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Mobile chicken coops are often used by poultry farmers who do not have a large area. Such structures can be easily transferred from place to place. Thanks to this, the birds can always be provided with green food in the summer. A portable chicken coop can be purchased ready-made or made on your own.
Mobile chicken coop design
Simple portable poultry houses are arranged quite simply, as you can see in the photo. Similar designs have several tiers:
- the top is made of wood;
- the lower tiers are upholstered with a net.
The poultry houses are also divided into two zones. In one of them, hens incubate eggs, and in the other, birds rest. Roofed houses are often created that can be installed on the lawn. Thanks to this, the bird gets the opportunity to be in natural conditions.
Types of poultry houses
Portable structures can be divided into several categories according to the following criteria:
- transfer method;
- the size;
- type of construction.
According to the transfer method, they are divided into structures on wheels and poultry houses that can be carried by hand. In the presented photos you can see such products.
The fence allows you not to watch the birds while walking. Thanks to this, it is not necessary to additionally equip the area in which the chicken coop is located.
By size, the designs described can be divided into houses that are used for several birds and products designed for more than 20 individuals. The first option is more convenient, but not suitable for everyone.
Advantages and disadvantages of portable chicken coops
Before purchasing or creating a portable chicken coop made of wood with your own hands, you need to consider all the pros and cons of such designs. It is also important to consider photographs of structures in order to understand which one can be installed on your site. Such products have the following advantages:
- The mobile chicken coop can be moved to another location at any time. If the birds are walking on fresh grass, they will be healthier. Moving should be done about once a week. This is enough to eliminate bacteria that begin to accumulate in the house. Also, in a new place, birds can find additional food in the form of beetles and other insects.
- When creating an original design, you can decorate the site by making it part of the landscape.
- Portable products are much easier to clean than stationary structures. If there is a water source on the site, you can move the chicken coop closer to it.
- Mobile chicken coops can be designed for both summer and winter use.
- Portable chicken coops can be easily made by hand. And if you decide to purchase such a design, you do not have to spend a lot of money.
But the described products also have disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that they cannot accommodate as many chickens as is necessary for a large farm.
Chicken coop technology
Before you create a mobile chicken coop with your own hands, you need to draw up a drawing that will display the dimensions of each structural element. The construction of a small poultry house is carried out as follows:
- First, the frame is formed. For this, two triangular frames are created from a bar with a section of 2x4 cm. They are connected by hewn boards that have handles for moving the structure.
- After that, the side walls are created. They need to be made from slats with a cross section of 1.3x3 cm. A mesh with small cells is stretched between the walls. Plywood can serve as an overlap between the tiers. It is necessary to make a hole in it for chickens, to which a staircase will lead. One of the side walls must be removable. The entrance to the poultry house will be located in it. The second wall should be created from the lining.
- The next step is to divide the second tier into parts. About a third of the entire space needs to be separated. This is where the perches should be placed. The rest of the territory is intended for resting birds.
- Then the roof is made. It can be made from plywood sheets. The roof can be raised at high temperatures. It is worth remembering that one of the parts of the roof of the portable chicken coop must be removable. This is necessary so that, if necessary, you can clean the structure.
- At the last stage, the outside of the house is treated with varnish. Such compositions are able to protect the tree from moisture and insects.
The procedure for creating a house can then be completed. At this stage, you need to think about ventilation.
Lighting and ventilation in the chicken coop
The portable chicken coop is equipped with ventilation so that the birds are not hot or cold. If a ventilation system is not created, chickens can get sick. It is also necessary to get rid of the unpleasant odor in the chicken coop. It is important to remember that chickens need sunlight. Its absence can negatively affect the health of the bird.
During the creation of a structure, one should take into account the peculiarities of the climate in a particular region. Rain and strong winds can damage the structure. For example, if parts of a chicken coop are not properly secured, in strong winds they can come off, leading to destruction.
If you live in such an area, there are several things to consider:
- To prevent drafts, it is necessary to make a structure in which there will be no cracks. At the same time, do not forget about the need to open the house for ventilation.
- When installed on a hill, moisture will not accumulate in the chicken coop. When installed in a low-lying area, chickens may end up in the water even after a little rain.
- To protect the bird, it is worth putting a mosquito net on the windows.
A standard portable poultry house can house about 10 chickens. When they grow, half must be removed from the chicken coop. In winter, chicks can be kept on the second tier. To protect it from the cold, the mesh is covered with heat-insulating materials. At the same time, in winter, you can move the chicken coop to a shed or garage.
Chicken coops on wheels
Building a chicken coop on wheels is easy enough. All work takes place in almost the same way as when creating a small triangular structure:
- First, a schema is created. It should contain information about the dimensions of all elements. Without a drawing, it will not be possible to correctly create a solid structure, since it is impossible to keep in mind the location of all the parts and their dimensions. It should be noted that some experienced builders can carry out work without a drawing if the structure is small.
- At the second stage, a frame of a mobile chicken coop is created from wood with your own hands. It has a rectangular shape and can reach a height of 2 meters. It is necessary to determine in advance where the closed part of the chicken coop will be located. It is on this side that the wheels will be fixed. This is due to the fact that when the structure is moved, one of its sides has to be lifted. If the wheels are installed under the netted part of the coop, it will be difficult to move it due to the greater weight of the closed part. Chicken coop frame on wheels should be created from bars with a section of 7x5 cm.
- Then it is necessary to fix additional structural elements that are necessary to create walls and partitions.According to the drawing, it is necessary to arrange them in such a way that the chicken coop is divided into two main parts - an open space enclosed by a net and a closed structure with a window.
- Regardless of the size, you need to create several compartments in the closed part of the chicken coop. The smaller section will house the roosts, while the larger section will allow the birds to rest. Also at this stage, the walls of the structure are created and they are insulated, if it is planned to use the chicken coop in winter. In the wall that will separate the open section of the chicken coop from the closed one, you need to create a small entrance. A ladder for birds needs to be brought up to it.
- The next step is to make the roof of the chicken coop. It must open so that you can clean the inside of the structure if necessary. It is best to place the parts of the roof on hinges. During such work, do not forget that the structure must be reliable and not have weak points.
- After that, the open part of the hen house is sheathed with a lattice. It is important to choose a grid with small meshes. Products with a mesh width and height of 2 cm are often used.
- When creating such a chicken coop, the nets are fixed on top and on the sides. Thanks to this, the birds are able to walk on the grass.
- After that, it is worth taking care of creating handles for transporting the chicken coop. They must be securely attached to the sides of the structure. Also at this stage, the wheels are attached. They should not have a small diameter, as they can simply sink into the ground under the weight of the chicken coop. But you should not install too large wheels, as this will lead to the fact that the transportation of the structure will take place with great effort.
Chicken coop decoration
So that the chicken coop can become part of the landscape and not spoil the impression, you can paint it. It is important to take care of the protection of wooden structural elements with special compounds that protect against moisture and pests.
Some site owners decorate the chicken coops with plants that are located in niches created near the roof of the structure (as in the photo). You can also stylize the design for a fairy-tale hut. But in most cases, only paint is used to decorate the chicken coop.
