If you need to keep your chickens safe and contained, simple fencing will do. it will keep them off the rest of the plot. This solution works well when you have a fair amount of rough ground - the chickens here will peck and scratch this area clean, then it can be dug over (pre-fertilized!) for planting.

If you have less space and you need to keep your chickens more closely contained, then a Chicken Ark can be a great solution.

An ark will also give the hens the shelter they need at night and you can move it different parts of your plot, so they are still, in effect, ranging free.

Our downloadable chicken ark plans are actually three complete sets, so you can also build a larger upright hen house and when you move on to keeping more chickens, a complete chicken house with pitched roof and external nest boxes. All instructions are clearly laid out - and you only need a hammer and nails, plus some wood of course. The materials lists are included as is extensive information on keepng chickens.

You’ll save a fortune compared to ready-made hen houses - and the ark will take less than a day to build. it’s also ideal for rabbits or guiness pigs.

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