Solitary chicken - need advice

[FiggyPudding]

I currently have 2 hens in one eglu & 2 newly arrived iex batts in a borrowed eglu. As we have fox & don't feel comfortable letting the chooks free range, we are keen to house them in a WIR.

 

What size would be ok for them to be in most of the time ? Where is the best place to buy a ready made from &/or if we decided to (gasp) make it, where do we buy the wood

 

I've looked hard at aviares 4 u but am put off by the delievery fee (£85). I've also looked at forsham arks, but have concerned they may be flimsy.

 

Not sure what sort/size of wood or mesh, or anything really & can't find any guides anywhere....

[Redwing]

I made my WIR for my four girls and it is 2 x 3 (I may squeeze one more in yet ) they get no proper free ranging time though I will let them out from time to time. The Eglu is inside the run on a table

 

My materials list in inches:

 

2 x 2 posts for corners x 4

1 x 1.75 ish battens for the panels x I cant remember!

1 x 1 weldmesh x 30m roll and used half

3 x 0.75 planks x 18

Small mesh chicken wire for reinforcing lower section against rodents (not essential)

32 slabs

Seemingly several thousand screws!

Corrugated plastic roofing x 6 and fixings

door furniture

Wide shelf to make mezzanine

Wood to make Eglu table

Bars for feeders to hang on

Electric screwdriver

Table saw

 

the wood is treated wood and came from B&Q and the mesh from Hills of Devon (online) and up to that attempt I had not done anything like it before so just followed a pic in my head

 

The hinges and door fasteners bump up the price and I also made eight raised beds out of the same batch of wood but everything came in at around £500 including the tools

 

I am at work so can't post a pic but they are in the first 'we are planning walk in runs lets share' thread on page 76

[Lydia]

We bought our WIR from Flytesofancy. Here is a pic

 

.

 

The smallest they do is 9x9ft in this design. We have the 15 x 9 ft version with the roof and house 8 hens in there (soon to be 10).

 

 

This is an old picture of ours to give you an idea - we've got a cube attached now and hubby has accessorised it with more perches

 

It came flat pack and was reasonably easy to put together (with 3 of us). We're very happy with it.

 

I don't know where you are in Berkshire but you're very welcome to come and have a look at my set up. I'm in Reading.

[FiggyPudding]

Redwing - thanks for your list - it would seem that buying the goods to make a run is quite similar to buying a ready made one ? Just off to check out your photos

 

Lydia, I am in Reading - Earley, I'd love to come over & meet you chooks & see your run. You look like your experienced with the exbatts too !

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I bought one of Aviaries4u's runs and haven't regretted it for a minute, even with the delivery fee .

 

Look at the link in my signature .

[FiggyPudding]

we've just been looking at yours !

 

What are your blinds made of ? they are great too

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Thanks .

 

I made them out of a glass clear tarpaulin cut to size with extra eyelets punched in & tarp tape for the seams. The dowling rods fit into cup hooks. I'm really pleased with them and they're really easy to put up and down .

[FiggyPudding]

I think we are going to order one from Aviaries4u, did your roof come from there or do you make it yourself ? Our roof quote is £95

[Janty]

I can recommend Aviaries4u. Here is my run that Tony built...any excuse for photos.

 

 

 

 

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Yes, my roof came from him (it was £75). I know it seems a lot but from what others who have built their own WIRs have said, it can cost you a bit to make it yourself. He supplies all the beams and screws required. If you're at all handy, you could probably do it a bit cheaper yourself.

 

I just knew I couldn't build something like that myself so justified the cost to myself that way. I had a friend build it for nothing (well, some wine & biscuits ).

[Ness3103]

our run is 21ft by 6 1/2 ft and the roof cost about £90, that's corrugated plastic sheets from wickes and the screws.

 

 

i love your run Janty, it's beautiful

[FiggyPudding]

Thanks for all replies - all so helpful for the chicken novice

 

Having visited Lydia & her lovely hens + run, I am thinking of keeping the eglu outside the run - I can see the cube fits nicely up to the WIR, is it possible for the eglu to do the same thing ?

 

Hubby says we are going to have the aviaries roof (he wants to have to do as little as poss!)

[atsw]

My run also came from Aviaries4U - absolutely brilliant, all the panels are really well made and it was simple to put together. I opted for the supplied roof, but did the guttering myself. The links below will give you some good ideas.

 

Construction -> pictures or slideshow

 

The roof and 'extras'-> pictures

 

I'm a little north of you, near Oxford, but you're welcome to visit and see the run and chooks in person (as indeed is anyone else in the area who's thinking about building a WIR ).

 

Andrew

[atsw]

I can see the cube fits nicely up to the WIR, is it possible for the eglu to do the same thing ?

Yes, it is possible, but not quite as easy, as the front of the Eglu has a slight slope, so it won't 'butt-up' as well as a cube. With that said, many have managed very well, as you see from the pictures in this thread.

 

One of my favourites from that thread is the picture below.

 

 

I like the idea so much I'm planning on copying it once I've added a or to my collection.

 

Andrew

[atsw]

Also, another great example that's just been posted in this thread.

 

Andrew

[FiggyPudding]

that's a great idea thanks for pointing it out

 

Not sure how handy hubby is though