moomin Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I would like to get a permanent run built for my chickens who will both be big ladies (barnevelder & cochin) in not too many weeks time. The elgu will be sitting on a shelf/platform inside the run and I'd like the chooks to be able to go underneath this for shelter from the sun/wind/rain etc. Could someone please advise, who has this kind of set up (or is familiar with the ample size of these two breeds!!) how high this platform should ideally be to allow the chooks to go underneath comfortably without banging their heads?? Also, what weldmesh should I get - 19g or 16g. My husband says that 16g will be like chook-prison! I'm not sure if we have foxes near but expect they will come sniffing round once they know we have chickens. Thanks very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daj198 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Don't have any experience with those breeds but my two ex-bats can get under their perch which is about 30cm high. I suppose you'll need about 20cm more than this because that is not including head height (they can only go under it whilst looking for bugs) and also they are smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 You definitely need 16g weldmesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsm_jones Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 We have our chook house on a platform to create more room in their run. It is 0.5m off the fround and there is plenty of head room for our maran and Orpingtons, which will be about the same size as your cochin, if not bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 this is our platform. i cant tell you the height at the moment as hubby is in bed my cochins are a year old and that picture isnt that old (a few weeks) so you have quite a bit of time yet it was sort of "top of thigh" height. I will post exact height tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Thanks all, thanks Chelsea I like the way you've hung their treats from it - very good idea. You're probably right she'll grow a bit slower than I'm imagining she will but she seems to have doubled in size since I got her last thursday, they both have!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 You definitely need 16g weldmesh. Definitely! A fox tried to nibble through mine, but couldn't. Anything thinner would have been no trouble for it! I recycled an old coffee table as an eglu stand. It works really well and the girls do go under it, but they are only hybrids not massive girls like your will be. Can you find out the "head-height" of your breeds and build it accordingly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
