A Special Post for Miss Kate...And Any Other Friends With Naughty Chickens!

How could anyone find fault with something this small, fluffy, and adorable?



Totally impossible, you say. And I would have to agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, these cuties do not stay this small, fluffy, and adorable forever...and we all know what can happen when you cross a full grown hen with a veggie garden...if you don't, please ask my new friend, Miss Kate!

And so, Miss Kate, this post is for you, and for any other friends out there in blogland who are tired of fencing in their gardens...or their hens...in order to keep the two separate! Please forgive me in taking so long to post it...I know that I promised this to you days ago!

Now I wouldn't give up my farm fresh eggs for anything. We had a small pen for our "ladies" for when we were not at home, but much prefer to let them range freely...for they lay so much better when they are able to do this. But, like many of you, we depend on our gardens to provide for us during those cold winter months.

So...during the best time to range freely...the summer months...we had to keep our "ladies" penned up, because of course they love our peas and beans almost as much as we do.

Finally, my husband and sons decided that we could have the best of both worlds, save our garden and let the ladies range. They drew up some plans...and for almost no cost...built this portable hen pen.


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The pen was built with materials that we picked up at our local transfer station (aka "town dump"). We are fortunate to live in a town that is very much into recycling. In addition to the usual spots for trash and recyclables...we also have a firewood pile, a lumber pile, and a metal pile. Folks are encouraged to reuse items from these piles whenever possible. My husband found the chicken wire, the lumber, and the door there (which was an old door to a rabbit pen).

The entire pen is 4 ft. by 8 ft. by 2 1/2 ft. high. It is extremely light and easy to pull around. Right now we put a waterer in it...but my husband and sons are working on a small box that will fit onto the top for the ladies to use as a place for egg laying. This box will also have a spot for a waterer attachment.




This "door" slides up to open...when pushed up against our henhouse, it fits exactly with the side door.


This rope is used the pull the pen all over the lawn...we just move them several times during the day. They especially like it if we leave them right over an ant hill!



My guys rounded the ends of the bottom pieces of lumber to make them like "skidders", which makes this very easy to pull across the grass! Even my little niece can pull it will almost no difficulty!


One of our friends built a long skinny rounded one out of pvc pipe and wire and puts it between the rows in his garden...and the hens do the weeding for him!


"...how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings..." Luke 14:34