CORRAL / WALKING FOR CHICKENS: HOW TO BUILD THEIR OWN HANDS, DRAWINGS, PHOTOS

Corral needed for walking poultry. In the open air, the health of chickens is getting better, egg production is increasing. Under the rays of the sun in the body of birds produced vitamin D, which helps strengthen the skeleton. To limit chickens in their movements around the site, it is also best to use a pen. This design can be made by hand. Consider the types of pens and all that is necessary for their manufacture with their own hands.

Types of pens for chickens

Considering the conditions of the plot that contains poultry, you can use a mobile or stationary pen.

Mobile

These designs are good to use in the summer, especially in the presence of 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 one person can carry it.

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

From above, such a structure is covered with a net or other material so that chickens cannot fly over the fences. The shelter is equipped with watering and feeding troughs, make a canopy from the sun, as well as from rain.

In order not to overtake the birds from such a paddock all the time to the chicken coop and back, they often use a mini chicken coop with roosts. Such a house for chickens is made on supports so that you can use the space under construction.

For walking the chickens use the pen in the form of a large cage in which they are placed during the day. Such portable structures are also equipped with a trough, a feeding trough and a canopy.

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

Stationary

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

However, care should be taken about shading. For this, some poultry farmers plant trees right inside the pen. If the tree is a fruit tree, its fallen fruits can serve as an additional feed for birds.

For sedentary, heavy meat or meat-egg breeds, it is sufficient to make a pen at a height of 1.5 m. And for more active breeds of birds, it should be made higher (up to 2 m) or closed at the top. If predators (weasel, ferrets and others) can visit the site, then the pen should be closed and a netting net used, which these animals cannot gnaw.

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Size calculation

The size of the pen for birds depends on the number of birds. The lack of space can lead to a crush during feeding, and can cause stress, which will reduce the productive abilities of chickens.

When calculating dimensions, consider the following:

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

Choosing a place for aviary

Stationary corral is important to initially properly positioned. Chickens should get into it from the hen house immediately. It is best to locate it on the south side of the chicken coop and close the northern part of the cold winds. The wall facing north is recommended to be solid and use materials such as sheeting, slate, etc.

Learn how to make an aviary for chickens.

When both a chicken coop and a pen are being made at the same time, the place for them should be chosen away from the road. You can save a lot of space by choosing a chicken coop on high supports. There is also no need to build a shed, as poultry will hide under the henhouse from precipitation and sunlight.

You should not have a stationary chicken coop with an aviary in the valley. In such places, water accumulates, and high humidity affects the hen house itself and the health of its inhabitants. The window of the coop should go to the sunniest (southern) side and nothing should shade it.

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Construction of a portable pen with their own hands

The portable structure is constructed from lighter materials so that it is convenient for a person to rearrange it along the section. Such pens are good for growing young cattle and chickens of meat breeds that are perfectly gaining weight in a couple of months in a warm period.

Example 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 a cell size of 20x20 mm (this grid is suitable for both chickens and adult individuals);
small nails for fixings;
lock and hinges to it.

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From the tools we need:

roulette;
hammer;
saw.

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

Step-by-step instruction

In the manufacture of a portable pen size 2x1 m, you must perform the following steps:

Saw timber into 11 parts 0.6 m in length. Of these, 7 pieces are used for the racks of our paddock and 4 parts for the door leaf. For the upper and lower bars sawing 4 pcs. 1 m and use the remaining 4 pieces. 2 m each
Making the frame of our pen. To do this, we beat the stands with a length of 0.6 m to the upper and lower bars with a gap between them of 1 m. Do not forget about the 7 rack for the door.
Separately, we make the door plane with dimensions 0.6x0.6 m. On the bars for the door we install a lock and hinges.
We cut the grid into pieces commensurate with the obtained frame, do not forget about the segment on the door.
We stretch the mesh on our structure and doors, fixing it with nails.

The basic design is ready. Some areas can be pritenyat as needed.

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

Construction of stationary open range walking netting

The device of constant walking at the hen house has its own characteristics.

Learn how to build a chicken coop and equip it, as well as how to remake a greenhouse under the chicken coop.

Tools and materials

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

Example of a chicken coop plan

To arrange such a pen should stock up on the following tools and materials:

the galvanized grid chain-link 2 m wide - 16 m;
profile tubes with a diameter of 5-10 cm, length 6 m - 5 pcs .;
wire;
hinges and bolts;
Bulgarian;
clippers;
roulette;
hammer;
gravel and sand;
level for construction;
hand drill;
concrete solution.

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Step-by-step instruction

Typically, the construction of a stationary open-walk of the grid-chain-link do as a small extension to one of the walls of the chicken coop, to save building materials and space.

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Experts recommend the construction of such facilities to adhere to the following step-by-step instructions:

To make a marking for installation of angular racks for a structure. For this purpose, the width of the walking distance from the angle of the chicken coop is measured from two sides using a tape measure. Such parties should be equal to each other.
Mark the location of the gate and measure the width for the aperture. Usually the wicket is set to a width of 0.8-1 m.
Then between the racks located in the corners, make marks with a gap of 1.5-2 m for the installation of supports, on which the grid will be tensioned and fastened.
With the help of a special hand drill, the marks are used to pull out recesses at least 35–40 cm in diameter, slightly larger than the diameter of the support pipe. If the ground is very soft, then the diameter is made 35-40 cm more.The depth of the pit, depending on the type of soil, is 60-100 cm.
The pipes cut the required length, taking into account the depth to which they are buried in the ground. We have 2.8 m, of which 0.8 meters will be underground. In total, we get after cutting 8 pieces. pipes 2.8 m long (for racks) and 2 pcs. each. lengths of 0.8 m and 2 m (for the door).
After this stand is placed in the prepared grooves and covered with fine gravel with sand. The supports are fixed vertically and poured with a solution of concrete. After waiting for three days, the concrete froze as expected. If the soil is sufficiently dense, then to install a fence from a chain-netting pipe, you can simply drive into the ground. Such an installation can save concrete. For this purpose, holes are drilled in the designated places, whose cross-section is smaller than the size of the pipes. Then they need to hammer pipe with a sledgehammer. It will take two people to drive pipes into the ground.
By means of welding, metal hooks are installed on metal pipes in the following order: 15 cm below the ground level, 12-15 cm below the top in the middle and above.
To the wall of the chicken coop in the place of fastening of the chain-link net, a wooden bar with a size of 5x5 cm is installed with a hammer and nails.
The fence from a grid chain-link is established. The edge of the grid is fixed to the wall of the chicken coop with nails or wire. Then it is stretched between the supports with the help of hooks. It should be noted that all the supports must be inside the pen, and the grid to pass from the outside. The rolls from the net are connected to each other with wire, which is pulled out along the edge of the net, but it is also possible to use knitting wire for the joint. The nets overlap each other, since 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.
The gate is attached. It consists of a metal pipe around the perimeter and fixed to it by welding a chain-link mesh. Instead of pipes, you can use wooden bars, which are fastened at the corners using metal plates. Then fasten the hinges, bolts and set the gate.

Important! If instead of metal pipes a wooden bar is used, then it is treated in advance with a special protective coating (for example, "Senezh Ecobio" or another similar antiseptic), which will prevent the bar from rotting, which will significantly prolong its service life.

If the soil is free-flowing and soft, then the mesh from the bottom is instilled 18-20 cm over the whole fence. This is done to ensure that chickens do not come out of the pen, because they love to dig in the ground.

Given the tendency of chickens to rummage in the ground, it is desirable to strengthen the bottom of the grid with improvised materials.

If the soil is stony and dense in structure, then it is enough for the chain-link grid to touch the ground level. When tensioning the chain-link, it is necessary to ensure that the sharp edges of the wire are not located inside the pen, as poultry can get injured by accidentally catching on them.

Learn how to make a fence from a chain-link, gabion, picket fence, brick.

Construction of a stationary covered pen

A stationary pen is made covered if the breed of chickens can fly over the fence, or with the possible access of small carnivores or birds. Let's take as a basis a pen of 2x7 m and a height of 2 m, which adjoins one two-meter end to the wall of the chicken coop.

An example of a model of a stationary covered wood pens

Tools and materials

For the construction of a stationary sheltered pen, you need to stock up on the following tools and materials:

metal pipes with a 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 .;
the chain-link grid 2 m wide - 26 m;
hinges and latch for the door;
self-tapping screws;
drill;
Bulgarian;
clippers;
hand drill;
hammer;
welding machine;
nuts and bolts;
construction level;
measuring tape;
knitting wire.

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Step-by-step instruction

Experts for the construction of a stationary covered pen recommend that you follow these step-by-step instructions:

Measure with a tape measure and make markup for the installation of corner supports. Intermediate racks set at intervals of 1.5-2 m. One support set taking into account the size of the doorway.
According to the marking for the installation of the racks, they dig out recesses about 1 m in diameter of 35-40 cm with the help of a special drill.
Of the pipe 6x6 cm grinder cut 8 pcs. 2.8 m long (for racks) and 2 pcs. lengths of 0.8 m and 2 m (for the door). As racks, you can use wood beams.
The pipes are placed in the prepared grooves, falling asleep cavities with gravel with sand, equated vertically, and then poured with concrete. To make the concrete stiff, for this purpose they set aside 3 days. For this period, work is stopped.
To enhance the strength of the frame, the profile of 2x4 cm 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 stands that are located at the edges.
Build a canopy. From above racks fix the upper belt of the 4x4 pipe strapping by welding. The lower belt for the strapping is made of a pipe with a section of 4x2 cm. It is welded 20 cm lower from the upper belt. Between such belts are fixed by welding braces from pipe sections 4x2 cm at an angle of 45 degrees.
Make a strapping from a smaller profile. It is cut into the required parameters and fixed to the racks from the outside. To do this, in racks and crossbars make holes for fastening bolts. The piping on the bottom is 5-10 cm from the ground level, and the piping on the top is located at a height of 150-170 cm. When installing the crossbars, a gap is left for the wicket.
On the frame install a chain-netting, fixing it with knitting wire. It is also possible to install hooks on the stands with the help of welding and to tighten a netting net on them.
The hinges are fastened in the doorway rack by welding, and then the wicket is applied and the attachment points are marked. Then hang the gate, screwing the upper part of the loop. To the other rack at the opening fix the valve by welding.
Installation of crates 1
Installation of crates 2
Installation of hooks on the drainpipe
Polycarbonate installation

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

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

Important! To prevent the predators from penetrating, it is recommended to build a chicken coop on the foundation and carefully seal all the gaps in it. The fence of the pen is advised to make a fine-meshed grid and cover it with the top, as well as to dig in the lower ends of the grid 0.5 m into the ground. It will be good to have a booth with a dog nearby, as the dog smell can scare away small predators.

Having built a paddock for poultry walking, you will improve the health and performance characteristics of chickens. In summer, it will be convenient to use a mobile pen. With it, you can provide chickens with green fodder, raise young. But when using a stationary pen and a chicken coop, one should take into account the presence of small predators in the district and take measures to strengthen the structures.

The shelter of the indoor pen for hens: video