Happy Chickens But Not Exactly Cage Free

Growing up on a farm and running a farm are two very different things. There is so much to learn. This summer is the first year I have had chickens. We purchased 7 chicks in the spring and put the old chicken house in the end of the garden shed back into use. A heat lamp and a backyard cardboard brooder box was useful for a couple of weeks, then we used the heat lamp and a smaller area of chicken wire inside the larger coop as the chicks continued to grow. After the weather moderated and the chicks were about half their adult size, we wanted to allow the chicks outside yet control their location in our garden. My husband built a hardware cloth and bent PVC pipe-frame cage with a door in one end and a "slinky" tunnel to attach to the door of the coop and clamp to the end of the cage with the door. Over time, 2 more "slinkys" were added so now we have a run that can be adjusted to many garden locations and the chickens can enjoy lots of variety in their environment, plus keep weeds and insects down in our garden and fertilize the soil while enjoying some sun and the outdoors.