What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Shelley]

Has anyone had any dealings with a Lancaster-based company called CMS Animal Housing? They've quoted me £280 plus delivery for a 15x9x6 run which is half of what Aviaries 4 U quote on their website. The specification looks almost identical, but is the product as good as the A4U one, which so many on here have endorsed. Has anyone bought one of the CMS runs and can comment on its soundness?

[Lewis]

I can't comment on them personally but have seen their run panels on ebay and they do look good

I like they way you can add extra panels if you choose to.

 

 

I've just ordered a run (from West Hagley Aviaries), 15x6x6 and it cost £256 inc delivery

The only thing I'd say would be you might need so spend a bit more money on guttering, a plastic rood and the fixings to build it, but they are still a good price

[Redwing]

I really like these, I have seen them on ebay, I would say they look less chunky than Tony's WIRs but the build quality seems good and I would buy one

 

I would love the block of 4 kennels for my bantam breeding

[emchook]

Good question ! I was going to ask this as well

 

I have been talking to CMS as well and they seem just as helpful as avaries4u .. yet soooo much cheaper!.

 

I am still waiting for the weather to get better so I can get a concrete slab laid .

 

Let me know which one you choose !!!

[Shelley]

I agree that the price is very attractive, but they just don't seem as robust as those sold by Aviaries4U...and I don't want to be the one who discovers it blows over at the first hint of wind. Can anyone else see a flaw in the design? The website is www.cms-animal-housing.co.uk and the run in question is the first one listed under products.

Incidetnally, how are these free-standing runs secured to the ground, or are they not?

[Plum]

Looks good to me but I would ask for 1.6mm wire and a base board so the run material doesn't get kicked out.

 

I will secure my WIR to the ground but no idea how

[Redwing]

My run is secured to the nearby fence but hasnt shown any signs of movement so far

[Janty]

My run isn't secured to anything but it is big and heavy. When I get the second run built at Easter, it will need securing...I'll have to think about that one.

 

Edited to add that Tony's runs are very good and well worth the money.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I will secure my WIR to the ground but no idea how

 

Mine has a baton screwed along the base which is then screwed into the concrete slabs.

[Olly]

My run just sits on slabs, I don't think it would blow over unless we get a hurricane!

 

Mine is built by Aviaries4U, and I'd recommend them wholeheartedly. I can't really compare from the photos, what I would say is that Tony's (Aviaries4U) runs have a kickboard, as mentioned above, and also he does all sorts of ports so you can slide out the poo tray, get to the eggport etc.

 

At the end of the day a run is a run - as long as it's predator-proof, and safe for the hens, then it does the job. It's worth totting up the cost of extras like guttering, roofing, etc though when making comparisons.

[emchook]

CMS do seem to be flexible. They have told me that they are happy to do a kickboard and 16g mesh.

 

They will also alter panels .. I enquired re an egg port and a pop hole.

 

But they all cost extra as per aviaries4u.. ....

[Lewis]

The only thing that I was about was a kick board, but we have a load (2 rooms worth) of wooden laminate flooring in the garage which I was thinking of putting along the bottom, if it looks odd I'll get some skirting and treat it the same colour as the WIR

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Laminate flooring also makes a good grub/glug holder .

[Redwing]

Keep it dry though as it swells if it gets really wet!

[Lewis]

Laminate flooring also makes a good grub/glug holder .

Thats why I thought I'd do it

We gave some to my aunt + uncle who bought a grub + glub

 

Have got an ikea rail of ebay aswell

Will put a tiny bit outside Tasha to see if it does swell ... didn't think of that but we had a leak in the kitchen so thats why it came up to be replaced in the first place

[Space Chick]

I will secure my WIR to the ground but no idea how

 

Mine has a baton screwed along the base which is then screwed into the concrete slabs.

 

Same here

[Lewis]

Another thing to tell father

A few places I'd read said the panels would be heavy enough to stay in place without attaching to the ground and if you were attaching them to dig a hole and put an upright in concrete on the 4 corners to screw into the WIR ... suppose we'll have to see and then make a decision

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I don't think my run would move (it's attached to the garage anyway!) but where the slabs obviously weren't quite level, there was a bit of movement if I pushed the panels.

[Plum]

I think I will screw a batton round to the concrete before adding the frame. Now got to find out how to get concrete laid.

[docsquid]

Out of interest, for a completely different application, we use Liebig chemical resin anchors to secure things to concrete. It is more secure than expanding bolts which can shatter poor quality concrete. I think if we get a WIR we will use this to secure the run to a concrete base.

 

I was thinking of having a concrete base but still with some earth in the middle. I would cover all of it (concrete and earth) with deep hemcore, but the earth will give them some serious digging, which they seem to love.

 

I gave my chooks Welsh names and it seems they have a mining tendency!

[Redwing]

My run is pretty solid but so is Yolky's run and that was flipped in bad weather despite it being in a suburban sheltered garden, that was a big shock

[Little Clucker]

I would definitely recommend CMS, Chris was very helpful and my run looks awesome and is made of real sturdy stuff and fox proof wire. I got mesh flooring as the chooks share with my rabbits and stepdad got it put together fine in the dark over 2 evenings.

 

its very sturdy built but the 12 x 9 run I bought the roof was a bit saggy so we reinforced with another piece of wood so when the cat sleeps on it or if it snows tons it won't collapse!

 

the only downside was there were no instructions and the roof and side panels were only about 2 inch difference in size, oh and no door handles!

 

so far the animals seem to love it and are always hopping or waddling in and out

[Plum]

Thanks would love to see pictures of it. You don't really make your cat sleep outside on top of the run do you

 

Shall go and google the chemical resin anchors, thanks docsquid

[emchook]

Thanks little clucker .

Please let us know if you hit any other issues with your cms run ! But it sounds great !!

 

docsquid . .. I googled those Liebig chemical resin anchors and they certainly look like they mean business !! Talk about solid !

[docsquid]

docsquid . .. I googled those Liebig chemical resin anchors and they certainly look like they mean business !! Talk about solid !

 

We tested them at Liebig as they have a test rig right near where we live. We lost our bottle when it go to 4 tonnes, and the hook was bending!