# Pen is coming along nicely



## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

Got the lid and two ends built this weekend. Its going to be 8' x 8' with 4 panels on top 2' x 8'. Height is 3' and there will be two perches and a shelf. I'm excited to see it coming together!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

How come no one has mentioned to you the need for pics? We all love to see setups from start to finish. Gives us ideas that we can steal.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

What Robin says


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Pics please. In addition to what Robin said, we might be able to help you out too...especially with EXPANSION!


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

I'll take pics today. You guys are awesome!


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## tracyl33 (Mar 14, 2016)

What breed of chickens do you have?


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

I have 5 cornish, 4 ea buff pro and americauna, 2 Rhode island reds, and a Jersey King.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

RIR, EE, NHR, SLW, our new chicks are blue andalusian, GSL, SLW, BO,BLH.


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

Where do You guys find good info on breeds and do you have to start them from eggs? I'm not ready to do incubation yet, as I'm sure I have lots of mistakes to make before I try any more. The Wyandotte are so beautiful though. I figure I'll need to get ducks before I add any more chicks. And I'm planning bees and rabbits within the next year.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

Pics...pics...pics! I adore seeing everyone's setups and flocks!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

jewelslette said:


> Where do You guys find good info on breeds and do you have to start them from eggs? I'm not ready to do incubation yet, as I'm sure I have lots of mistakes to make before I try any more. The Wyandotte are so beautiful though. I figure I'll need to get ducks before I add any more chicks. And I'm planning bees and rabbits within the next year.


Most of your best info on good breeds etc, is going to be right here. A lot of us have had mailed hatchery chicks, incubator hatch chicks, and hen hatched chicks. I've done all three as well as many others have. If you want only hens, a hatchery mailing you chicks is the way to go. They also vaccinate them if you want . Once I have established a flock, the best way to keep them disease free is to close your flock to any chickens except day old hatchery chicks, or hatched at home. Otherwise, any chicken you bring home is a chance of carrying an illness in that can kill your chickens. Even if the chikens are from clean people that you know. Lot's of things to consider and have questions about.


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

Pictures finally!

First is the top panels. There are four and they will be hinged to lift up and over so I can access the inside of the run.









Next there are two 8' end panels and there left shows two 4' hinged side panels that can be collapsed for moving. There will be two of these side panels made.









We will hinge the sides to the ends once the last wall is constructed!


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

And at last we have a functional outdoor chicken tractor!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Very nice! !


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

That looks cool! Nice and big. 

Jewel, the best info on breeds is from others. The other resource is feathersite.com.
With incubation, you need a plan of what you do with the excess roosters. I had 7 in the past 2 years, but now I'm down to 3 plus 7 silkie roos. 5 live together. I can't rehome them because of Marek's exposure. So I've gotten 2 orders of hatchery chicks the last few times. All pullets.


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

Thanks! I am grateful to have an awesome builder in my life. Next he is making me a goat milking stand. Then a sunroom.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, since I've been missing in action lately, what are your plans for a secure place when predators or weather become a challenge. 

And nothing like having someone around who knows how to build things until they want to redo your plans for what works best for you. I know, hubs was in construction for over 40 years and he kept changing what I wanted in my buildings.


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

I am bringing them back in to the coop at night until I get hard sides added to the pen and the weather gets nicer. For now, they aren't excited about being carried in and out, but they aren't biting, so it's going ok.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

That looks great, congrats! Keep us posted on all the progress please?


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

very nice! cool mobile setup


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

jewelslette said:


> I am bringing them back in to the coop at night until I get hard sides added to the pen and the weather gets nicer. For now, they aren't excited about being carried in and out, but they aren't biting, so it's going ok.


Better hurry and get that pen done, if you're anything like the rest of us that number will climb from four birds pretty quickly. Having to cart a bunch of not happy birds back and forth could get old fast.

My hubs built my outside pens about like yours, with the lift up door. Mine were four feet but when I kept having to crawl in to how ever many pens with birds that refused to go in, I tore it down when he wasn't around and built the pens the way they worked for me. He just wouldn't listen that it would not work well for me.


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## jewelslette (Mar 1, 2016)

Let the meatier hang out yesterday afternoon, but today it's too cold, so they are in the coop till the weather is nice again.


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