Got empty wire spools? Here's an idea!

[greenfamilyfarms]

Here is a picture of it without the doors installed. These are recycled wire spools (FREE!) from the electric company. We used 5 foot biddy wire, but I think it would work out better if you can find the 6 foot wire. That way, the middle section will be larger. If interested, I will post pictures of the final product.

We've made two of these so far and still have wire left over. I plan to put pigeons and small bantams in the pens.

Spools = Free
Scrap wood = Free
5' Roll of wire = $45.00

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I feel like I need to give an update on this project since it has been revived on Pinterest and Facebook. It's been about 4 years since we made these. Since then, we have discovered:

(1) Since spools are not treated wood, they decay very, very quickly. Right now, the pens are a pile of trash waiting to go to the landfill. We are going to strip the wire from them and dispose of them.

(2) These are WAY too small for people to raise standard chickens, rabbits, pets, or larger bantams in on a constant basis. *IF* you use them just as coops, they work well for pigeons (like we used them for) or for small bantams like seramas. Our roller pigeons used these as nesting areas and we let them out on a daily basis to train them. I would not recommend them to keep poultry penned up without access to roam/fly.

(3) The chicken wire works to keep pigeons in, but is not very secure if you have predator problems. We are fortunate to not have a huge number of bad-to-the-bone predators, so this type of wire worked well for us.

(4) Would I make these again? No. They were too much work for just a short time of use.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

"Final" product pictures (still need to do some tweaking on the feed and water ideas, and debating on some kind of perch to attach somewhere):

This last picture shows the door open. We drilled a hole to put a nail in to hold the door up. When you open the door, take the nail that is holding it closed, put it in the drilled hole, and ta-da! This is so the pigeons can have a perch to land out in order to go back into their pen.

We ended up using a lot of recycled materials:
-spools
-large post staples (purchased new ones to attach the wire to the wood)
-large nails to hold the door closed
-fabric tape (to make hinges) and small nails to attach the strips to the wood
-scrap wood
-pallets
-and we already had the tools to make it

 

[Creed Bennett]

Oh and if your chickens are into pole dancing then they are really set!!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

VERY COOL IDEA!!!!!

 

[ArtsyMom]

Very cool!
Why did you leave a space between the two?

 

[Honey1]

That is really neat!

What a great idea!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
Well, that's why I said that the 6 foot wire would work better. The space is just over a foot tall in the center. Probably try a pair of pigeon in there, but if they can't stand up, I'll probably just use it for storage... or whatever!

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

WOW!!! What a fantastic idea !!! I have to show hubby this one....More photo's

please !!!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

The only thing I worry about it cleaning it... Will you put shavings in the bottom? If so, you should put a bottom band about 3" wide around it, so they all don't get kicked out...