Auto door randomly closing during the day

[RRRisnewtochickens]

Morning everyone

 

I think we are going to build our own coop and run set up (well I say we, I mean the other half will do the building whilst I shout at him for doing it wrong! ).

 

I'm after some ideas of how to build it so was wondering if anyone would mind adding pics of their own set ups, more the inside of them as I'm not entirely sure what needs to go inside the housing bit.

 

Plus what sort of locks would be good? Whats the best way to fox proof? Though I've never seen a fox in the garden before.

 

Also, do you think the chickens would mind greatly if they were next to the ferrets?

 

Thanks very much for your help, Ria

[chickiepiggies]

 

this is mine, but no grass now i put down easy bed i also have a purple cube now not a wooden coop

[Mollie333]

Morning everyone

Good Morning!

 

I think we are going to build our own coop and run set up (well I say we, I mean the other half will do the building whilst I shout at him for doing it wrong! ).

Haha, Well thats just the way it goes, eh?

 

I'm after some ideas of how to build it so was wondering if anyone would mind adding pics of their own set ups, more the inside of them as I'm not entirely sure what needs to go inside the housing bit.

I just have 2 coops and let them free range, but soon im getting a big shed and putting bars across for roosting, adding nesting boxes and putting a few tree stumps in there, (my girls love this)

in side the housing bit, well you don't need food since chickens dont tend to eat while they roost, (obviously need it in the run) roosting bars, sawdust on the floor of the house and then straw inside the nesting boxes.

 

Plus what sort of locks would be good? Whats the best way to fox proof? Though I've never seen a fox in the garden before.

Well first of all make sure that the foxes can't dig underneath the coope and get in, i put my coope on slabs, just in case. As for the lock, a bolt lock like these should do it. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Bolt_lock.jpg always keep a look out for foxes..

 

Also, do you think the chickens would mind greatly if they were next to the ferrets?

I'm unsure. Mine live next to two massive rabbits, but are alloud to free range, whilst the rabbits arn't, the chickens don't mind about my rabbits and cats. here are some pictures of my set-up of the rabbits, i've been told this could house up too 8 chickens and 12 bantams!

Also, heres my two coops,

 

 

Goodluck building, and i hope i helped!

[enpekt]

This is our recently extended Walk-In-Run. For fox-proofing and ease of cleaning the entire area is slabbed using the cheapest 18" stippled ones available. Bedmax is used to provide a nice scratching base and contain poop. All the houses can be cleaned from outside the run at times when the hens can't free-range. We use Hemcore under the roosting bars and in the laying nests. An alternative is Auboise.

1

 

There is an internal divider which can be repositioned along the WIR to allow for flexibility in sleeping arrangements, introductions and quarantine. This has a door for human access. There will eventually be two dividers.

2

 

For additional fox and badger proofing, heavy-guage wire mesh has been used on the lower level of the WIR sides.

3

 

4

 

PeckyBeak Mansions

The pink Cube in the North Wing is ready for 7-9 hens ordered for June/July 2010

The two purple Cubes will house amalgamated hens (they can decide for themselves who goes where!!!)

The Eglu in the South Wing will be used for later introductions and as a quarantine.

At present, 11 hens sleep in the original purple Cube and the recent ex-bats use the Eglu.

Laying takes place wherever they like, but some hens "hog" all four nests, leaving the others to cross their legs!

5

 

The divider door.

6

 

The portal between the run and the Cube allowing the roof to slide open for cleaning.

7

 

The portal between the run and the Eglu.

8

 

Extra roosting bars make cleanable preening tables.

9

[Plum]

Wow that is beautiful.

[chicken bark]

That is a truly amazing set up.

[Chickvic]

Wow! I'm in awe

[the-real-tinkerbell]

oh wow im so jealous

[TheGirlsMum]

That is an absolutely fantastic run, what are the dimensions of the actual run please?

 

As we have decided we really do need to take back the garden and a purpose built run seems to be the way to go.

[enpekt]

Thanks for the comments!

Pecky doesn't do things by halves!

 

The original WIR was bought from Aviaries4u, just smaller than 12', x 6'.

I extended the run originally by 6' to 18' using the back of the aviary which was against the fence, so unnecessary in hindsight. Just a bit more roofing. The latest extension is 12' making the total size 30' x 6'. External Eglu and Cubes mean the full space is available to the choox.

 

They all free-range in the garden, and Pecky's plans for planting have changed since we became chookers.

 

Alton Towers 3 will be less prissy!!!

 

No holidays in the forseeable future.

Be warned, this and powerkiting are expensive hobbies that tend to sneak up on you from behind.

[RRRisnewtochickens]

Wow, some fantastic set ups there. They look superb. I'm not jealous at all!!

 

So inside the house part I will need roosting bars and some nests. How many of each? I am hoping to have 3-4 bantams.

 

Whats the minimum run size needed for 3-4 bantams? It seems they dont need as much room as I thought they would, everything I have seen hasn't been too big at all. I would like them to free range as well as having a run.

 

Also, how big does the house need to be, again everything I've seen has been quite small. Do they literally just perch/nest all night and do nothing else?!

[Redwing]

For 3-4 bantams I would make the house either 2.5ft x 2.5ft or 3ft x 3ft

 

One or two perches across the whole width - perches need to be about 1.75-2.00 inches thick for a bantam, rounded edges are a must but the perch shouldnt be completely round - CLS wood tends to have rounded edges and is excellent, removable perches are ideal as then you can dust for mites properly

 

A nest box about a foot square to one of the corners will be fine for 3-4 bantams, make this a removable frame or use a small plastic storage box (like the ones with all the holes) as long as its quite low it will be fine

 

avoid felt for the roof if you can

[jennydavies]

This is our setup for four hens.

 

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Have you seen the We're all planning walk in runs thread?

 

If you don't have 3 days to spare to read through it all, the photos alone are here .

[Tutti Frutti]

WOW Enpekt, that is just simply AWESOME! I love it!

[atsw]

WOW Enpekt, that is just simply AWESOME! I love it!

I agree, absolutely superb WIR - Congratulations Enpekt.

 

Andrew

[enpekt]

Thanks!

 

I just do as I'm told.

 

 

 

[Lewis]

Enpekt ... that is amazing!

Must have cost a fair whack!

 

 

How have you raised the eglu on a pole?

[enpekt]

Will post some pix tomorrow...

 

Really simple bodgery...

[enpekt]

Stand made from some offcuts of:

100x50mm tanalised timber

50x50mm tanalised timber

75mm diameter tanalised post

150mm galvanised steel bracing

Screws

1

 

Heavy duty galvanised mesh cut to shape then screwed to the eglu using provided bolts.

The plastic brackets were used as rat-proofing. the mesh needed to be one square lower each side - oops!

2

 

The shape of the assembly. dimensions can be calculated by subtracting the actual timber sizes from 80cm front-to-back

3

 

Detail of cleaning slot routed into timber to allow bedding to be pushed-through from slot in eglu

The metal bracket underneath supports the 100x50mm T shape as there is no joint in the timber

The 50x50mm timber at the front allows sensibly-lengthed screws to be used to fix to the 100x50 and the WIR framework

4

 

Detail of how the meshes are cut and twisted together

5

 

© Design is copyright. But is free to adapt or use with credit to enpekt@peckybeak.info

 

Hope this helps!

Edited May 4, 2010 by Guest

[Kit]

Amazing....!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Wow .

[Lewis]

Wow!

 

Looks like a lot of thought has gone into that!

[MummyHen]

That’s genius

 

Are you for hire? Shame you're not near me; my OH is lovely but DIY and WIRs are not his strength