Temporary chooks

[MindfulMama]

I really want to get chooks, but don't want to do a lot of permanent work in the backyard to keep them as we hope to move sometime in the next 6 months. So, I'm thinking that they need a sectioned off area to keep them safe from the cats next door, plus somewhere to sleep.

For the sectioned off area, I guess I just get some pickets & some mesh & make something? Is it more complicated that this? I'm not the handiest of people!

For the place where they sleep, what's the best option? I looked at aviaries but they are really expensive. Sheds are cheaper, but don't you need to cement them into the ground? What other ideas could I consider?

Thanks chook lovers!

(Oh, and do chooks require grass? We have weeds only )

[emd]

We've got two chooks in a mobile chook house. It's covered (metal) at one end, where their nests are and a roosting perch for night time. The rest of the pen is open, just covered in wire (including the floor). There's wheels at one end to make it easy to move around the garden. We love it! It means the chooks can scratch at the grass (the wire mesh is quite large holes) and they fertilise/weed little areas every couple of days until we move the chook house. We do let them out quite often, but only for a few hours at a time (don't want them attacked by neighbourhood cats) and they haven't destroyed the vegie garden too badly. They usually find a bush and dig themselves a nest in the dirt under it, or hunt through the lawn for bugs and snails to eat. Chooks are fine with weeds to pick through - they're really looking for bugs, not green grass.

[hanabi]

Ours is in a converted garden shed. Around that we have a picket fence which we regularly rearrange around a bunch of fruit trees surrounding the coop.

But I love Emma's set up. *geek alert!* We have an old trailer that I can't wait to turn into a mobile chicken coop. But for a suburban context, take a look at these:
Our Coops - City Chicks - the backyard chicken and coop specialist

I see fancy guinea pig cages and chicken tractors regularly at a pet and produce store in Ashgrove, so they're around and easy to obtain. Or if you're clever you might be able to reproduce something like this:
Chicken Coop Accessories for Portable Coops

But if your block isn't level you might need something more like a chook dome. You can put a mobile coop (like a converted wheelbarrow) inside. So long as you can lock it up at night, the birds will be relatively safe.

[sweetchili]

I was going to recommend City Chicks! we got the ark and a few other bits and pieces from them.. the ark is great!!!

the lady who owns city chicks also rents the coops and anything you need, and will take retired chickens and chickens you dont want anymore back(for a small fee).
might be worth renting?

have fun getting chooks! we love ours!!

[spiralgirl]

i can help you make something.....

[spiralgirl]

oh and im going to do cement floors as my mums chooks got something called stickflea that is fairly common and the only way to get rid of it is to break the life cycle by putting in a cement floor in the area where they sleep.......stickflea can kill them if the infestation gets bad enough, so a cement floor is a good idea.....

[MindfulMama]

what do you think of something like this for them to sleep in? does it have everything a happy chook or three would need? when we move we could put some concrete underneath it. i would also want to attach a mesh run to it so they can "free range" in a safe suburban way without getting attacked by dogs/cats etc.

oh and spiralgirl ... your expertise is definately welcome in helping get us started!