Making a Chicken Pen out of a Recyled Trampoline

How many of us had a trampoline go rip? I've had a few in my lifetime and before I would package it up and send it to the dump. But now we have found a new use for them.

Instead of being wasteful since that is one of my new motto's in life 'not to be wasteful'. I am now trying to put everything I would have thrown out to some form of use. The idea came to me out of desperation and a friend who happened to see a picture on Facebook of a trampoline chicken pen. She sent me the picture and said I just happen to have an old trampoline I need to get rid of do you want it?

I needed to figure out something and quick I had two extremely protective and you can say cranky mama birds who i swear would have taken on a bear to protect their little brood. So before I had complete blood shed in the coop I knew I needed to separate and give the two mamas their own home. Now as you know things always happen when you are strapped for money and now was one of those times. I did not have the money to build a nursery barn but I did have money to build a trampoline home. In one evening we were able to put together two little trampoline pens and were able to end the mama trouble.

My husband expanded this idea by adding a little shed outside of each enclosure and nailed the wire to the houses. This gave them a little place to nest in if they wanted. This winter we plan on putting the two enclosures together with one big shed so they have warmth and two pens to play around in. At first we were not going to put the tarp on top of the trampoline but decided to do it for shade and safety purposes. Now since we are only using the tarp for a roof critters could still get in if they wanted and the older chickens can get out to free range. Where I have my chicken pens is very close to my house so I can take this chance. A more secure top would be needed if it was farther away. Eventually as we find more broken trampolines we intend on placing them on top of each other and putting a door in the side. This would enable the chickens to fly around if they wanted.

I used this idea for my chickens but it could also be used for containing other animals. It would also be very useful for containing small dogs, rabbits, a puppy litter or an injured animal. Whatever is needed at the time so don't just think chickens.