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If you're planning to put your poultry out on range in a portable pen or coop, consider protecting them from night predators with Solar Nite Eyes.  I use flashing lights all over my poultry range and they work!

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE


Portable Chicken Coop
A Yard Ark may be what you need...

Portable chicken coops are handy for several reasons and may serve several purposes for the small flock owner.  Below are pictures of just one type of yard ark, or portable coop.  You are limited only by your available materials, building skills and imagination.

In my part of the country, a portable coop could only be practical in the warmer months.  Winter storms and temperatures in the teens would make it unsuitable for poultry year round. 

As you look at the pictures below, you'll notice that the roosting box is small.  Roughly 27 cubic feet of interior space.  The entire design is best suited to a small group of bantam chickens.  The bottom is open to allow free grazing activities when the birds are not inside the roost.  You simply lift the handles on the large door side and roll the coop to a new location every couple of days, depending on how many chickens are in it and how much you want them to do with your ground. 

The side screens are 1x2 inch cage wire and the roof material is only 3/16 inch thick.  The object is to construct a coop which is light enough to be rolled by one adult, yet heavy enough to remain stationary in heavy winds and summer storms.  The framing is mostly 2x4 material and the entire thing is heavily coated with exterior grade premium stain.  The framing joints have been glued with gorilla glue and reinforced with stainless screws. 

The hen door is lockable and has a strong latch.  As the bottom is open, predators may be able to gain access at night, so birds must have a safe lockable retreat in the roost.  Raccoons have great abilities when it comes to fiddling with latches, assuming they are strong enough to get through the initial framing and cage wire.  The beauty of a portable coop is, any tunneling animal doesn't have day after day to work on digging under and when and if they do get under, they still have the box to get through.  So, it's pretty safe.

Portable coops may serve as a year round enclosure if you're in the south or in an area where snow loads are not a problem.  Just remember to limit the number of birds so they are not crowded.  This design would be fine for three hens and a rooster, of any of the bantam breeds.

There are ventilation slats at the top sides and interior facing wall of the roost.  The roof keeps wind driven rain from coming into that space.  The side panel opens on one side, allowing access for cleaning.  Notice the perch slats are removable and only held in place by stops.  The interior of the roost box has a lip around all edges so litter does not flow out or get scratched out through the hen door when open.  Feeder and drinker are suspended from a 2x2 inch strut which runs the width of the roost floor.  Holes were pre-drilled during construction for this purpose.  One nest box is needed for every four hens, there is a nest box which is simply hung on the wire inside the pen area, beneath the ramp to the hen door. (not pictured) 

This portable coop is featured in the housing section of the DVD Regarding Chickens, all aspects of it's use are described in detail there.  Best of luck with your own portable projects!

 

Buy your own set of detailed prints from this website.  They will be e-mailed to you within 24 hours.

 

 


Below is a description of a predator protection device which is non-lethal

I'm not paid by Solar Nite Eyes to refer customers to them, I'm doing it simply because these devices have been very effective for me here at Fred's Fine Fowl.  I use them on my portable coops on poles by the pond to protect my free range water fowl.

Check it out for yourself and tell them Fred sent you!

 

Solar nite eyes is a maintenance free, flashing unit that receives its power from either direct sun or any kind of daylight.  This unit requires no batteries or electricity.  They will never fail to flash nightly even with several weeks of continuous cloudy weather.  Once installed, one never has to touch them, unless to reposition them from time to time to keep your visitors guessing.  The units are completely sealed, weatherproof, low/high temperature resistant and will last for three years or more based on my personal experience with red flashing light technology.

These red flashing lights have proven to stop owls, raccoons, possum, coyote black bear and fox.  Even deer will not enter an area where these lights are installed and are flashing.  The concept is simple;  To a predator, or night creature, a flashing light gives the impression of a pair of eyes from another organism and the predator feels threatened or as if they're being watched and they simply leave the area.  Also the color red causes most night creatures to "shrink" away because it reflects off their own eyes.  The concept is simple and effective!  

Get your own self contained blinkers for your birds at:

www.SolarNiteEyes.com

If you care as I do, about the well being of wildlife as well as your own birds, then killing raptors is not an option, not to mention being illegal.

See if solar nite eyes can work for your particular situation and let me know how it works out for you.

Sincerely,

Fred    E-mail:  Fred@FredsFineFowl.com


Visit a friend who raises chickens, ducks, guineas or has their own honey bee apiary... be happy for a day.  Learn sustainable living practices with your own living space and be happy for a life time!  Live healthy, bring joy to others...