Poorly chicken

[Redwing]

Debs - your run looks really good, I can't believe how handy and resourceful you have been!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Mitch, you seem to have it all really well planned out .

 

I'm still making plans, here's some ideas I've had:

 

"Skirting board" - I've been thinking about using plastic carpet protector as a Hemcore keeper-inner. Have a look here. You can buy the exact amount you need but P&P is a lot so it may be cheaper to go to an actual carpet shop.

 

"Perspex" - I've been looking at this online and it's really quite pricey even if you go for the 2mm type. I'm thinking about a glass clear tarpaulin which would be folded down in half in good weather and attached with homemade bungees & hooks. When the rain comes, you would unhook the folded down bit and attach it to the top of the run side. That way, your Hemcore is kept in, it's a bit of a windbreak and you don't have to faff about with bits of tarpaulin in high winds as it's already attached. Of course, it might end up being quite pricey with the tarpaulin & hooks - I'll need to work it out when the run's up.

 

"Door opening outwards" - I plan to have my door opening inwards and into the run space (rather than towards the "wall"). A few people have said that that's a good way of stopping chickens escaping while you go through the door.

[Redwing]

Mitch, you seem to have it all really well planned out .

 

I'm still making plans, here's some ideas I've had:

 

"Perspex" - I've been looking at this online and it's really quite pricey even if you go for the 2mm type. I'm thinking about a glass clear tarpaulin which would be folded down in half in good weather and attached with homemade bungees & hooks. When the rain comes, you would unhook the folded down bit and attach it to the top of the run side. That way, your Hemcore is kept in, it's a bit of a windbreak and you don't have to faff about with bits of tarpaulin in high winds as it's already attached. Of course, it might end up being quite pricey with the tarpaulin & hooks - I'll need to work it out when the run's up.

 

 

Thats a great idea, just flip the bottom section up! very clever

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm hoping it will work - sounds good in theory!

 

We're onto stage one :

 

Before

 

Preparing the ground. The bricks show the size/position of the planned run.

 

The girls in their (smaller ) temporary home on the patio. They seem happy enough so far . Would you believe that brown patch in the bottom right corner is my lawn? Of course you would, you all have chickens .

[PhilipCaldwell]

fabulous, cant wait to start work on my run, i have big ideas!!!guna attach it to the side of the shed i think.

[Cooks]

ok well the runs complete, but I haven't taken pictures of it as a whole as yet, but here are some pictures to help people.

 

The bracket hubby made for the glug/grub

 

sorry this has to be a link as for some reason it will NOT resize

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm5/hullahoop777/SP_A0278.jpg

 

And this is how hubby converted my walk in panels to allow the cube to be butted outside and the roof to slide.

 

 

 

 

more later... I am collecting my new girls tomorrow!

[Seagazer]

Well everyone's much further along in this than I am. Yet another day has gone past and we've still not been out and measured it. OH gone to football so no chance today. Will definitely get him out there tomorrow.

 

I tried to clear the garden up yesterday and from the kitchen the lawn doesn't look too bad but as soon as you are in the garden the amount of bare patches is really awful.

It is going to take such a lot of work to get it back into a semi-decent state.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

as soon as you are in the garden the amount of bare patches is really awful.

It is going to take such a lot of work to get it back into a semi-decent state.

 

Same here . My grass is non-existant and all the tramping over it today hasn't helped. I have plans to returf the lawn after the run is complete. We've been talking about doing it for years but the boys are now too old to play in the garden so now seems like a perfect time to do it . It will transform the garden and make laying the path along the side of the run much easier.

[moomin]

Re fixing tarpaulins to your WIR, we have fitted simple metal screw-in hooks from B&Q along the wooden frame at the top of our run. The hooks line up with the holes in the clear glass tarpaulin and it hangs from the hooks. The sides are attached directly to the weldmesh with bungee hooks, this saves it flapping in the wind. At the bottom I just shove heavy plant pots against the run, but this is only needed in high winds.

 

When you want to take the tarps off, it's really easy just to unhook them, or you can roll them to the side, just fold them back on themselves and hook on, so in effect you've got several layers of tarp hanging on just 2 hooks and it's only a couple of feet wide Hope this makes sense.

 

My run has the 'poo ports' that Tony mentioned, infact I think mine was the first A4U run to have them, I nicked the idea off of the run inspiration (Rona's run) thread and sent him a diagram! They work really well, just drop down the flap and slide your poo tray out! My Elgu is on a table which is the whole width of the run, once my new girls are integrated there will be 2 Eglus on the table My hubby made the table and he's not brilliant with wood but did a really good job (I was very surprised ).

 

Aviaries4U runs are solid as a rock, well made and worth the money. Mine was £450 - ish - best money I've ever spent got it with my bonus from work. My hubby said it took over the whole garden (only 7 X 10 ft so slight exageration). but it makes chicken keeping a pure delight, no crawling into the eglu run to poo-pick, no feeling guilty when you leave them in for days on end 'cos you work full time and it's the Winter.

 

Your plans sound really exciting, have enjoyed reading this thread!! Good luck to everyone

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Thanks for that, Ros . Nice to know that my plan would work in practice . Don't suppose you have any photos do you?

 

I'm half hoping that my joiner can't beat Tony's price . I'd quite like to get it from him (and I'm secretly planning to add a roof and possibly a poo tray port too . I've found a buyer for my converter already and also for a spare egg skelter so that's going into my WIR fund .)

[moomin]

Hi ANH, don't have any photos to hand but will take some tomorrow and post them, watch this space!

 

Ours has a roof but initially it leaked in heavy rain as we didn't overlap the onduline roofing enough (there wasn't enough panels as ours wasn't a standard size). Tony helped us sort it out over the phone and also sent us £40 as a goodwill gesture so you get the after sales service. If you have any problems putting it together you can call him and he will talk you through it but also provides good written instructions.

 

My girls are very happy in there, even when they are out free-ranging they will go back in often for a snack and a 'chillax'!! (my daughter's expression!).

[abwsco]

The bracket hubby made for the glug/grub

 

Lynsey, could I have full instructions for this ie what wood used as hubby made something for me but it can't take the weight of the grub and glug.

[Falkor]

OH OH!!!!!!!

 

I think my plan for WIR have been scuppered!!!!! Plan was for two Eglus............now I think I am going to go for a cube. I blame........cookie monster and her lovely pics of Norman in place on her WIR

 

Just seen a on Ebay and am thinking my three orps would be happier in there. They all try and get into Eglu nest box to sleep and it is more of an orp pile up so whoever is at the bottom can`t be very comfy....warm though! (they are mini orps! not big ones....now that would be a squeeze in an Eglu.)

 

I would obviosly sell the and the to pay for the cube and it would go outside the yet to be built walk in run but I have questions......

 

1. Lots of people are cutting a arch into the run for the roof to slide. Is this completely necessary? Can`t I just wheel the cube back a bit and then do?

2. Am i right in saying that as you look at the cube from the back the door handle is on the right and the egg port is on the left?

 

I think that is all but if anyone has any other bits that i need to consider when re-planning the run please let me know as I hope building will start next weekend but the cube will be added after (need to sell the Wii and at least one Eglu to finance!)

[Cooks]

The bracket hubby made for the glug/grub

 

Lynsey, could I have full instructions for this ie what wood used as hubby made something for me but it can't take the weight of the grub and glug.

Anne the bracket was made out of an alluminium ladder segment that was being chicked out

 

I can send you more pictures if you need them just let me know. I know hubby angle grinded the grooves out to make the notches for them to sit in.

 

Hey hey hey Em is not my fault! although if you need further pushing I can send you more pictures.. did you see the bracket for the grub and glug I promised to post for you?

 

edited to say yes your right, as looking at cube from the back the handle is on the right, egg port on the left.

 

You can just pull the cube back, but I did like this as I cannot move the cube easily with my sore back. It works better for me this way.

[Falkor]

The bracket hubby made for the glug/grub

 

Lynsey, could I have full instructions for this ie what wood used as hubby made something for me but it can't take the weight of the grub and glug.

Anne the bracket was made out of an alluminium ladder segment that was being chicked out

 

I can send you more pictures if you need them just let me know. I know hubby angle grinded the grooves out to make the notches for them to sit in.

 

Hey hey hey Em is not my fault! although if you need further pushing I can send you more pictures.. did you see the bracket for the grub and glug I promised to post for you?

 

I saw the bracket......does your LOVELY and VERY TALENTED hubby have any spare sections of ladder he could grind? I am sure he could sell the WHOLE ladder

 

OK, it is not completely your fault!!! I had a nagging feeling the day I got my that I should of just brought a CUBE instead!

[Cooks]

I wish he did have, the dopey twonk threw it all away after he made these.. otherwise I would have him make you all a batch..

 

Everyone laughs when I say they were made out of a ladder, but they seriously were

 

I told Norman off for looking so lovely and said it was all his fault for leading you astray and he just blew a raspberry!!! sorry there's no telling him..

[Redwing]

Norman has only been around five minutes and he has already been rude to a fellow Omleteer! you wouldn't catch my Dave doing anything like that

[Cooks]

he's only young Tasha, I still have to teach him some manners

[Falkor]

Leave Norman alone! I love him.....he has taught me the error of may ways and made me see sense. I will forgive him the raspberry!

 

I am going to buy his twin Gordon , they can be naughty boys in Cambs together!

 

Edited February 14, 2009 by Guest

[Redwing]

[Cooks]

brilliant

[Falkor]

Cookie Monster. could I ask you or hubby for measurements of the wood where the Cube is butted up to the run?

 

I know you are going to be in the garden all day with your new chooks but if you could spare five mins that would be great.

 

The run should be built before the cube arrives so want it to be cube ready rather than have to be altered. My OH is not as understanding as yours seems to be.

[Cooks]

which measurements would you like and I will get them for you?? the new peices of wood I have just put pictures in for?

 

If you are planning on butting the cube up against the side without it needing the roof to slide you could just get away with cutting a hole through the wire pulling it back on itself a bit for security and no amended wood work needed.

 

Hubby has also made a concrete hard standing area for the cube so it does not wobble or move etc on the grass.

 

edited to add, if you want a sliding roof, it's best to wait until you have the cube in place as it's easier to see where your roof will need to go, it's very hard without it there.

[Falkor]

 

This one please

 

Think I will copy you woodwork (if you don`t mind) although may not put the slot for the roof in. Your run looks so sturdy! Norman has just told me to break into your garden and steal his run!!! He is a NAUGHTY BOY!!!! Youngsters

 

Technical drawings would be great and a list of materials needed and a nice muscly man to come and build it would be LOVELY! I will settle for the measurements

[Cooks]

I shall smack his wrist later!

 

ok I will get some measurements tomorrow, although bearing in mind it all depends on the height your cube is standing at, ie is your cube going to be the same height exactly as mine?? I doubt it. But I will try to help you as much as I can. you might have to adjust it so your doorway is at the correct height for you, if that makes sense?

 

and no I dont mind you copying at all, that's why I posted it, to help people.

 

it's now also got a lovely wooden ledge and the ladder attached inside the run, so when the cube gets pulled back the ladder stays put.

 

I will take more photos tomorrow, as the paint will be dry on the touch up bits tomorrow

 

edited ... just saw the muscley man bit sorry I cant part with him, he's my sweets, but I will definately get you the measurements..