Doreen

[serekunda80]

Ca anyone else recommend another hen house supplier

[Redwing]

flyte so Fancy are very good yes - Forsham Cottage Arks, Smiths Sectional Buildings and Westaway Poultry are also very good

 

As of course are Omlet

[chicken bark]

Green Frog Design is pretty fantastic too.

[Guest]

www.henhouseworld.co.uk

[Chucky1]

If asked I'd recommend Omlet and Flyte so Fancy

 

They both have good customer care setups and dealt with any problems amicably and speedily.

 

Good Luck

[serekunda80]

Thanks, wont be going with omlet unfortunately due to the fact that I am looking for an automatic opener

[ISCA]

I got mine (James Super Coop) from http://www.woodenart.org.uk.

 

Mark & Ian build and erect the hen houses themselves and will fit the VSBi (automatic pop hole opener) for you (at no extra cost other than petrol to your house).

 

I recommend the timer, which is an optional extra but worth it as it gives you total control.

 

The build quality and service is superb.

[Guest]

Ca anyone else recommend another hen house supplier

 

I made my own, so that is always another option for you. Even for the DIY novice it's not too hard to knock a quality coop up as long as you can plan, prep and take each step at a time.

 

My coops are all made out of 2x1 tanalised timber for the frame, shiplap for the house and 1x1 galvanised wire netting for the run. I measured up a coop from a country store that was selling it for £299, I got all the materials from the same country store for less than £50 per coop and it took me 2 days to make each one with basic non electrical tools and no professional carpentry experience.

 

I chose a design that would be easy to build with not too many angles, that was solid and had a built in run so that I could keep them in when I'm out but still let them scratch around and then I could let them out to free range when I'm around.

 

I think each one is about 6ftx3ft in total but the beauty if you're making it yourself is you can adjust the measurements to suit or make more!

 

If your interested I could take some pics of my design and provide the measurements and plans but it would still probably be best to go to a country store and measure one up like I did, that way you will know exactly how each bit fits together...

[hopetofinish]

ISCA - thanks for the link. The James Super looks fab.

 

I would go for the under floor boarding and automatic opener.

 

I see you are in Devon. So hoping Surrey would not be too daunting for them.

 

Is it really solid, and feels fox proof?

[ISCA]

It is very solid. Mine is built on top of concrete slabs and so has a 1.5 foot concrete perimeter no fox can dig under. They do sell mesh skirting should you wish as an optional extra. I am not sure if they go as far as Surrey, as they are based in Shropshire, but email Mark and he will get back to you (usually within a couple of hours).

 

Here is a link to a thread with photos of mine:

 

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=61942&hilit=woodenart

 

My hens look so scrawny and young on the photos- they are all grown now.

[serekunda80]

Liking the hen house pics, I have a patio area thats making me think of putting my hen house onto, whats the floor covering used? and I take it cleaning is quick and easy.

[The Dogmother]

Ca anyone else recommend another hen house supplier

 

I made my own, so that is always another option for you. Even for the DIY novice it's not too hard to knock a quality coop up as long as you can plan, prep and take each step at a time.

 

My coops are all made out of 2x1 tanalised timber for the frame, shiplap for the house and 1x1 galvanised wire netting for the run. I measured up a coop from a country store that was selling it for £299, I got all the materials from the same country store for less than £50 per coop and it took me 2 days to make each one with basic non electrical tools and no professional carpentry experience.

 

I chose a design that would be easy to build with not too many angles, that was solid and had a built in run so that I could keep them in when I'm out but still let them scratch around and then I could let them out to free range when I'm around.

 

I think each one is about 6ftx3ft in total but the beauty if you're making it yourself is you can adjust the measurements to suit or make more!

 

If your interested I could take some pics of my design and provide the measurements and plans but it would still probably be best to go to a country store and measure one up like I did, that way you will know exactly how each bit fits together...

 

Do you have any pics of your chickens cluckingclucker?

 

I was wondering what you have.

[ISCA]

Liking the hen house pics, I have a patio area thats making me think of putting my hen house onto, whats the floor covering used? and I take it cleaning is quick and easy.

I use Hemcore and Micanthus Grass, mixed. The former is super absorbant and the latter is more robust, good for the hens to peck in and it tends to reduce the spread od the Hemcore across the garden! Cleaning my hen coop is easy enough as it is not on the ground, so no stooping required. I remove poop daily and clean out the bedding weekly-ish and give it a complete clean down and spray with disinfectant every 2-3 weeks. The main run sort of looks after itself, I sprinkle Bio-Dri down so it never smells and every 6-8 weeks it all get cleared out, disinfected and replaced- thats takes abot an hour but easy enough.

[serekunda80]

think my silkies and pekins will like that when I get them.

[Guest]

Do you have any pics of your chickens cluckingclucker?

 

I was wondering what you have.

 

No probs and thanks for asking!

 

I think I might have some not very good ones on this computer that I could post up, but I will also take some better ones on the next dry day we get.

 

I used to be really into the names of the breeds, but we have had so many over the years and because we also breed them and end up with crosses I have now pretty much lost track. We don't tend to name our chickens as some of the older non laying ones can end up as table birds if we need to thin them out to make way for new chicks.

 

Also which topic is the best place to put the pics? I Don't want to get into trouble for going off topic in this thread!

[The Dogmother]

good idea, stick them in the Chicken section, that will be fine.

 

Look forward to seeing them. Where did you say you're located?

[Chucky Mama]

How old do you mean by old? I thought that older non laying birds were pretty much inedible.

[The Dogmother]

How old do you mean by old? I thought that older non laying birds were pretty much inedible.

 

They are... over a year old and they are rendered stringy - even a coq au vin in the slow cooker doesn't help much.

[Jools]

I'm not handy enough to make my own so I'm a very happy Forsham customer and would always recommend the company and their products.

 

Flytes have an equally good reputation though.

[Lewis]

flyte so Fancy are very good yes - Forsham Cottage Arks, Smiths Sectional Buildings and Westaway Poultry are also very good

 

As of course are Omlet

Smiths Sectional looked really robust, and had some clever designs like built in rollaway nest boxes on the bigger ones

 

Really nice people too

[hopetofinish]

Well having contacted Mark he is able to come to Surrey.

The James Super works out dearer than the Cube with the 3 metre run, but I think wins on looks.

Which would you choose

[ISCA]

Obviously the James Super After all I bought one with no regrets and a Cube would look an eye sore in my Devon garden Plus the Cube can not have an automatic pop-hole opener, which i think is an essential for us.

[hopetofinish]

ISCA - I agree, I have an Edwardian house and the cube is just a bit too funky!

 

I want an automatic door opener too, and whilst I appreciate the benefits of the cube, Omlet are really missing a trick with the run. If you are not moving the run regularly, who would want to crawl around trying to clean it

They should market something you can stand up in!

 

Showed hubby your photos (thanks for posting them!), he thinks it looks great, and then promptly said he could build it . He probably can too because he's clever.

 

From a hubby who thought I was mad a month ago, I now have a man who is offering to build what I like.

 

Great how woman plant a seed of an idea and gently watch it germinate

[ISCA]

Great! Show us pics when it's built