CHOOK PENS

[Benita Ironside]

HI EVERYONE

I AM LOOKING FOR OLD CHOOK PEN THAT SOMEONE MAY HAVE AND NO LONGER WANTS. IF YOU KNOW OF ANY, PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SOME DETAILS. WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY REPLIES
BENITA

[Addy]

A great idea from an old Gardening Australia mag - convert old computer monitors into chook nesting boxes! Remove the glass and inside bits, and voila! Light, easy to move, and easy to clean...

[Vanessa Thompson (pomare)]

A few months ago I was talking with another parent from my son’s school and he was saying how he makes chicken pens and dog kennels. Yesterday I struck up the courage to ask him how much he charges and what they look like and what material does he use. He uses all long lasting material and long screws that last for years. (Not nails) and the pens can be taken apart for easy moving and for replacement of parts when needed. (I think he was revering to timber legs as they sit on the ground and more likely to go before the rest of the structure. (So if one leg gets rotten, you can unscrew and just replace that leg etc etc) and all tin is color bond steal…..like the ones for fencing. So they should last for years and years…. (He also makes different designs and is in the middle of making a lot of show case pens, for a market seller to display his stock and lots more pens for a farmer to keep his stock)
I asked if he could make me and tractor run and he just laughed and said why would you want something that won’t last for many years and might only last for two years???? He said for me too build that, I would have to use thin ply wood and that would rot out in about two years……..ok I said. (I forget now what the names of the wood he uses and the names of the nails but they are all excellent, as I ran them past hubby and he said great wood and not rubbish screws……hubby use to work in a timber mill, petty now hubby don’t like working with wood and won’t make us stuff and now will pay for others to build for us)

Anyhow after a longish chat, he said he would bring some pics for me too see what he is on about……….. Now ive just got to bug hubby and see if I can get one in the making.

The only question I have is, because they have mesh for floors, is it safe for chickens to be on that most of the time??? Don’t they like to starch around and stuff???? He can make them with pull out trays for easy cleaning. But would cost a bit more…
The two pics ive put up are his work and the red one is $240.00 and the black one is $280.00 I think he said and the black one is for breading and can place chickens together for breading and then put males on one side and the females on the other once breading is finished?

[christopher zane hart]

i will in the next 2 weeks be getting about 4-6 hardwood pallets aprox size 2.4 by 1.2 i think they would work well for chook house ,will post photo when i have them home i will be ussing 1-2 .

[Addy]

A friend recently built one out of an old trampoline frame! City Chicks had an ex-rental for sale...

[Benita Ironside]

Donna keep an eye on the back page of the weekend shopper, I have seen laying hens and cages to give away occassionally. I will let you know if I seen anything