Cómo construir camas de jardín elevadas para adaptarse a The Garden Ark tractor de pollo

One of the nice things about The Garden Ark mobile chicken coop is that you can move it around your yard or garden to focus your chickens’ grazing activity where you want it — just roll it across your lawn or place it atop your vegetable rows.

But what if you prefer to garden in raised beds? How can you incorporate The Garden Ark into your garden rotation so that your hens can graze, till, and help fertilize your garden before or after harvest?

In this tutorial, I show you how to build a raised vegetable bed that fits The Garden Ark design perfectly. 

A few notes before getting started on your veggie beds

Evalúe su nivel de competencia. Si ha utilizado nuestros planos to build your backyard chicken coop, this project should be a snap.

Hora. About 30 minutes per bed? Let me know in the comments.

Medidas. Quizás hayas modificado la huella de tu Arca del Jardín al construirlo, o tal vez tengas otro diseño de gallinero completamente diferente. No dudes en modificar las medidas para adaptarlas a tus necesidades y a tu gallinero. Las unidades métricas aparecen en verde.

Seguridad. Lea primero nuestro descargo de responsabilidad. Siga todas las instrucciones del fabricante cuando utilice herramientas, materiales o equipos. Protégete los ojos, los oídos y las extremidades. Construye con seguridad y diviértete.

Raised bed plans for your Garden Ark chicken tractor

Lista de materiales (to build one 5′ x 3′ raised bed frame – 1525 x 865 mm)

• (2)  8-foot (2400 mm) two-by-tens. You can use two-by-sixes on up to two-by-twelves if you prefer. Nota: La madera estará en contacto directo con el suelo, por lo que debe elegir una especie naturalmente resistente a la putrefacción, como el cedro o la secuoya, o utilizar una madera blanda más económica (abeto, pino, abeto) y sellarla bien o conservarla con un producto apto para jardines, como Estabilizador interno para madera Timber Pro UV.
• Aproximadamente 2 o 4 pies de largo (600 mm) of a two-by-two. Ver nota anterior.
• About 20 or so 3″ (75 mm) exterior screws or 4″ (100 mm) structural wood screws
• About 16 or so 2-1/2″ (64 mm) tornillos exteriores

Lista de herramientas

• Sierra circular o sierra de mano
• Un par de caballetes
• Taladro/atornillador eléctrico
• Cinta métrica
• Lápiz

Instrucciones

Cut each of 2 two-by-tens en un 60″ (1525 mm) pieza y una de 34″ (865 mm) pieza. Estas formarán los bordes exteriores del marco (ver diagrama a continuación). Nota: si ajustaste ligeramente las medidas de los patines de tu arca para tener en cuenta las dimensiones fresadas de la madera que utilizaste, haz los mismos ajustes aquí. Simplemente debes hacer que las dimensiones exteriores del marco de la tapa inferior coincidan con las de los patines de tu arca.

Corta los dos por dos. into two 11″ (280 mm) pieces. These will be the corner pieces, which will stick up about 1-1/2″ above the height of the frame to “lock” the base of The Garden Ark in place. You only need two at opposite corners to accomplish this. If you prefer one in each corner, cut four pieces.

Lije ligeramente las piezas cortadas y píntelas, séllelas o trátelas. tratarlos según sea necesario con un conservante de madera no tóxico como Estabilizador interno para madera. Siga las instrucciones del fabricante para cualquier producto que aplique y deje que se seque el tiempo necesario antes de exponer la madera a la humedad.

Attach the two-by-ten pieces together para formar los bordes exteriores del marco, utilizando 3″ (75 mm) exterior screws, three or four per joint. Refer to the diagram for placement. You will probably want to pre-drill the holes to prevent splitting.

Attach the two-by-two pieces in opposite corners using a couple of 2-1/2″ (64 mm) screws. Drive the screws through the two-by-two and into one of the two-by-tens. Notice the direction of the grain in the wood and try to sandwich the grain with your screws. This reduces the chance of splitting. If you want to give the corners of your frame extra hold, screw the two-by-two into both adjoining two-by-tens.

Level out the ground where you will be placing the raised beds. Then set the beds in place, fill with topsoil, and plant your garden.

When you’re ready for the hens, set The Garden Ark atop a raised bed, so that the corners fit around the two raised two-by-twos. Adjust the height of any hanging feeder or waterer, and let the chickens manage the rest. (I should mention, the pop door on the front of the ark pictured here is not described in the plans, but will likely be part of a future post.)

Done! Enjoy watching your chickens enjoy life.

Your chickens will be right at home in — and on top of — your garden!

Whether you use The Garden Ark as the primary home for your chickens or as a complement to your existing Garden Coop — to brood chicks, separate out part of your flock, or simply to use it as chicken tractor — combining this mobile coop design with a few raised garden beds adds to its functionality and gives it a more established place in you garden. In fact, if you plan on stationing your Garden Ark atop raised beds most of the time, see this idea a customer sent in a while back — shaping the ends of the skids to work as handles, which makes moving your coop from one bed to the other that much easier.

And while these measurements are ideal for The Garden Ark and The Garden Run quarter-height module, the principle would work with just about any similar-sized coop with an open bottom. ¡Así que transmítelo!

Espero que este tutorial te haya resultado útil. Si quieres aprender a construir tu propio gallinero móvil Garden Ark, echa un vistazo a nuestros planos de gallinero, disponible tanto en unidades estándar/imperiales estadounidenses como en unidades métricas. A Kit rápido de hardware is also available (U.S. only). You might also like our free plans for grazing frames, which will help you keep your chickens in the green no matter what type of coop you have.

A diferencia de los planos de gallineros, no ofrezco asistencia por correo electrónico para este plano gratuito de tapas inferiores. Pero si tienes alguna pregunta, comentario, historia de éxito o consejo sobre cómo incorporar tus gallinas de corral a tu huerto elevado, Por favor, deje un comentario a continuación., y haré todo lo posible por responder.