4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[KateG]

First of all, money is tight this year - I'm setting up a new business so every spare penny has been alloted for the next few months.

 

But I really want chickens. This summer if I can. Ideally, I'd like a cube, 4 hens and a WIR.

 

Is it worth getting a wooden run for now, to tide me over? (until say, next autumn time)

 

How what is the minimum I could do a WIR for, do you think? It would need 4 full sides as we don't have space for it to lean against a wall/building etc. My dad is a carpenter though so he'd help put it up.

 

How do you make a WIR fox proof?

 

my little brain is desperately trying to afford some hens but I don't know enough about it all to fathom it out. Can anyone offer some cut price solutions for now?

[Redwing]

I have an Eglu with four hens, the Eglu is raised off the floor so is at the same level as the cube

 

A batch of Eglus came out of the mould shiny by mistake they cost £201 without the run

 

I have a wooden house which I did love but would honestly say 'never again' feel free to come and take a look at it for a guide to red mite (not that all wooden houses are a problem mind! they are not - before I get lynched!) I thought I did well buying a good quality house secondhand but it came with redmite which is a huge risk but buy a cheap new house and it might not last - there is your problem!

 

Hills of Devon (online) is cheap for weldmesh (chicken wire won't do if there are foxes about) buy a roll and sell the excess - there is always someone who doesnt want a full roll and it will sell

 

This auction has a timber sale on a regular basis http://www.meltonmowbraymarket.co.uk/fur-and-feather.html wear blinkers though as buying loads of poultry will seriously affect your cost cutting excercise

 

My run with raised Eglu:

 

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My run is pretty small - 2.5m x 2m but it's perfect for 3 chickens. We didn't have the ability to build one ourselves so I bought it from Aviaries4u. If you can build it yourself I'm sure you can keep the costs down.

 

To be fox proof you need weldmesh of 16g or 19g (I think that's right!)

 

Have you checked out the "we're all planning walk in runs" thread? There are lots of self-built runs on there.

[Redwing]

Hey ANH I knew you wouldn't be far behind me! Should we start a WIR roadshow and go on tour?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Dumb and Dumber hit the road

 

Baggsie I be Dumb .

[Redwing]

The cheek! I'll be playing a substitute then.

[moochoo]

We built our run for £200 and it's huge!

 

If you take a little time to make some measurements, shop around , skip dive and freecycle you can cut your costs dramatically! Our mesh is from Hills of Devon too.

My advice would be buy a different component each payday, i.e. mesh this month, wood the next, roofing the next, etc.

It may take a while but not such a big outlay at once.

[KateG]

Thank you all for your advice - you crack me up with your WIR roadshow (good idea actually!)

 

Moo- brilliant idea to buy a bit at a time, I think I'll do that, thanks.