Solitary chicken - need advice

[Space Chick]

Well, after the initial tantrum from my OH, he seems to be warming to the idea of a WIR.

(I know I'm only 3 and a half weeks in to having my girls, but want more!)

 

I know that loads of you have them already. If there was 1 tip you could share, what you'd wished you'd included, mistakes you made, please share!

 

I'm thinking 12 foot by 6 foot, possibly with a little "introduction/hospital wing", a solid plastic roof.

 

I'd have my 3 girls and another 4ish.

 

I'm thinking my cube on the outside feeding in. I am concerned that I will no longer be able to shut the cube door, as I need to put it on the edge of my garden, but don't shut the door now anyway.

 

I'd have rubber chippings on the floor, as they've been successful in the Cube run.

 

I'd also add some levels, perches etc.

 

I'm looking at aviaries 4 u and chicken-house.co.uk.

 

Only prob with A4U is that they can't install as I'm too far away, and I am NO good at DIY and OH doesn't trust himself to do it, so I'd need a handyman! Can anyone recommend anyone who'd be South Wales friendly!

 

Thanks

[Redwing]

My one nugget????? I would say make sure you have some boarding around the bottom to keep the rubber chips in

[Cooks]

dont forget guttering and a water butt

[Space Chick]

My one nugget????? I would say make sure you have some boarding around the bottom to keep the rubber chips in

 

genius idea, although wouldn't you have to keep treating it?

 

dont forget guttering and a water butt

 

Fab stuff

 

Keep the tips coming!

 

I'll have have the best WIR ever if I get (nick ) all your best ideas!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Mine's perfect . (I did spend rather a long time planning it though .)

 

Stable door means easy access to nestbox without girls escaping.

Eglu on table means no more bending for cleaning.

Inward opening main door prevents escapees while we put feeders in.

Guttering and waterbutt fab (the butt was almost full after one week of rain ).

Roof has kept Easibed bone dry - it's still looking clean after almost 2 months (I do poo-pick most days).

Omlet netting keeps girls in flowerbeds so no poop anywhere we don't want it .

[debbier]

I just browsed your flickr album and your wir looks like utopia, though I'd be keeping the chooks off the border, not the lawn

 

How was it built?

[Toots]

A tip i can think of that would have saved me alot of effort,

 

 

wither build the wir round your cube or make sure the door is big enough to get the cube or its parts in!

 

i didn't took alot of heavy lifting to get bits in there!!

[cockadoodle1]

I am just starting to plan My WIR and at the moment the idea is to set the run on medium density concrete blocks set into the ground to deter burying under. The run will be 4.5m x 1.8m to take advantage of 900mm 1x1 weldmesh and the timber i will purchase as 100mm fence posts and cut them down to 50mm squares. I will make up 1.8m x 900m panels and cut the weldmesh 200mm longer to cover the blocks at the bottom.I intend to cut a hole the size of the cube door in the mesh and place the cube outside on slabs. The door will open inwards and possibly be a stable type.The roof will be corrugated plastic and have a slope to allow rain to run into a water butt. Costs for the run are about £350 I will build it myself having just taken early retirement from the building trade. Suppliers of timber and weldmesh are avsfencing.co.uk in Peterborough free del over £115 and wickes.co.uk for the roofing and ancilliary stuff, ie nails hinges etc. Hope this is of some use

[atsw]

I've posted these links before in other threads, but just in case contributors to this thread have not seen them....

 

Pictures of the build process for my run -> here

 

Technical details (roof, gutters, water butt, etc) -> here

 

Detailed slideshow of the whole build from the ground up -> here

 

Happy to answer any questions.

 

Andrew

[chelsea]

Concrete/slabbed floor

 

Guttering connected to a water butt

[Ness3103]

i'm still waiting for my wood delivery, but i throroughly recommend getting your

weldmesh from http://www.hillsofdevon.co.uk/aviary-mesh.html, it's free delivery. the customer service is fantastic. the original mesh i ordered was out of stock and they rang me to offer an alternative, which arrived the next day

[Space Chick]

Brilliant, thankyou all!

 

My friends husband is a carpenter and is interested in undertaking the project , so he's coming around tomorrow so we can chat about it. Yey!

 

Keep the ideas flowing!

 

My concern about wood is the ongoing upkeep and maintenance, has anyone used metal or plastic to make their runs?

[Cooks]

Mostin has a metal run i believe..

[debbier]

I've posted these links before in other threads, but just in case contributors to this thread have not seen them....

 

Thanks for those links, Andrew. What size is the run? I like the idea of a pre-built kit as I think i would look better than something I could put together from scratch (right angles aren't my thing!).

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I just browsed your flickr album and your wir looks like utopia, though I'd be keeping the chooks off the border, not the lawn

 

How was it built?

 

Thank you . There wasn't much of interest in the flowerbeds whereas my lawn is brand new turf . I may allow limited supervised visits to the green stuff if they behave .

 

A friend's OH put my run together. I'm not much cop at DIY and OH is completely useless . I was responsible for interior design .

[atsw]

Thanks for those links, Andrew. What size is the run?.

It's 15ft x 6ft x 6ft high and was purchased in kit form from http://www.aviaries4u.co.uk

 

Andrew

[Space Chick]

Well, my friends hubby came out, and he's as excited about the girls and building a Walk in Run as I am about having one

 

He was brought up with chickens, so made a big fuss of my girls.

 

He's suggested using Concrete blocks at the back to enclose it from the elements, which is a marvellous idea.

 

He's gone away to do some sums, keep your fingers crossed it comes out at a good price