Building a Chicken Playpen

Since the weather is getting nicer and the temperatures are warming up, it's time to start getting my newest chicks outside for a few daylight hours each day.  They need to start getting the hang of sunlight and the fluctuating temperatures in order to be ready for when the big day comes that they'll be outside permanently.

So in honor of spring arriving tomorrow, Tim and I spent a few hours this weekend making a chicken playpen.  It's a portable fencing unit that's lightweight enough for two people to move from one spot to another.  Not only will it be useful in getting the chicks out in the fresh air, but I'll also use it to direct my older chickens in their natural garden tilling duties without me having to be right there watching them the entire time.

Since other people might like to know more about this project, I took a few pictures for you.

First off, here is the list of supplies:

10 -- 2X2s, 8' long
1 -- roll of plastic poultry netting, 36" wide, 25' long
8 -- 2" inches
2 -- 2" hook & eye closures

All of this was under $60, and we only used a staple gun, hammer, and nails to put it all together.  This is also one of those project that can be expanded to as big as you want just by adding another panel.

First, we used five of the 2X2s to make ten 4' boards.  Then the other five boards were cut to make ten 3' boards.  Once nailed together, this gave us five panels at 3' wide and 4' tall.

Next up, we added the plastic poultry netting to one side of each frame using the staple gun.

After that, we put all the panels together on the long sides with two hinges each.  And then the last panel will receive the two hook and eye closures.

Lastly, we stood it up and had a pentagon-shaped portable chicken play pen.  Yay!  It's tall enough that the outside cats can't get in, and big enough to give the chickens an area to run, play, and scratch in the sunshine. 

Later today, I'll be putting the same netting over the top that I used last year on the chicken coop's run to keep any hawks from swooping down and swiping my babies when I'm not looking.