Backyard Poultry Forum

That looks a super stylish as well as practical pen; Is that even fake grass "carpet" I see in there?

Love the lovely 'lorp checking out the new digs

Found this at the Tip Shop ages ago - finally put it to good use.
The first residents into the (finally) duck friendly, fox proof orchard.

Your very clever Sue55. Love your designs

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Four happy chickens started Dec 2017
Two Isa Browns and Two Australorp crosses.
Two rooster's accidentally added to the bunch, cross Araucana and cross Ancona 2018 rehomed 2019
RIP Daisy 2019
Two Isa Browns added 2019 = 5 happy chickens

Sometimes young birds need to be housed outside without a broody to keep them warm. The solution is a cold brooder.
I use ones made from large seedling trays and cotton mop heads (cheap from the reject shop).
In the pen the top of the brooder is kept clean by sandwiching a layer of newspaper between the 'Mop Mummy' and a second tray.
They may need a little training to snuggle under it for the first couple of nights.
The height can be simply raised as the chicks grow, by using longer legs cut from a larger diameter water pipe and simply slipping them over the original ones

Today we finished installing the personal care facility in the orchard. The ducks and goose are installed in temporary accommodation while the engineer and the site supervisor complete the permanent housing.
The bath is plumbed in and out and is surrounded with bread crates for mud control. There is a double seedling tray under the ramp filled with charcoal to help with water purity (same principle as biological filters in a fish pond).