Our daughter is a Junior at college this year and we still had her swingset in the back yard. Parts of it were weathered and unuseable but the frame was solid. While raking around it one day I realized it was time to either let it go or do something with it. That's when the swingset to chicken coop idea came to be ~
Surfing the web and pinterest I see that others had done it and it didn't seem that difficult. Our whole 4 acres is fenced and we have dogs loose, making our chicken predators limited to hawks and owls. We would stake it down but the fact that we could possibly move it around was going to be great!
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| We stripped it down added chicken wire length wise along 2/3 of swingset. The wire is attached to each other with O rings and the pliers tool made it super easy. silimiilar hog ring pliers The ends are wraped around the swingset frame. The tin is attached to the frame legs |
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| The bottom needed reinforced along the long areas, we used metal strips inside to attach the fencing to the tin. |
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| Our swingset was extra long, the last part we decided would be enclosed. We also wanted to leave the small cross bars for support and roosts. |
The door frame was made out of extra swing set pieces and a piece of metal we had attached with hinges, don't forget the top trim to stop rain from getting in.
My husband and I can carry this around, heavy but doable, we get inside and walk it. Later could add wheels if we wanted easier mobility.
We hung the feeder and water with chains it really helps cut down on the ants.
After a few days we realized the crossbars were skinny and slippery so we cut tubing and placed on them with zip ties now it is much wider and they can grip on to it.
Eventually when the rooster moves out we will put a shelf in the enclosed area with nesting boxes.
It took us 2 weekends because here in AZ in the summertime it gets really hot and we only worked on it am and pm for hr or so. A lot of what we used my husband had sitting around his shop. Only purchased the chicken wire, the o rings and tool to apply them, the metal trim inside on bottom to reinforce the chicken wire at bottom, trim at top for rain on enclosed area and the feeders.
It is staked down at all 4 corners, could bury it all around if needed but we just don't have that kind of predators to deal with. Any questions feel free to ask!!