CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Im thinking about alternative ideas for the girls. OH isnt to happy about the amount of damage happening in the garden, and Noah cant go out there at all as the deck and everywhere is covered in poo. As much as I go out therie with a hose and blast it off every couple of days it still builds up at an alarming rate. I was thinking about getting a run extension in the new year and keeping them in the run apart from a free range at weekends. But that mght be a bit confusing for them wondering why they cant go out every day. Also the run is a "Ooops, word censored!" enough to clean as it is, with just a tiny door. So Im wondering about building a bigger run and keeping them in it all the time, apart from the odd day I might let them out for a run around. A run with a full height door, so they can fly about (which they currently cant do in the omlet run) have perches and climbing stuff and all sorts of bits of interest. This way the deck is kept clean and we have a little patch of plants and grass to keep nice. Having a look out their the size I could manage to put out there is 4 meters long by 2 meters wide and 6ft high Does this sound like a fair enough size run to keep my girls in on a pretty much permanent basis? or do I just live with things how they are and not really use the garden for anything other than chickens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I hope it sounds alright as that is EXACTLY what we are building over Christmas! Mine's actually about 3m wide but apart from that it sounds the same. that way we can keep a bit of the garden for humans! Ours will still be allowed out most days but it means they'll have more room on a day to day basis. We're also fencing off a bit of the garden at the bottom so that will be the only place they can free-range, too much poo and grass damage. It was ok in the summer but in the winter the garden is WRECKED cos it can't recover quick enough. Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Have a look at the run inspirations sticky Cat - it has loads of pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 I have been and had a look though, its hard sometime to work out what sizes somr of them are, or who keeps their girls in most of the time or let them free range a lot. I may see someones the same but find they actaully let them free range every day as well. I know the Omlet guide says I can keep all 6 of my chickens in my run as is or just 1 extension for 10, but I think most of us in reality would not be happy with that size confines for our girls on a permanent basis. Its hard to visualise and work out what would be best, and I dont want to go to the effort of building something that didnt work out afterall and seemed to small. I think it works out about 4 times the size as what I have now with just the standard run (as the run dimensions given on Omlet dont take into consideration how much of it is the fox proof skirt and not actual run size.) So in theory I think I could even pop a couple more girls in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 im building the same thing as well i will post a pic of my plans and we could help each other out! Small World mine is going to be 4m by 2m and i am going to make six 2 metre by 2 metre panels and atatch them together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Oh Sam fantastic. How many girl are you planning on keeping in there total, and will they be getting daily freerange time too, or kept inside mostly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 That sounds good Sam - Cat, I'd find a design that you like, then make it in the size that you need, decide first whether you wsnt your cube on the inside of the run (like Kate and Emma), or clipped on the outside (like Snowy has). Be sure to include a skirt along the outside of the run and bury it in the ground or weight it down with paving slabs. Polycarbonate sheets seem to be the rofing of choice at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 i am have 4 chooks at the moment but am going to get a 5th when the run is built. i emailed barbara and she said each hen should have about 1m squared so it will be just right for 6 hens, as you have. mine will only get weekend out of the run. will post the plans as soon as i can find them as someone has moved them i am going to use the extra mesh for a skirt and plastic sheets for the roof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 My run is 4m x 2m x 2m on patio slabs on a concrete base. Only have two chooks though (at the moment ). They have enough room for chicken races if they wanted too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 (edited) Here They Are!! These are the rough ones and i will post the ones with the exact measuurements is you like the look of them! Cept Them Big So You Can See The Numbers The 5 Normal Panels The Door Panel Edited December 19, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Going by 1m per chicken I will have 8sqm so that means 2 more chickens! I will have to make loads of yummy food with eggs over the next couple of months to show OH just how wonderfull it is having eggs fresh on our doorstep! The only thing that is a pain in the bum with the cube is getting access to every side, so you cant pop in a corner of the run. I dont need a lot of access to the egg port but the door side, the handle comes out so far! I think hopefully it would fit with enough gap to clear the side and then I could wheel it out to get access to the poop trays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 god sorry need to work on my maths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Sam have you costed up the contruction yet? I like the gravel boards idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 as the cube is raised in the air you could just put it in the middle of the run and then your girls could sit on top of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Not exactly but 30m of 1.6mm thick mesh with 50mm by 50mm holes costs £65 including delivery from www.meshdirect.co.uk. and i am guessing wood will cost about £70-80 not sure about plastic sheets for roof though so it will prob cost just short of £200 so not tooooooo bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Even in the middle of the run if its facing the front the ladder attached tot he front needs taking into consideration when calculating the width of the ladder cube and the poop trays being pulled all the way out, and if its facing the side tehn gap either side to allow full extension of the door handle and room for access of the egg port. I will have to do some measuring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 what about diagonally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Im thick arnt I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 so would you like me to post the pics of the panels with the exact measurements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 No thats okay this has given me enough food for thought, I wont be looking at doing it for a couple of months still, so plently of time to prepar still. Be sure to post pics of your run once you have built it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blonde Chicken Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Hello This is exactly the same size as our run - see pics on my album (not clever enough to post into the message yet ) We have 5 girls and there is loads of space. Go for it. Ours are in all day at the moment and only get let out on parole at the weekends Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Karen that is perfect! spot on what I want to do and its great to see one same size like that to get an idea. I have bookmaket that now, I will use it in my pursuasion of the OH. Do you build it yourselves. and if you dont mind me asking how much did it cost in materials to make? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Not exactly but 30m of 1.6mm thick mesh with 50mm by 50mm holes costs £65 including delivery from www.meshdirect.co.uk. and i am guessing wood will cost about £70-80 not sure about plastic sheets for roof though so it will prob cost just short of £200 so not tooooooo bad I got this mesh from here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GALVANISED-WIRE-MESH-30m-36-1-x-1-19g_W0QQitemZ220135289596QQihZ012QQcategoryZ1269QQcmdZViewItem I live quite near so avoided the postage. The green coated stuff has free delivery: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GREEN-PVC-COATED-GALV-WIRE-MESH-30m-36-1-x-1-19g_W0QQitemZ330198845421QQihZ014QQcategoryZ1269QQcmdZViewItem Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockADoodleDoo Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 looks good but isnt 19g too thin to stop a fox i was told you need at least 16g for it to be foxproof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...