Single hen

[redsky]

Having lived in the City for most of my life, I recently moved into a rural area and am itching to get some hens.

 

Finances are a bit strained, so I have decided to build a house/run myself. I have a design ready and will be buying the bits & pieces this week. As I have never kept chickens before, I just want to check if there is anything that makes life easier which I should consider in my design.

 

My design has a removable floor for easy cleaning, and the whole side lifts out too. The house part will be 3ft x 3ft raised 2ft from the floor - with a run 6ft long. Is this sufficient for 2-3 hens?

 

Any tips warmly accepted!

 

 

[Scottie]

The only thing I would suggest is that you won't be able to stop at just 2 or 3, so you might be as well to build it a bit bigger!

 

Good luck!

 

Sheila

[..lay a little egg for me]

Removeable roosting bars are really useful for when the red mite come to call! Avoid using a felt roof (for same reason) and keep with onduline or similar material.

 

I agree with Scottie, you will not want to stop at 2 or 3 (definitely go for 3 anyway) so a bit bigger would be good!

 

Good luck with your venture!

[Redwing]

If the 6ft run is on top of the area under the house (9ft end to end) the size should be fine.

 

a couple of things to bear in mind:

 

Use weldmesh rather than chicken wire as chicken wire does not necessarily keep Mr Fox out, the lower the gauge number the stronger the wire, 16g is ideal but 19g is fine too.

 

Try and make a skirt around the run and house to discourage predators from digging, slabs or breezeblocks are good or some of the weldmesh laid flat (like the Eglu run) and pegged down, alternatively you could also mesh the floor of the run as long as you are covering the floor with bedding.

 

Good luck with it all! I moved to the country from a city last October and am having a great time, its like I am always on holiday

[redsky]

Changed my mind - adding up the costs for making, I have decided to purchase.

 

A lot of the wooden coops that I have seen seema bit small, so I am now considering a dog run. Would this be alright to use:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140302645672

 

Obviously it would need to be adapted inside with perches and a nesting box - but it is attractive and neat.

 

Any thoughts?

[Redwing]

It does look neat and well built too.

 

The holes in the mesh are rather large though, I don't mean to scare you but a chicken sticking its head through could get a nasty shock from a predator also the larger holes would mean vermin could get in.

 

Perhaps if you did buy it you could line the mesh with smaller mesh quite cheaply.

[Egluntyne]

It looks well built. I agree about the mesh size, but you will be able to sort that out.

 

I would recommend that you place it on paing slabs as vermin will be able to tunnel in from below.