How do you build a movable chicken pen?

A plan for building a movable chicken pen can be found on Mother Earth News; it requires mesh sheets, steel tubing, plastic storage boxes and corrugated plastic to assemble. This pen has an open bottom to allow chickens to feed on fresh grass and insects and a steel frame to prevent dogs from breaking the pen and attacking the chickens.

To construct a movable chicken coop:

1. Weld the frame

Create two 2-foot-by-3-foot rectangles by welding steel tubing. Weld 10-foot lengths of iron angle to join the corners of the rectangles, creating a frame. Add wheels to the bottom and handlebars to the top.

2. Cover the frame in wire

Use sheets of 1-by-2-inch mesh to cover the sides of the frame and either weld it in place or tie it using wire or plastic ties. Use 2-by-4-inch mesh for the top. Mesh can also be used on the floor to protect the lawn and make the pen more predator-proof.

3. Make a door

Cut an opening in the front mesh wall. Cover this with a mesh flap.

4. Create a roosting area

Use 3-foot-by-3-foot corrugated plastic to create a covered roosting area at the back of the coop. Cut entrances in the sides of plastic storage boxes and attach them to a wooden shelf. Attach this shelf to the corrugated plastic roost.

During rainy months, the coop can be covered with a tarp. This will also protect chickens from snow.