![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/bec8eb01799550e6a5268bc6ae2a81985b836bc1.jpg)

Ever since we had chickens I have been unhappy with the set up - and I'd never been able to work it so they could go into the vegie patch. This summer I've been working on creating gated areas to they can move from their new location under the elder trees (where it's nice and cool) to an area near the compost and then into the vegie enclosure, which I'm portioning into sections to let them in to where it needs a work over or to keep them out to prevent them decimating new plants or the food they like, like tomatoes and yellow squash, which have been pecked out of late. 



Here's a little sketch of the set up:


![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/3ec32e9acd350efbe460b4de5a0c01a4604eb39a.jpg)



Gates are expensive here and the ones we have were here when we bought the place, bar one that J. made out of fence palings. So, I raided the wood pile, finding pieces of an old wardrobe and fence palings we have been chopping up for kindling. The first step was making sure it is reasonably square, which it should be if you measure an equal distance between the top and bottom rail. 

![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/0e5b54d495e0354671c35f9e4509301a38f3f283.jpg)

Then it was a matter of screwing them all on, pre drilling holes so the wood didn't split. 

![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/a9aa91f1fd166d629c118646292e3c413ee452c0.jpg)

Next was to put in a cross brace to hold it all together. I measured each diagonal first..  if both are the same length, the gate is square. If not, it's just a matter of knocking it into place until it is. I was pleased it came out square the first time as I'd spent ages making sure the initial frame was square. 

![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/e899440f93054f95489b8298ca5a76ecc4f13d6d.jpg)

I liked the tops with varied lengths because its less likely the chooks will jump on top of it, plus, I like that aesthetic. I was pretty pleased that it was very much a gate and I did it all by myself!!

I wanted to do a second gate but had run out of suitable palings. However, a trip up to the shop for icy poles had us spying a work bench in a pile of hard rubbish and, whilst getting this bench into the van for J's shed, I found a heap of painted scrap wood! Hence, gate number 2! @senorcoconut, I thought of you as I picked up this free and useful timber!


![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/9dfb73493ce1dc9bebee791a7e6e87db19bfcb72.jpg)

I love the colours in this one. It's not hinged yet as I need to go into the cheaper hardware shop in town to get hinges. We have yet to put in a post - here we just stretched chook wire across to stop them getting into that section.

It was definitely a chook themed day as the guy we bought them off dropped off two babies and collected the two that had become roosters. Now we have 5 Plymouth Rocks and this Barnvelder. He is going to drop off two more in a few weeks time. 

![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/50dae42817feaa89360fa21da725e592ab1c7802.jpg)

![](https://d1vof77qrk4l5q.cloudfront.net/img/804d7b8443a47c5127e627c56d62048b8e033e2a.jpg)

Last night we entertained ourselves by watching them sort out the pecking order and jump into the coop as the sun went down, drinking sloe gin. It's amazing how entertaining this can be. I had to help them onto the roost bar as I had lowered this as it was a bit high. As I disturbed one, the other thought it's be a good idea to jump on my head. Chooks can be so wierd and dumb as the sun goes down. 

# What do you think of my makeshift gates?
# What DIY have you been up to of late?

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