Solitary chicken - need advice

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm so envious of all these walk in runs (and having seen my first fox within sight of my girls) I can't stop looking at Aviaries4U and the run inspiration thread . I suspect I may be out with my measuring tape tomorrow. Don't think OH will go for it though so it may have to be a "birthday present" (6 months early ).

 

I do have a couple of quick questions though ...

 

Are the Aviaries4U runs easy to assemble (by a DIY numpty )?

 

We have a really, really windy garden. Would a run be heavy and stable enough to not be blown about (our shed got blown a few inches last year)? Would it need to be attached to the garage wall (I've planned the position already, you'll notice!)?

[abwsco]

ANH, we haven't got an Aviaries4U one (he didn't do nationwide delivery then) but our run is attached to the garage wall as our garden can be windy but not windy enough to move a shed touch wood!

 

 

This was a work in progress pic obviously.

[Yolky]

After my incident where my reaaaalllyyyy heavy run was flipped over in the wind I would highly recommend attatching it to something if you are at all worried. We are going to have to replace the roof (when we can afford it) because of that. I honestly could not believe that my run would be blown over that way and my garden is not really that windy, infact it is a bit protected.

[Redwing]

Thats exciting ANH!

 

I think I would probably anchor it to something solid if you can or perhaps consider bolting it down to wooden sleepers or something similarly heavy.

[Janty]

If it's any consolation, I am the same at the moment. I want to reclaim the garden and replant my herbs. We are hoping to get Aviaries4U to build our run in the June half term as we will have lots of re-organisation of the garden to do before he is able to build. The run will be 7mtrs x 4mtrs and will sit in front of hubby's growing area. I can't wait.

[Jules.]

ooohh exciting- I remember plannig my run last year

 

You must fasten down your run, I have "L" shaped brackets which attach to the run & the paving slabs it stands on, about 8 of them in total.

It was my friend J who built my run who said it needed to be fastened down, I never thought it would budge at all.

[Cooks]

That's great ANH I did wonder how long it would take how many new girls are you getting :lol:

[Olly]

I'm exactly the same ANH, I keep measuring the garden and standing at the kitchen window working out the best place to put it. I want a slightly odd-shaped one - L-shaped with the Cube in the crook of the L, to make the best use of the space.

 

I have seriously considered whether I could build it myself, I'm fairly handy and I can cut wood and use a drill, but I have never done woodwork and I don't know how to join the panels together.

 

I will probably weaken and buy a ready-made one, if I can save up enough pennies. Do you think Aviaries4U or similar will make an odd shape? I'm also considering asking my friendly builder if he'd make it, and at the same time give me a woodworking lesson, I've got a feeling ready-made might work out cheaper than his time though.

 

It's exciting planning it isn't it!

 

Any 'wish I'd done this' or 'don't do what I did' thoughts from the people who've already got one?

[Redwing]

I am building my own run and plan to screw the panels together from both sides at several points (one screw right to left and another left to right) and use I, T and L metal plates for extra strength.

 

I just bought some deck screws at B&Q as they are supposed to be easier and quicker to go in and last a long time a tub of 250 was £4 in the sale and they had a free screw bit

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Seems I'm not alone . I keep doing that "staring at the garden" thing too . In fact, I was lying in bed last night trying to work out which way the eglu would fit, should it be inside or outside the run, how I would fit some kind of of plastic rain cover for the side (I'm thinking roll up like in a tent - someone has this, Egluntine is it?!).

 

And I think I've got it bad - I was thinking "I wonder if they could build two "flaps" just in case I "have to" get another eglu . Haven't worked out how that could work yet, I'd need 2 egg port flaps and 2 poo tray flaps .

 

Mentioned it to OH already (can't keep exciting plans to myself for more than a few minutes ). Got as expected but no "no ways" . We won £100 on the premium bonds this month - it's going into my run fund .

 

Not really thinking of more chickens as yet. More a case of more room for my lovely girls and potential for additions if one sadly is lost. Although if a local eglu came up on Ebay, I couldn't let that pass .

[rabbitfluff]

Oh you people are very bad influences! I wasn't going to have a walk in run until I kept reading all these posts about other people having them, which sewed a seed for me quite fancying one too. Then I thought it would make a nice spring/summer project, but now I'm thinking that if I'm having one anyway, I may as well just get on and build the thing. Sheesh. I hope you're happy with yourselves!

[quickcluck]

I stared at the garden alot too, and now my OH is building a walk in run and i've ordered 4 new girls to go with it

 

I'm so lucky..............

[Seagazer]

Vicki - I am exactly the same as you! I've already drawn out my plan. I've even tried to include an extension to it so they could do some digging in earth and then that bit could be shut off so that they are safe and secure on the slabbed part of the run. It goes round and round in my head. Took OH out there to size up the space and he decided to draw a completely different run. I'm most put out

 

Not sure whether I or OH will win in the end but hopefully very soon the girls will have more space to run around in and I won't be putting my back out cleaning them out

[Cyber Chook]

Now that I've at long last worked out (or rather Mr Cyberchook did it for me) how to put pictures on here (please note snazzy new avatar ), I'll try to get some photos on here of my very own Walk-In Run.

 

I spent many (probably slightly obsessive) happy hours daydreaming, planning and gazing too.

 

Tony from Aviaries4U built the walk-in run for me in November. He listened very patiently while I droned on endlessly over the phone, and spent a good 40 minutes going over various ideas and possibilities with me. This was all before I'd even decided to order one from him.

Having spoken to others who've built their own, I genuinely think that the cost would have worked out much the same if I'd bought the materials and (tried to) build it myself. And it was such a thrill that Tony arrived bright and early at 9am, and about 3 hours later I had my run!! Magic.

 

I'm a very very lucky chicken lady. EVery day I appreciate it, and so does my back. It was either get a walk in run or seriously consider not having chooks any more. It's so much easier to clean. I've mentally put the proceeds from selling my Cube's run and extension towards the cost of the walk-in run (9' by 6', which I've found is fine for my five girls), and it's ended up costing I guess something in the region of £270.

[Cyber Chook]

Any 'wish I'd done this' or 'don't do what I did' thoughts from the people who've already got one?

 

I'm glad I kept the Cube outside the walk-in run, rather than putting it inside, as it means it's easy to clean, and leaves lots more space inside the run, and you can store stuff underneath the Cube too.

 

Also, one thing to think about is the Cube ladder. The Cube abutts right up to the run. We unscrewed the ladder so that the Cube fits snugly up to the run, and then I've just leant the ladder up against the Cube and kept it in place using heavy bricks. But in the Spring we'll make something better. Tony can make a wooden ladder, but with a bit of thought you could easily design it so that the Cube's own ladder could be taken off the Cube and screwed on to a piece of wood on the run. If you see what I mean

 

Tony fitted a perch and a handy high shelf, and both have been very useful.

 

The door opens outwards and that suits me, but some people like theirs to open inwards. Personally I like the space it gives me inside the run, which otherwise I'd need to leave free so that the door could have the space to open.

 

Happy planning

 

Caroline

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Any 'wish I'd done this' or 'don't do what I did' thoughts from the people who've already got one?

 

That would be a huge help . Especially from eglu owners!

 

Cyberchook, that's exactly the size I've got planned . I'd love to hear details of what you ordered from Tony, if possible, like did you get the extra little doors ? And pictures are a necessity .

 

I think I'll have to have the eglu inside the run (can't see where to put it otherwise) so might need one of the table thingies.

 

I don't reckon £270 is that bad . I'm a third of the way there with my premium bond win this week . Although we'll have to returf the lawn as when I move the eglu and run there will be a great big empty stretch of soil (not really suitable for planting anything ).

[Olly]

ooh Caroline/Cyber Chook, that is really helpful, thanks. I definitely want the Cube outside, because I want to be able to empty trays/collect eggs without having to go into the run (my morning routine, especially in winter when it's dark till so late, is quite fraught enough without having to tread in chicken poop!). I also have five girls, so 9' x 6' is enough for yours? Not sure what size my potential plot is, I did it in metric even though I think in feet and inches!

 

I've seen others on here have put the ladder on a bit of wood so it can be screwed on. How does your Cube attach to the run - presumably you can wheel it away so that you can open the roof? And I take it from what you are describing that Aviaries4U don't mind doing a bespoke structure, if I work out dimensions etc. then they would be able to build an L-shape?

 

I am feeling very excited now. Just need to save some more pennies! Yes, please post pics when you are able to!

[Jules.]

If I was to start all over again I would have used pressure treated timber.

As it stands my run is great, but it took hours to paint all the panels before they were put together, & the Cuprinol cost £20 for the tin The paint should last 5 years, but I'm not looking forward to painting it again

 

Have a look at my Flickr pictures, there are quite a few run in progress ones on there. My run is 9x6 feet as well, & I reckon I could have 6 girls in there in total. I have branches which they can perch on & big logs in there now for interest.

 

I think it's Tessa the Duchess who has the roll- down tarpauline to protect her run. I'm thinking of getting some clear shower curtains to cable tie to my run sides for next winter to protect the inside from the wet.

 

My door opens outwards, which works well for me, but some folks have it opening inwards to bash the chooks out of the way so they don't make a bid for freedom every time you go in the run.

[Egluntyne]

Maybe a couple of strong fence posts to anchor it to will stop it blowing away like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz.

 

I love my walk in run.

 

You will be lusting after a cube next ANH.

[Olly]

Ooh thanks Jules, that's helpful, especially to see how your Cube just sits up tight to the mesh.

 

Up until yesterday I was thinking 'yes, I could build this with a bit of help'. This morning I woke up, thought about the weekend ahead (and how much I will be out and all the things there are to do when I'm NOT out!) and decided I don't have time.

 

Thanks for the tip about the timber, that's the sort of thing you don't realise till afterwards do you. 9 x 6 sounds about the right size for my five. If I lost one, then I might replace with two but I don't plan on ever going above six chickens.

 

I've just done a conversion check, and my 'space' is approximately 10' x 6' ... a bit of juggling needed if I'm to get the Cube outside the run, but I'm sure it can be done.

 

I may have to dig up the rhubarb and move it!

[Cyber Chook]

I'm glad to be of service

 

I'm frantically looking for bits and pieces (I'm selling my Cube mesh run this morning and suddenly remembered there might be nuts and bolts to go with it ), but I'll be back with a fuller reply later. I read every comment that I could before I went ahead with designing and ordering my run, so I'll be very happy to pass on anything that might be useful or at least food for thought.

 

And yes, 9' by 6' is just right in my opinion for my five girls. Big enough for them to have plenty of room, but not so huge that it takes over the garden.

 

BAck later

 

Caroline

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Thought I'd posted here but somehow managed to put in another thread .

 

Anyway......

 

I ran my plans past OH this morning.

 

He "has no objections"

 

I've got a lot of thinking, dreaming, planning & measuring (and phoning friendly joiner to see if he'll help!) to do .

 

How easy are the runs to put together? Could a numpty manage it with a screwdriver?

[chelsea]

that is eggsellent news ANH.

 

looking forward to the new project and the final spectacular run!

[Redwing]

Thats good enough for a go ahead then!

 

Well done, one husband at a time we will Omlet-ify the world

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Feeling a bit disheartened already . Just been out to measure what 3m x 2m looks like and it's huge . That's good you might think, but my garden is tiny and there's a tree in the way that I thought wouldn't be .

 

Am I right thinking that 3x2 is about the smallest I should have for 6 hens? I'm thinking now perhaps I'll have to stick to 3 and make it 1 1/2 x 2 (if Aviaries4u can even do that ).

 

Boo hoo