The easiest pens to make and to move are made from plastic water pipe and 1" x 2" welded wire. They can be moved by one person and they tend to fit the lay of the land better than wood. During times of high winds they need to be anchored.

I use chain link fencing which is four feet tall as my most common fence material for my perimeter fencing. I attach a tightly stretched barbed wire to the bottom of the chain link and run an electric fence along the top of the chain link. I have a large backyard fenced as described above. I generally use my moveable pens in this backyard area. Since I have secured the yard fence, I can freely move the pens around the area without fear of intruders other than the flying kind. I do cover the pen with 2 inch plastic net to keep the owls out.

In the absence of a protected perimeter fence some provision will be needed to keep out the climbing intruders. An electric fence can be placed near the top of the moveable pen. Always place electric fence wires high enough that the birds cannot touch them. Electric fences scare off the predators, but they often kill birds.

To construct a pen that is approximately 20 feet in diameter start with six pieces of 1 inch "Schedule 40" white plastic water pipe which are 20 feet long. Do not under any circumstance substitute a cheaper quality pipe for the Schedule 40. You need the wall thickness of the Schedule 40. Connect and glue three pieces together, then repeat the gluing for the remaining three pieces. After each gluing, be sure to wipe off the extra glue, as it will weaken the joint if it pools. Then let the glue dry for about an hour.

You can make a door frame by cutting two pieces of Schedule 40 pipe approximately four feet long to be the top and bottom of the door frame. Cut two more pieces of pipe to be the sides of the door frame. These pieces will be glued top and bottom in the middle fitting of a "T" joint. The combined length of the side pipe and the "T" joints connected to each end should be slightly less than the height of the welded wire you plan to use. Complete the door frame by gluing the side pipes to the ends of the four feet long pieces of pipe cut earlier for the top and bottom of the door frame. The final product should be a rectangle with the remaining "T" joint fittings pointing to what will be the top and bottom support pipes.

Take one of the support sections which is now 60 feet long and glue one end to one of the "T" fittings on the side of the door frame. Connect the other support pipe to the remaining "T" joint on the same side where you glued the first support pipe. Let the new joints dry for an hour or more.

Bend the pipe into a circle and glue the remaining end to the appropriate "T" fitting on the other side of the door frame. Hold the door frame and pipe end as straight as possible, glue then tape the new joint to a length of wood three or four feet long to hold it straight until the glue dries. Leave for an hour or more before removing the tape. Repeat the process with the other length of pipe.

You now have two circles which are 60+ feet in circumference, with a diameter of approximately 20 feet. Start on the side opposite the door frame and surround the circle with 1" x 2" or 2" x 4" welded wire which is 4', 5', or 6' tall. On 1" x 2" welded wire, which is what I use, I connect the welded wire to the pipe at distances of approximately 18 inches with number 12 covered copper electrical wire. I attach the pipe to the second wire from the bottom of the welded wire rather than the wire which touches the ground. When you get back to the starting place I pull the welded wire as tight as I can, then overlap it about six inches. Finally I secure the junction with "j" clamps. Repeat the attachment process with the second pipe as you attach it to the second wire from the top. It might be easier to start with the top run and do the bottom run last.

You now have this large circular pen. You can cut a door of desired size inside the area outlined by the door frame. I recommend leaving at least 4 to 6 inches of welded wire above and below, as well as, on each side between the door cut and the door frame. You can then cut a new piece of wire to cover the door opening and use "j clamps" for hinges. You can also fashion wire hooks to keep the door closed. A house can be placed on the inside for protection from the sun and rain. You should not attach cloth to the sides as this turns your pen into a kite during a strong wind. Be sure to use Schedule 40 rigid water pipe. In lengths 60 feet long it is really not rigid. Two inch net on top gives protection from owls, yet lets a lot of air through in a wind. As discussed above, I usually situate my easy move pens inside of a larger secure fence to aid in predator protection.

You should be able to obtain Schedule 40 water pipe at your local plumbing or hardware stores. The 1" by 2" welded wire of your desired height, and "j" clamps should be found in your local area at your Coop or hardware stores.

If the latter two items are not available they can be obtained from Rocky Top General Store, PO Box 1006, Harriman, TN 37748, 1-423-882-8867, home page at http://www.rockytopgen.com/ and email at info@rockytopgen.com

The net can be obtained from J. A. Cissel, P. O. Box 2025 Lakewood, NJ 08701, 1-732-901-0300 or by email at jacissel@compuserve.com

Either company will send a catalog on request. They also respond to credit card orders by telephone.

Moveable Pen Showing Moveable Weather Cover, Heat Lamp, And Top Net

Moveable Pen - Close-Up Of Door

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Last Modified Thursday, 14-Jul-2005 11:28:10 CDT