, the racks are placed in prepared recesses and covered with fine gravel and sand. The supports are fixed vertically and poured with a concrete solution. After that, they wait three days for the concrete to harden as expected. If the soil is dense enough, then to install a chain-link fence, the pipes can simply be driven into the ground. Such an installation can save concrete. To do this, holes are drilled in the designated places, whose cross section is smaller than the size of the pipes. Then they need to hammer pipes with a sledgehammer.
   It will take two people to drive the pipes into the ground
7. Metal hooks are installed on metal pipes by welding in the following order: below 15 cm above the ground level, in the middle and above 12-15 cm below the top.
8. To the wall of the chicken coop at the point of attachment of the chain-link mesh, a wooden beam measuring 5x5 cm is installed with a hammer and nails. Instead of a beam, a metal corner with pre-drilled holes for the wire can be installed using self-tapping screws.
   
9. Chain-link fencing is installed. The edge of the net is fixed to the wall of the chicken coop with nails or wire. Then it is pulled between the supports with hooks. It is worth noting that all supports must be inside the corral, and the grid should pass from the outside. Rolls of mesh are connected to each other with a wire that is pulled out along the edge of the mesh, but knitting wire can also be used to connect. The nets are overlapped, as over time the tension can loosen, which can lead to the formation of holes in the fence through which the chickens will crawl out.
   A special wire is used to fix the mesh
10. The gate is attached. It consists of a metal pipe along the perimeter and a chain-link mesh fixed to it by welding. Instead of pipes, you can use wooden bars, which are fixed at the corners with metal plates. Then fasten the hinges, the bolt and install the gate.

Important! If a wooden beam is used instead of metal pipes, then it is pre-treated with a special protective coating (for example, Senezh Ecobio or other similar antiseptic), which will protect the beam from decay, which will significantly extend its service life.

If the soil is loose and soft, then the mesh is added dropwise from below by 18–20 cm along the entire fence. This is done so that the chickens do not crawl out of the pen, as they are very fond of digging in the ground.

Given the tendency of chickens to dig in the ground, it is advisable to strengthen the bottom of the grid with improvised materials

If the soil is rocky and dense in structure, then it is quite enough for the chain-link mesh to touch the ground level. When pulling the netting, care must be taken that the sharp edges of the wire are not located inside the corral, as poultry can be injured by accidentally catching on them.

Learn how to make a fence out of chain-link, gabions, picket fence, brick.

Construction of a stationary covered paddock

A stationary corral is made covered if the breed of kept chickens can fly over the fence, or with the possible access of small predatory animals or birds. We take as a basis a corral measuring 2x7 m and a height of 2 m, which is adjacent to the wall of the chicken coop with one two-meter end.

An example of a model of a stationary covered corral made of wood

Tools and materials

To build a stationary indoor corral, you need to stock up on the following tools and materials:

• metal pipes with a section diameter of 2x4 cm, length 6 m - 4 pcs.;
• metal pipes with a section of 4x4 cm, length 6 m - 2 pcs.;
• metal pipes with a section of 6x6 cm, length 6 m - 5 pcs.;
• chain-link mesh 2 m wide - 26 m;
• hinges and latch for the door;
• self-tapping screws;
• drill;
• Bulgarian;
• wire cutters;
• manual drill;
• hammer;
• apparatus for welding;
• nuts and bolts;
• construction level;
• measuring tape;
• knitting wire.

Familiarize yourself with the methods of building a bathhouse, a pool, a barbecue, a veranda, a cellar, a toilet, a change house.

Step-by-step instruction

Experts for the construction of a stationary indoor corral recommend following the following step-by-step instructions:

1. Measure with a tape measure and make markings for installing corner supports. Intermediate racks are placed at intervals of 1.5–2 m. One support is placed taking into account the size of the doorway.
2. According to the markings for the installation of racks, they dig indentations about 1 m in diameter 35–40 cm using a special drill.
   
3. From a pipe 6x6 cm grinder cut 8 pcs. 2.8 m long (for racks) and 2 pcs. segments with a length of 0.8 m and 2 m (for the door). As racks, you can use a bar made of wood.
   
4. Pipes are placed in prepared recesses, filling voids with gravel and sand, leveled vertically, and then poured with concrete. For the concrete to harden, 3 days are allotted for this. During this period, work is stopped.
   
5. To enhance the strength of the frame, a 2x4 cm profile is attached to the wall of the house. The profile is equal in length to the height of the wall and is placed in a plane with racks that are located at the edges.
6. Build a canopy. On top of the racks, the upper strapping belt is fixed by welding from a 4x4 cm pipe. The lower strapping belt is made of a pipe with a section of 4x2 cm. It is welded 20 cm below the upper belt. Between such belts, braces of 4x2 cm pipe sections are fastened by welding at an angle of 45 degrees.
   
7. They make a strapping from a smaller profile. It is cut according to the required parameters and fixed to the racks from the outside. To do this, holes are made in the racks and crossbars for attaching bolts. The piping along the bottom is 5-10 cm from the ground level, and the piping along the top is located at a height of 150-170 cm. When installing the crossbars, leave a gap for the gate.
   
8. A chain-link mesh is installed on the frame, fixing it with a knitting wire. You can also install hooks on the racks by welding and pull the chain-link mesh on them.
   
9. Hinges are attached to the doorway post by welding, after which a gate is applied and the attachment points are marked. Then hang the gate by screwing the upper parts of the hinges. The valve is welded to the other post at the opening.

   

   Lathing installation 1

   Lathing installation 2

   Installation of hooks on the downpipe

   Installation of polycarbonate

After the construction and installation of the corral, it is necessary to deal with the arrangement inside the fence. You can install ladders, stands for nests, as well as several perches.

Familiarize yourself with the installation sequence of a gable, four-pitched, mansard roof.

Then you should place the required number of feeders and drinkers for chickens. The floor in stationary pens is sprinkled with sand, sawdust or hay. Periodically, it is cleaned from various debris - litter, half-eaten food, etc.

Important! To prevent the penetration of predators, it is recommended to build a chicken coop on the foundation and carefully seal all the cracks in it. It is advised to make a pen fence from a fine-mesh mesh and cover the top with it, as well as dig the lower ends of the mesh 0.5 m into the ground. It will be good to place a booth with a dog nearby, as the smell of a dog can scare off small predators. By building a poultry yard, you will improve the health and performance of your chickens. In the summer, it will be convenient to use a mobile paddock. With its help, you can provide chickens with green fodder, grow young animals. But when using a stationary paddock and a chicken coop, one should take into account the presence of small predators in the area and take measures to strengthen the structures.

Building a covered chicken pen: video