Post by Sherry on Jan 22, 2011 16:51:37 GMT -5
Written by "Jen":
Hi y'all. Sorry haven't been posting in a while. I've been lurking around. Home situation has changed so took away free-roaming from the boys... felt really bad, so built them an outdoor enclosure! HUGE thank you to forum member lorelei, because she answered my many questions for days in the planning stages.
I ended up using this plan for a poultry pen, but changed dimensions to 12 ft long x 6 ft wide x 3 ft tall: www.motherearthnews.com/Hands-On-How-To/Poultry-Pen.aspx
Thank goodness I work with a nice guy who did pretty much the entire pen except the floor. Total cost estimate: about $225. Got everything from Home Depot (they cut all the wood to size for me)
Here's pics:
(Day 1) - don't mind the headstones, we built it at our work before they carried it to my yard
(Day 2)
(Day 6)
(Day 8)
Last night was their first day and night in their new pen. The small cage has a couple of hammies and a big quilt on bottom. Temperature got down to 51 degrees F and they spent less than half the night actually in the blanket. They didn't want to come inside last night. Usually they'll crawl up my arms when I reach in for them, but Weasel just poked his head out and went back to sleep.
I'm still working on it, but this is what we have after about 6-7 days of work. I'll add a better nesting box and weather protection around the small cage soon. Texas weather is ridiculous... from low 50's to low 80's this week. *sigh* Hot days and cold nights currently.. Any input welcome and I'll answer any questions if interested in making something similar. I bet my boys love this compared to their indoor cage.
Hi y'all. Sorry haven't been posting in a while. I've been lurking around. Home situation has changed so took away free-roaming from the boys... felt really bad, so built them an outdoor enclosure! HUGE thank you to forum member lorelei, because she answered my many questions for days in the planning stages.
I ended up using this plan for a poultry pen, but changed dimensions to 12 ft long x 6 ft wide x 3 ft tall: www.motherearthnews.com/Hands-On-How-To/Poultry-Pen.aspx
Thank goodness I work with a nice guy who did pretty much the entire pen except the floor. Total cost estimate: about $225. Got everything from Home Depot (they cut all the wood to size for me)
Here's pics:
(Day 1) - don't mind the headstones, we built it at our work before they carried it to my yard
(Day 2)
(Day 6)
(Day 8)
Last night was their first day and night in their new pen. The small cage has a couple of hammies and a big quilt on bottom. Temperature got down to 51 degrees F and they spent less than half the night actually in the blanket. They didn't want to come inside last night. Usually they'll crawl up my arms when I reach in for them, but Weasel just poked his head out and went back to sleep.
I'm still working on it, but this is what we have after about 6-7 days of work. I'll add a better nesting box and weather protection around the small cage soon. Texas weather is ridiculous... from low 50's to low 80's this week. *sigh* Hot days and cold nights currently.. Any input welcome and I'll answer any questions if interested in making something similar. I bet my boys love this compared to their indoor cage.