My eco solution to rat problems

[Cooks]

That's a good idea . Why don't you suggest it to a moderator and see what they think?

 

I tool your advice and did just that, but I dont know if its possible.

[Olly]

I am so That looks fab, Wildmum!

 

I still can't decide where to put my run. It sounds ridiculous, as my garden is around 100 foot long and about 20 foot wide, but it's quite heavily planted with established shrubs and trees, so the areas where a chicken-run could go are fairly limited. Under the apple trees would be good, but I think the branches would interfere with the height of the run. Hmm.

 

ANH, how did you draw such a neat plan? Do you have a drawing program on your computer? I can see I'm going to have to draw a garden plan and cut out a little purple Cube and move it around the various spaces to see what fits.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Under the apple trees would be good, but I think the branches would interfere with the height of the run. Shall I come round with my saw ?

 

ANH, how did you draw such a neat plan? Do you have a drawing program on your computer? I just used Excel.

[Olly]

Yes, please bring your saw! Those apple trees need pruning anyway ...

 

Excel? EXCEL! how do you draw in Excel? Sorry this has totally passed me by, I'm not a computer numpty but I didn't know you could do that sort of thing ... pls explain if it's not too complicated! I am desperate to draw up a neat plot, I've done all the measurements.

[Redwing]

Use the merge cells, format cells and borders options to create boxes

 

Can we NOT be encouraging ANH to wield that saw please!

[Falkor]

I used publisher. U can draw one line, decide that is 1m and use it as scale for all other lines etc

[BarbaraJ]

 

still a bit of a mess in the garden, don't get any time during the day but the weekend it will get tidied. needs branches and some shelves but chickens are in.

[Cooks]

Can we NOT be encouraging ANH to wield that saw please!

she does get a bit 'handy' with it

[Seagazer]

Barbara - its looking really good. Can I ask what the little extension bit on the side is? Is it straight on earth for scratching?

[BarbaraJ]

Barbara - its looking really good. Can I ask what the little extension bit on the side is? Is it straight on earth for scratching?

 

its part of the original run (see sig) that hubby thought was a good idea uncovered and low its got wood chip in and their branches . theres a bit of wood along the floor between that and the main area so the flooring doesn't really mix.

 

At the moment the old coop and run side is still there for the new girls but after that i will go open plan!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Barbara, that's looking great . Please don't show my girls, they'll be going "is that it? " when they see theirs .

 

Olly, Excel was easy to use but I hadn't thought about Publisher . I'm sure that would be better (you could draw bushes/trees etc ). I'm going to need something to occupy my time till the run comes, I might have a play with Publisher . All the interests of furthering my education,you understand .

 

I know where you all live, by the way, so no dissing me and my saw .

[Jules.]

We bought my Dad a fab saw for Christmas, so he can saw up wood to burn on his coal fire.

 

The alterior motive for his present was that we have an overgrown tree in the garden, & we didn't want to have to get the tree surgeon in

 

We look on it as a win-win situation

[BarbaraJ]

I took the kids to the woods today and came back with some logs, not sure what i will do with them, the one disadvantage of a big run is you need a massive branch to go across it lol, even across the corner.

maybe a free standing affair

[Cooks]

before mine was revamped I had a little log pile in the corner which the girls loved

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Now you'd have thought that all the love that has gone into the wonderful walk-in run their daddy has built them, that the least the little mixes could do was find the blasted door & stop pacing up & down the sides...........obviously not !

It took me about 20 mins to round them all up & dump them in the run, then guard the door Daddy was still making the door ) to stop them running out to their old runs; the is on the lawn with no house at the end and the is attached to new run, but no access from the outside. There are times when the stupid reputation of a chicken is very apparent ! They'd been traipsing in & out of the cubes during the afternoon when they were just placed up against the gap at the end - in the exact same position as they were at bedtime, there was just a piece of wire above the cubes to stop creatures getting in & them escaping by then .

 

Anyway they are all tucked in safely in their new run & hopefully dreaming sweet chooky dreams...

 

Will post a more finished pic tomorrow or Sunday. The door is being held shut by an old pallet at the mo, but it has the desired effect!!!

 

Next job, fill with play equipment!

 

Sha x

[Falkor]

Wow that was quick!!!!! Can`t wait for pics of everyone in their new home

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Looking forward to the photo .

[moomin]

I took the kids to the woods today and came back with some logs, not sure what i will do with them, the one disadvantage of a big run is you need a massive branch to go across it lol, even across the corner.

maybe a free standing affair

 

We nicked some substantial branches from the woods last summer We dragged them back through the village and all the nosey peeps were asking what we wanted them for. 'For my Chickens' I said! But they didn't understand

 

Let me know if you want photos. I have fixed them across the corners of the run

[Falkor]

I got a little carried away in the garden today and decided I would get rid of a conifer that will be in the way when the goes up against the WIR.......

 

I blame ANH and her saw!!!!!!

 

 

It was only 15ft tall!!!

 

It is laying in the middle of the lawn and being used as Chook climbing frame

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hee hee .

 

Quite satisfying isn't it ?

[Cooks]

the ANH effect has spread

[Falkor]

Hee hee .

 

Quite satisfying isn't it ?

 

YES!!

 

I think I might take another one down tomorrow!

[Seagazer]

Well I've finally got around to getting a quote. I emailed Tony though (got a very croaky voice so didn't fancy trying to talk to him ) yesterday. Haven't got it back yet though.

 

So excited. Just hope we can afford it. Hubby seems very keen on the idea now and even said 'oh and I expect you'll be wanting a couple more chickens ' Yipee

[tara]

Well I've finally got around to getting a quote. I emailed Tony though (got a very croaky voice so didn't fancy trying to talk to him ) yesterday. Haven't got it back yet though.

 

So excited. Just hope we can afford it. Hubby seems very keen on the idea now and even said 'oh and I expect you'll be wanting a couple more chickens ' Yipee

 

 

That good new fingers crossed the quote will be a good one As for hubby

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's great news . You'll be having sleepless nights like me then . You might find Tony will call you - he seems to like having that "face-to-face" contact to discuss the details.

 

Hope the quote is OK . He is quite obliging if you want to try to keep the costs down. I tried to pare mine down to the bare minimum, then thought what's the point. If you're going to do something you might as well do it properly. (And I'm selling a converter and an egg skelter today so that's part of the roof paid for .) A couple of hen parties and we'll have most of the cost covered!